Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta
May 27, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Tonight, the Columbia Fireflies continue their series with the Augusta GreenJackets. RHP Adrian Alcantara (1-2, 6.75 ERA) toes the rubber for the Fireflies. Augusta will counter with RHP Tyler Owens (0-2, 6.75 ERA).
It's Thirsty Thursday at Segra Park tonight. Gates open at 6 pm for the 7:05 contest and the first 300 fans in the gates will receive a tube cooler that can hold six cans of beer or soda. Once inside, fans can purchase $2 Bud Light pints at the Budweiser Bowtie and you can buy half priced draft beer and soda at any concession stand.
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SOUTHPAWS LEAD WAY TO SECOND SHUTOUT WIN OF SEASON: Emilio Marquez, Rylan Kaufman and Nathan Webb combined to throw Columbia's second shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets Wednesday night at Segra Park. After Marquez allowed the first three batters he faced to single, he held everyone aboard and shut down the GreenJackets (9-11) for the rest of his four innings, allowing five total hits and striking out a handful of Augusta hitters. Next, he handed the ball to Kaufman (W, 1-1) who dominated, wringing up six batters and allowing just one hit across four innings. The lone righty to pitch for Columbia Wednesday was Webb, who closed out the game with a hitless ninth. The three combined to throw the Fireflies (12-8) second shutout of the season, both coming against Augusta. Their first shutout came at SRP Park May 6 and A.J. Block, Matt Stil and Ismael Aquino combined for a seven-inning 5-0 blanking of the GreenJackets.
MILESTONE WATCH: The Columbia Fireflies pitching staff paces the Low-A East with 259 strikeouts this season. The Carolina Mudcats have the second most punchouts in the league this season with 241. Columbia's mark is actually good for the second most of any team in Minor League Baseball. The Modesto Nuts have recorded the most of any of the 120 teams, with 273 this season.
GONZALEZ MAKING IT WORK: Fireflies utility man Herard Gonzalez has gone 6-19 (.316) at the plate in his last six games played. That hitting streak is tied for the fourth-longest streak among Fireflies hitters in 2021. What makes it even more incredible is that the infielder started the stretch 11 days ago, on May 16. To put that into perspective, when Maikel Garcia had the Fireflies longest hitting streak of the season, he was able to get a hit in eight games across 10 days. Playing in all but one Fireflies game in that span. Gonzalez has been on the bench for three gmaes during this stretch.
I THINK WE'RE CATCHING ON: Columbia has primarily utilized two catchers this season so far, Kale Emshoff and Omar Hernandez. Through the first 19 games, the two have had vastly different fortune handling the pitching staff. With Emshoff behind the dish, Columbia is 4-3 and pitchers have a 2.51 ERA in 61 innings, meanwhile, when Hernandez lines up 60'6" away from the arms on the bump, the team is 5-4 and has spun an 5.75 ERA through 76.2 innings.
MAGIC NUMBER: The offense has come in spurts for the Columbia Fireflies in 2021, but the magic number for the team is four. When the Fireflies score four runs in a game, they are 12-2 this season. When Columbia scores three or less in a game, they are 0-6.
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE APART OF A TURNAROUND: After giving up a run in two innings of relief work at Augusta May 8, it looked like righty Nathan Webb would have another season similar to his previous four years in Minor League Baseball. The Missouri-native has a 5.86 career ERA. Since then, the righty has spun seven scoreless innings and has fanned 13 batters while allowing only one hit. His opposing batting average has dropped from .231 to .121 and his season WHIP is now an incredible 0.80.
Carolina League Stories from May 27, 2021
- 'Birds Winning Streak Snapped at Four - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Early Offense Leads Fireflies to 10-3 Victory - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats Walked off by Wood Ducks in 2-1 Loss - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Pelicans Drop Low-Scoring Game to Salem 4-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Down East Walks off Fredericksburg for First Win in Series - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireworks with the Phil at Segra Park, Home of the Columbia Fireflies - Columbia Fireflies
- Down East Wood Ducks Game Notes vs. Fredericksburg - Down East Wood Ducks
- SRP Park Returns to Full Capacity - Augusta GreenJackets
- RiverDogs, Boeing to Induct Mikolajcik, Tetrev into Hall of Honor - Charleston RiverDogs
- Mudcats Hold off Cannon Ballers in 11-6 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- 10th Inning Rally Leads FredNats Past Wood Ducks - Fredericksburg Nationals
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