Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta
Published on June 20, 2021 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Augusta GreenJackets today at 5:05 pm at Segra Park. Southpaw Rylan Kaufman (1-2, 4.94 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and righty Joey Estes (0-2, 1.93 ERA) counters for the GreenJackets.
Today the Fireflies continue their Negro League Celebration to celebrate the historical and cultural impact the leagues had on our game today. The Fireflies will be dressing as the Newark Eagles and playing against the Chattanooga Choo Choos (Augusta GreenJackets). As an added bonus, all fathers who come through the gates today will receive a voucher for a free 16 oz beer or 24 oz fountain soda. Gates open at 4 pm.
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SEASON-HIGH 10 WALKS LEADS TO 8-3 LOSS FOR FIREFLIES: The Columbia Fireflies pitching staff tied a season-high with 10 walks that helped contribute to an 8-3 loss to the Augusta GreenJackets Saturday evening at Segra Park. Before starter Matt Stil could record an out, the Fireflies found themselves in a 3-0 rut to the GreenJackets bats, punctuated by a two-run blast from Landon Stephens. Stil was able to get out of the inning without much further trouble, but the crowd at Segra Park would watch him issue five walks before getting yanked for Marlin Willis.
COLLIN'S CAPABILITY: Outfielder Darryl Collins went 3-4 at the plate Saturday night, to record his eighth multi-hit game this season. That's the second-highest total on the Fireflies roster, as Maikel Garcia has tallied 11 such games in 2021. After the contest, Collins now has the highest batting average of any player on the active roster, a .305 mark. The lefty also hit his third homer this season to right field. In 10 games where the Netherland's-native hits third in the Fireflies lineup this year he has compiled a .381/.435/.595 slash line with two of his three homers and 12 of his 16 RBI. His OPS when batting third is 1.030.
YOU WANNA SEE SOME REAL SPEED?: The Fireflies saw Tyler Tolbert climb his way a position higher on the all-time team leaderboard. Tolbert stole a Fireflies-best three bases in Friday night's game to give him 21 on the season. That tied him for second-most in a single season for a Fireflies player with Hansel Moreno, who accomplished the feat in 2018. He's chasing Jacob Zanon, who stole 28 bags in 2017.
HERNANDEZ LOVES HOME: After spinning a career-high five innings and wringing up a career-high seven hitters in the Fireflies third shutout of the season Friday, Ben Hernandez's home splits continue to separate from his road stats and from the rest of the pack on the Fireflies pitching staff. The Chicago-native has made four starts at home and four starts at the road this year. At Segra Park he has a 1-1 record with a 1.69 ERA through 16 frames where he has fanned 14 hitters and walked four. When the team travels, he has a 7.30 ERA in 12.1 innings where he has walked 11 and struckout 11 batters. The only Fireflies pitcher with a better home ERA with multiple appearances this season is Walter Pennington, who has a 1.04 ERA through 8.2 innings across five appearances out of the bullpen.
KAUFMAN TURNS KORNER: After giving up eight runs without recording an out in his first start in Augusta May 8, Rylan Kaufman has been electric. In six outings, four of which have been starts, the southpaw has worked 23.2 innings and has allowed three runs. During that time, the Texas-native has punched out 30 batters while allowing only 13 hits in that span. The stretch included a 9.2 inning scoreless streak from May 20-June 8 where Kaufman wrung up 13 hitters.
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 11 scoreless innings and has fanned 21 batters while allowing only three hits. His opposing batting average has dropped from .231 to .140 and his season WHIP is now an incredible 0.87.
Carolina League Stories from June 20, 2021
- Pelicans Finish Series with 6-1 Win over RiverDogs - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Win Streak Ends at Seven as RiverDogs Drop Rain-Shortened Contest - Charleston RiverDogs
- Ydens Hits Tying Homer in 9th, Strohschein Walks It off in 10th for Wild FredNats Victory - Fredericksburg Nationals
- 'Birds Valiant Comeback Falls Short against Red Sox - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Wood Ducks Win Rain Shortened Contest vs. Kannapolis - Down East Wood Ducks
- Today's Fireflies Game Postponed Due to Inclement Weather - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Mudcats and Woodpeckers Rained out in Zebulon - Carolina Mudcats
- Down East Wood Ducks Game Notes - vs. Kannapolis - Down East Wood Ducks
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