Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 4 vs Myrtle Beach
May 4, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies host the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at 7:05 pm at Segra Park tonight. Columbia rolls with RHP Ben Kudrna (1-2, 7.80 ERA) and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Grant Kipp (0-2, 5.93 ERA).
Tonight is Human Cannonball Night presented by Columbia College. We'll be shooting off Dave "The Bullet" from center field to home plate following the game, thanks to our partner Columbia College. It's also a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, so fans can enjoy $1 fountain sodas, $2 domestic drafts and $3 craft drafts and cocktails while at the ballpark. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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PENA'S TWO-HOMER NIGHT LEADS FIREFLIES TO COMEBACK WIN: Columbia was down big, trailing 6-0 after three innings, but two homers from Erick Peña and 10 runs after the fourth inning led Columbia to a walk-off victory 10-8 over Myrtle Beach Wednesday night at Segra Park. Erick Peña had the big hit for Columbia Wednesday night. He started the scoring for Columbia with a two-run blast that one-hopped out of Segra Park to cut Myrtle Beach's lead to 6-2. He also closed out the game with a two-run bomb to right field to win the game. It was Peña's second walk-off homer for Columbia and the Fireflies third walk-off win of the young season. The rally started in earnest in the bottom of the eighth where the Fireflies scored four runs, starting with Dionmy Salon's fourth hit of the game. His single made it 8-4 and a balk from reliever Brandon Noriega made it 8-5. Next, David Hollie lined a single off the leg of Noriega to big Salon home and cut the Pelicans' lead to two. Jean Ramirez got the last hit of the inning, making it a one-run game.
VICTORY STARTS WITH VAZQUEZ: The Fireflies' 19-year-old shortstop has started the year off hot, and the Carolina League is starting to take notice. Vazquez leads the Fireflies in nearly every offensive category and last night he smacked his first round-tripper of the year in the first inning to put Columbia up 3-0. He finished Tuesday 3-4 with a career-high five RBI. The Villa Mella, Dominican Republic native is finding himself all over the League leaderboards as well. Vazquez ranks eight in batting average (.338), fourth in RBI (17), second in hits (25) and sixth in stolen bases (10). He trails Tim Elko who leads the circuit with 28 hits.
ZOOMING ZOBAC: Columbia's relief pitcher Steven Zobac allowed a runner to reach scoring position for the first time this season Tuesday night, but the righty didn't allow anyone to score. Zobac has not allowed a run in his first 11 innings of the season, giving him the longest scoreless streak to start the season in the League. Tonight's starter for Myrtle Beach, Cade Horton, is right behind Zobac with 10.1 scoreless to start the year. His performance has been good enough to earn him Carolina League Pitcher of the Month honors. He's the first Fireflies player to win a Carolina League monthly award.
IT'S A MAJOR AWARD: David Hollie's heroics Sunday, when he hit four homers and drove in seven RBI across a doubleheader for Columbia were good enough to earn him Carolina League Player of the Week honors. Hollie is the first Fireflies player to win a weekly award since River Town did so last April.
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD: Tuesday night, David Sandlin whiffed eight Pelicans hitters to retake the League strikeouts lead. He took the mantle from teammate Frank Mozzicato who has 34 punchouts on the season. The top non-Fireflies pitcher is Jake Bennett, the former teammate of David Sandlin at the University of Oklahoma. Sandlin also leads the Carolina League in innings pitcher with 23.1 and wins with 3. Mozzicato paces the League in ERA at 1.42.
WE'RE GOING SQUIRES DANCING: First baseman Brett Squires is the first Fireflies player to have a hitting streak longer than five games this year. Squires hit safely in eight-consecutive games, a stretch that began April 26 and ended last night after an 0-4 performance. During the run, the Oklahoma-product was 12-26 (.462) with three doubles and a homer. He has driven in six runs and scored 10 during the run.
Carolina League Stories from May 4, 2023
- Woodpeckers Flirt with No-Hitter in Shutout Win Over Salem - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- RiverDogs Edge Hillcats 4-3 Thursday Night - Charleston RiverDogs
- Wood and Guilarte Lead the Way in 6-2 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- GreenJackets Score Six Unanswered to Win Third Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Carolina Silences Delmarva on Thursday Night - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Fireflies Shut Out Pelicans For Sixth Straight Win - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats and Wood Ducks Suspended Thursday Night - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Fourth Annual Seniors Last Swing Returns to Pelicans Ballpark - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs Ready for Coronation of Charlie T. RiverDog on Saturday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes May 4 vs Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- Zobac Named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month - Columbia Fireflies
- Salem Capitalizes on Woodpeckers Miscues to Secure Victory - Salem Red Sox
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