Columbia Fireflies Game Notes June 17 vs Carolina
June 17, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Columbia Fireflies resume their series with the Carolina Mudcats tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. LHP Frank Mozzicato (0-2, 7.82 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and RHP Carlos Rodriguez (2-2, 4.21 ERA) counters for Carolina.
Today is the start of Negro League Weekend at Segra Park. Former Negro Leaguer, Russell "Crazy Legs" Patterson will throw out the first pitch tonight and will sign autographs for fans on the concourse during the game to kick-off the weekend as the Fireflies become the Newark Eagles and take on the Chattanooga Choo-Choos. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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DOONEY POWERS FIREFLIES OVER MUDCATS IN 2-1 WIN: The Fireflies rallied behind second baseman Dayton Dooney in a 2-1 win vs the Carolina Mudcats at Segra Park Wednesday afternoon. It's the first time since August 10-12, 2021 that the Fireflies have won three-consecutive games. During that stretch, they beat up on the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 21-5, 5-3 and 15-4. The Fireflies cracked the score column in the home half of the first. Jean Ramirez singled and moved to third on a throwing error from catcher Jeferson Quero to start the frame. Later in the inning, Dayton Dooney drove a sacrifice fly to right that scored Ramirez to break the scoreless tie. Dooney stayed hot his second time at the plate. He cranked his first homer of the season, his second of his career beyond the right field wall to put the Fireflies up by a pair.
DUCKS AREN'T IN A ROW: After yesterday's 2-1 victory over the Carolina Mudcats,The Fireflies won three consecutive games for the first time since August 10-12 last season. All three games were against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. The Fireflies have not won four consecutive games since May 26-29, 2021. All games were against the Augusta GreenJackets and the scores were: 4-0, 10-5, 7-6 and 10-2.
DOONEY BUOYS FIREFLIES: The Royals' 2021 6th round pick, Dayton Dooney, has been on a tear against the Carolina Mudcats. The infielder launched a two-run triple in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game to give the Fireflies some much-needed insurance before scoring Columbia's last run of the 7-3 win on a wild pitch. Then, less than 24 hours later, in the first inning Wednesday, Columbia's clean-up hitter lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score the first run of the game. He didn't stop there either. Dooney smashed a homer to the right field berm to score Columbia's second and final run of Wednesday's game too. In other words, Dooney has played a role in scoring each of the Fireflies last five runs.
WILY WILLIS: In his 37th appearance in the neon and navy, Marlin Willis earned his first win. He is now 1-2 in his career with the Fireflies across 60.2 innings of work. In his second season in the Soda City, the southpaw has a 4.07 ERA in 14 appearances, fanning 33 in 24.1 innings and holding opponents to a .189 average. Columbia's reliever has been on a tear since the end of April though. After recording an 8.53 ERA in the first month of the season, Willis continues to perform better as time passes. He went 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six games spanning 12.1 innings in May and is 1-0 in his first four games of June with a 1.59 ERA in 5.2 innings.
K IS FOR KUDRNA: Yesterday's starting pitcher hasn't been phased by the jump to full-season bsaeball early on. After allowing a single run in his debut across 3.2 innings, the Kansas native has tallied four more starts. He spun a four inning scoreless outing at Lynchburg and a three inning scoreless outing at Salem before returning home to Columbia. In his most pair of starts, Kudrna allowed a pair of unearned runs in three innings before being lifted and he worked a career-high 4.1 innings without allowing a run. That means that Kudrna has not allowed an earned run in his last 14.1 innings of work. In that time, the righty has struck out 19 opposing hitters while allowing just 10 hits.
A HANDFUL OF DUBS: Tuesday night, Heribert Garcia spun five innings in relief of Shane Panzini, earning his team-best fifth win of the season. Columbia's reliever has three wins in his last five relief appearances and has overtaken tonight's starter, Luinder Avila, fort the most wins on the roster this season.
Carolina League Stories from June 17, 2022
- FredNats and Pelicans Split on Friday Night - Fredericksburg Nationals
- First Place Mudcats End Skid with 4-1 Road Win - Carolina Mudcats
- The Lynchburg Hillcats Lose in Heartbreaking Fashion - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Valdez's Four Hit Game Not Enough in 'Birds 3-1 Loss to Salem - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Devers Tosses Gem, Pelicans Split Friday Games with Nationals - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Late Runs Mark Difference in Late Game at Segra Park - Columbia Fireflies
- Augusta Unable to Overcome Early Deficit - Augusta GreenJackets
- Devers Tosses Gem, Pelicans Split Friday Games with Nationals - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs Right Ship with 6-2 Triumph Against GreenJackets - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes June 17 vs Carolina - Columbia Fireflies
- Offense Gets Job Down Despite Fielding Miscues - Salem Red Sox
- Woodpeckers Announce Partnership with TJ Robinson Life Center - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
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