Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta 7.3
July 3, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their three-game series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at Segra Park at 6:05 pm. RHP Blake Wolters (2-2, 3.91 ERA) takes the bump for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Didier Fuentes (2-4, 2.54 ERA).
Tonight is our Independence Day Celebration presented by CVETS. Join the Fireflies for some excellent baseball tonight and cap your night off with an incredible fireworks show! If that weren't enough, we'll also have happy and hoppy hour specials. Fans can enjoy $4 Bud Lights, Michelob Ultras and Budweisers and all bounce passes at the SCU Kids Zone are half-priced tonight. Buy your tickets at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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SOLID PITCHING LEADS TO 3-1 WIN TUESDAY: The Fireflies got an excellent game out of four pitchers in a 3-1 win over the Augusta GreenJackets at Segra Park Tuesday night. The bullpen combined for five scoreless innings behind Bernal's second-consecutive one-run start. Columbia took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. After Jeremy Reyes issued back-to-back walks to start the inning, he left the game due to an injury. With Rolando Gutierez on the bump, Blake Mitchell was able to collect an RBI single to score Ryan Cepero to tie the game 1-1. The next batter, Austin Charles, drove a base knock to left-center that scored Erick Torres to push Columbia in front 2-1. Jonatan Bernal looked solid in his second start off the Injured List. He worked four one-run frames and shut Augusta down after lead-off runner Isaiah Drake scored to start off the game.
COMMON GEMS: Last night was the 14th time this season that the Fireflies have held their opponents to one-run or less. The team has spun three shutouts and 11 games where they've held opponents to a single run in 2024. Fans have had the chance to see a lot of good pitching at Segra Park the last two seasons. In 2023 Columbia had 12 shutouts and 15 one-run games. That makes 41 games in the Fireflies last 207 games that they have held opponents to one run or less.
GOING STREAKING: Catcher Dionmy Salon is riding a hot streak for Columbia. He is on his longest hitting streak of the season, a nine-game stretch that began June 9 and is tied for the second-longest active hitting streak in the Carolina League. He trails Esteban Gonzalez who has hit in 10-consecutive games for the Lynchburg Hillcats. Salon is 12-27 (.444) on the run and has five RBI. Salon has increased his batting average from .165 to .229 during the strech which encapsulates over one quarter of his games played this season.
STORIES RIVALRY: Last night was the 182nd installment of the GreenJackets and Fireflies Rivalry. It resulted in the Fireflies' 90th win of the series. All-in-All, Columbia is 90-92 against Augusta with 10 more games scheduled in 2024.
QUALITY FELIX: Saturday, Felix Arronde worked his team-leading fifth quality start of the season. He's two ahead of Ethan Bosacker for the most on the Fireflies. So far this season, Arronde has a 4-6 record to pair with a 3.68 ERA. He's been able to persevere despite receiving the lowest run support of any regular Fireflies starter this year. The bats are scoring 2.19 runs per nine innings when Arronde is on the hill in 2024.
KICKING WITH KIRKLAND: In Doug Kirkland's last eight outings, he has allowed just one earned run spanning 14.1 innings of work (0.63 ERA). In that time, he has 17 punchouts and his opponents are hitting .119 against him. In his first full professional season, Kirkland is 3-3 with a 2.60 ERA. He has an outlandish 37 strikeouts in 27.2 innings and opponents are hitting just .176 against him this season.
I CAN SEE THE FUTURE: Today, Major League Baseball announced their All-Star Future's game rosters, which contained a pair of former Fireflies player. RHP Ben Kudrna was Kansas City's second rounder in 2021 and after spinning a 3.48 ERA in 17 starts in 2022, he was named the Columbia Fireflies Pitcher of the Year by the Royals. Gavin Cross was also named to the roster. The outfielder was selected in the first round of the 2022 draft out of Virginia Tech and reached base safely in his final 22 games with the Fireflies that same season.
Carolina League Stories from July 3, 2024
- Woodpeckers Hampered by Kannapolis Arms in Independence Day Game - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Pelicans Fall to RiverDogs 4-1 for Fifth Straight Loss - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia's Offense Stalls in Series Finale - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Sweep Myrtle Beach Half of Series, Move into First-Place Tie - Charleston RiverDogs
- Hillcats Downed bu Red Sox, 11-5 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Infante Walks-off Delmarva - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Fred Nats Walk-Off Shorebirds in Ten Innings - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Fuentes, Sanchez Combine for 4-0 Shutout in Columbia - Augusta GreenJackets
- Wood Ducks Beat Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Ian Anderson Back at SRP Park for Saturday Start - Augusta GreenJackets
- Aron Estrada Named Carolina League Player of the Month - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta 7.3 - Columbia Fireflies
- Wood Ducks Make Most of Opportunities in 9-3 Victory - Down East Wood Ducks
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