Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 14 at Augusta
May 14, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their weekend with their fifth contest of the week against Augusta at SRP Park at 6:05 pm. RHP Luinder Avila (3-3, 4.91 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and the GreenJackets counter with righty Luis Vargas (0-1, 3.60 ERA).
The Fireflies return home May 17 for a six-game series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans that includes the return of Copa De La Diversíon weekend. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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EARLY OFFENSE CAN'T BEAT BULLPEN IN 6-3 LOSS: The Columbia Fireflies scored a pair of runs in the second to knock-out Augusta's starter, but couldn't score again until a late surge in the eighth, as they fell to Augusta 6-3 at SRP Park Friday evening. Augusta (19-12) flipped the script in the third inning. Cal Conley smoked a ball back at Fireflies starter Ben Hernandez (L, 0-3) for the first out of the inning. Brian Klein tried to score from third and a missed catch error from Carter Jensen allowed Klein and Caleb Durbin to score to put Augusta on top 3-2. Following the play, Hernandez left the game with an apparent hand injury.
JENSEN FINDING POWER STROKE: Thursday, catcher Carter Jensen went 2-4 with a double and his fifth homer of the season. The Royals' 2021 third-round pick is now tied with Guillermo Quintana for the most homers on the Fireflies roster. He continued finding extra-base hits Friday, notching a double for his third multi-bagger in two games.
COMEBACK CONNOLLY: After a rough start to his 2022 season, reliever Shane Connolly found himself tagged with a 13.50 ERA. His last three outings, he hasn't allowed an earned run, and the southpaw has cut his ERA down to 7.59. The stretch has lasted 4.2 innings, including the final two frames Friday evening.
STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM: Last night, the bottom third of the Fireflies order accounted for four of the team's seven hits. The highlight of the evening for the group was Joshua Rivera's two-run triple from the nine-hole that broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second frame. Wilmin Candelario finished the evening with a 2-4 effort and Francis Grullon went 1-4 and scored a run.
CRUISING CAMERON: Fireflies starter Noah Cameron had the best start of his young career last Wednesday afternoon at Segra Park. The lefty went five innings and tied a career-high with seven punchouts. If that weren't enough, the Missouri native faced the minimum during that stretch, retiring all 15 hitters he saw at Segra Park. Following the outing, Cameron has now made three of his five starts at Segra Park, and he's enjoying the home cooking. In 12 innings at home, Cameron has maintained a 2.25 ERA and fanned 14 hitters while holding opponents to a .128 average. The performance was enough to win the southpaw the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Award, the second time a Fireflies player has earned a weekly honor this season. River Town was the first player of the week for Columbia, an award he won for his play from April 19-24. He continued the stretch in his no-decision Tuesday at Augusta where he alllowed just a single earned run across 4.2 innings.
WILLIS THE WAYFINDER: After a rough 2021 season, southpaw Marlin Willis has been hitting a groove with the Fireflies in 2022. After two scoreless innings last night, Willis has not allowed an earned run in his last six innings of work. After 12.1 innings this season, opponents are hitting .200 against the Georgia native.
THIS IS THE WAY: After working primarily as a starter for the Fireflies in the 2021 season prior to a trip to the injured list, righty Delvin Capellan has been used as a reliever in the 2022 campaign. Thursday, after the Fireflies used two pitchers before recording the first out of the third inning, Capellan had a shot to stretch out. After spinning five innings, the righty allowed only three hits and one run while wringing up seven hitters.
Carolina League Stories from May 14, 2022
- 'Birds Battle But Fall in 11 Innings to Red Sox, 5-4 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Triantos Homer Sends Pelicans over RiverDogs - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Triantos Homer Sends Pelicans over RiverDogs - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Hamilton's Big Saturday Powers Woodpeckers Past Carolina - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Unearned Runs Haunt GreenJackets in Close Defeat - Augusta GreenJackets
- Perez Homers and Has RBI Double in 8-6 Loss - Carolina Mudcats
- Young's Clutch Hit Gives FredNats 7-5 Win Over Kannapolis - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Struggles Down the Stretch Result in 4-2 Loss in Myrtle Beach - Charleston RiverDogs
- Garcia's Immaculate Inning Propels Fireflies to Victory - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 14 at Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Carolina Wins Friday Night Thriller 5-4 in Fayetteville - Carolina Mudcats
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