Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta
July 24, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies will play their second doubleheader of the week tonight beginning at 4:30 pm. LHP Foster Griffin (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball in game one and the Fireflies have righty Matt Stil (2-2, 5.30 ERA) toeing the rubber in game two. Augusta tosses RHP Jared Johnson (0-5, 7.79 ERA) in game one and will use righty Rainiery Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) in game two.
Tonight is Princess Knight presented by Lowe's Foods at Segra Park. Fans can spend an enchanted night at the ballpark and afterwards can enjoy a stellar fireworks show performed by Munnerlyn Pyrotechnics. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com
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FIREFLIES FALL TWO FEET SHORT AGAINST AUGUSTA FRIDAY NIGHT: The Columbia Fireflies had the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate when Burle Dixon came up to the plate and sent a drive to right field, but it died at the wall and the Fireflies fell 4-3 to the Augusta GreenJackets at Segra Park Friday evening. Luis De Avila (L, 4-2) entered the game in the sixth and pitched three innings, giving up three runs. The deciding run crossed the plate in the top of the eighth when Willie Carter smoked a triple to right with Bryson Horne on the base paths. After the Fireflies (34-33) were trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Kale Emshoff smacked his sixth homer of the season to bring the Fireflies within one. Gage Hughes tied it in the seventh with a solo shot of his own to bring the score to 3-3.
TOLBERT'S TUMULTUOUS JULY: The Fireflies utility player, Tyler Tolbert, struggled to start off the season, hitting .159 in 19 games in May and .170 in 17 games in June. It's safe to say that the Royals' prospect has turned the corner in July. The righty has hit .303 in 18 games in July, with four doubles and two homers. His two homers are the only two of his career and the four doubles match his May and June total. Tolbert has a .872 OPS this month, which is the highets mark of any Fireflies player.
BURLE OR BURLY: Thursday, outfielder Burle Dixon had a doubleheader to remember. Across the two games, Dixon went 5-7 with five RBI, but in game two, he had his first multi-homer game in his career. For bonus points, the two homers were also the first two homers he has hit with the Fireflies. Last night, Dixon again had the chance to alter the game and sent a drive to right, but the ball died on the track.
ROTATION BREAKING THROUGH: The two starter in yesterday's twin bill, Rylan Kaufman and Adrian Alcantara, were both able to eat six innings a piece to hold the Fireflies bullpen to two innings, one from both Ismael Aquino and Walter Pennington. The two six inning contests are tied for the longest outing for a Fireflies starter this season. Alcantara went six innings once earlier in the season as well. It's particularly important because the team in playing another doublehader Saturday against Augusta.
REBOUNDING WITH STYLE: Last night, starter Anderson Paulino rebounded from his worst start of the season against Myrtle Beach. The righty allowed nine runs and 11 hits in the outing, both of which are season highs in that start on the road. He returned to Segra Park with a career-high seven strikeouts in five two-hit innings where Paulino did not allow a run to score.
ON THE PODIUM: Following the Major League All-Star Break, and at the half-way point of the 2021 Low-A East season, it's a good time to highlight a few individuals who are making a name for themselves around the league. Outfielder Juan Carlos Negret is proving to be one of the best sluggers in the league, pacing the Low-A East with 17 homers and tallying the third-most RBI, with 45 so far this season. Tolbert is tied with the most steals for anyone in the League. He has 34 already this year. On the mound, two pitchers have really contributed in a big way for Columbia. Cruz Noriega's 3.51 ERA is the third-lowest for any qualifying arm in the league, and although the southpaw, Emilio Marquez, has not worked enough innings this year for his 1.48 ERA to count in that category, he has punched out the eighth most batters of any individual in the Low-A East, fanning 62 opponents in 42.2 innings this season.
Carolina League Stories from July 24, 2021
- Fredericksburg Explodes Offensively, Score 18 Runs Behind an Eight Run First - Salem Red Sox
- Columbia Swept by Augusta in Doubleheader - Columbia Fireflies
- Five-Run Ninth Inning Pushes RiverDogs over Pelicans - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs Come Through in Clutch to Upend Myrtle Beach 9-4 - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Birds String Back-To-Back Wins Together against 'Cats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Sánchez Leads 18-Run Outburst in Lopsided Win - Fredericksburg Nationals
- McGee Homers But Mudcats Fall 4-3 to Down East - Carolina Mudcats
- Wood Ducks Snap Three-Game Losing Skid - Down East Wood Ducks
- Micah Bello Reinstated from Injured List - Carolina Mudcats
- Down East Wood Ducks Game Notes - at Carolina - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
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