Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 30 at Salem
May 30, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia kicks off a six-game series vs the Salem Red Sox at Carillion Clinic Field today at 1:05 pm. RHP Ben Hernandez (0-3, 5.95 ERA) gets the nod for the Fireflies and RHP Juan Daniel Encarnacion (3-3, 4.79 ERA) counters for Salem.
Columbia returns home for a two-week homestand June 7-19 that includes two Budweiser Thirsty Thursdays, two Freebie Fridays, two firework shows and the return of Negro League Weekend! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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LATE RALLY PUTS FIREFLIES IN FRONT 3-2: The Fireflies used three runs in the last three frames to beat the Lynchburg Hillcats 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Bank of the James Stadium. Erick Peña started off the ninth in a big way splitting the outfielders in right-center to put the tying run in scoring position. The next hitter, Daniel Vazquez, brought Peña home to tie the game, singling to left off Lynchburg (24-20) reliever Trey Benton (BS, 2; L 0-1). Omar Florentino bunted Vazquez to third with only a single out, which set up Joshua Rivera. On an 0-1 pitch, the shortstop placed a ball between third and short that scored Vazquez and gave the Fireflies (14-31) their first lead of the game, making the score 3-2. The Fireflies kicked-off their scoring in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, Omar Florentino and Joshua Rivera drew back-to-back walks. Next, River Town slapped a base knock down the left field line to score Florentino and cut Lynchburg's lead to 2-1. The bullpen was able to keep the game close. Jack Aldrich worked 3.2 innings to get through the seventh without allowing a run. The Tulane product fanned four Hillcats hitters while moving his ERA south to 3.32. Aldrich has a 2.45 ERA in May after recording an 8.31 ERA in April.
ONE RUN FUN: The Fireflies played a tight series with the Lynchburg Hillcats. The teams split the series, saw two games reach extra innings and saw three of the games decided by a single run. Of those three games, Columbia was able to take two home for victory. This season, Columbia is 6-8 in one run games.
THE FUTURE STARTS NOW: Columbia Fireflies fans have now had a chance to see each of the three high school starting pitchers that the Royals selected in the first four rounds of the 2021 draft at least once. The first time through the order, the three musketeers were domineering. Frank Mozzicato spun three frames, fanning three hitters, allowing a single hit and no runs, Ben Kudrna was on the hook for the loss, allowing a single hit and a single run through 3.2 innings while punching out five hitters and Shane Panzini rocked the room with four scoreless innings, allowing a single hit and wringing up four batters. All told, the group spun 10.2 innings, allowed a single run off three total hits and set aside 12 batters via the strikeout.
HOME COOKING: Fireflies outfielder Darryl Collins has been markedly better at home than on the road this season. The second-year player is hitting .275 in 69 at-bats at home in 2022 with six doubles, one triple and 10 RBI, but is at .214 in 56 at-bats on the road with only three RBI.
TAKING CONTROL: Guillermo Quintana has emerged as the top bat in the Fireflies order so far this season. After winning the ACL Royals' Player of the Year award in 2021, Quintana switched positions from catcher to first base when he transitioned to full-season baseball. If that weren't enough, he's still found a way to make a significant impact with his bat. After he crushed his team-leading sixth homer to left field in the eighth inning last night, accounting for his team-leading 20th RBI, Quintana is just .019 batting average points shy of owning the Fireflies triple crown.
WILLIS THE WAYFINDER: After a rough 2021 season, southpaw Marlin Willis has been hitting a groove with the Fireflies in 2022. After three innings of work Thursday night, Willis has allowed a single earned run in his last 11 innings of work. The Georgia native has been lights out in May. Willis has tallied a 0.82 ERA in five outings, lasting 11 frames while punching out 18 hitters and holding opponents to a .086 batting average.
Carolina League Stories from May 30, 2022
- Bats Shut Down in 6-2 Memorial Day Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- GreenJackets Begin Home Series with Kannapolis - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 30 at Salem - Columbia Fireflies
- Salem Splits Road Series against Fredericksburg - Salem Red Sox
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