CarL Columbia Fireflies

Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Carolina June 19

Published on June 19, 2022 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


The Fireflies polish off their homestand vs the Carolina Mudcats at Segra Park tonight at 5:05 pm. RHP Luinder Avila (5-3, 5.44 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Carolina counters with RHP Stiven Cruz (1-1, 4.44 ERA).

Today is the conclusion of our Negro League Weekend Celebration, where we'll pay homage to the legacy of those who played in the Negro Leagues as Columbia takes the field as the Newark Eagles and Carolina will become the Chattanooga Choo Choos. It's also a Sunday Funday where we'll have pre-game autographs and catch on the field and kids can run the bases following the game. To celebrate Father's Day, all dads in attendance will receive a voucher for a 16 oz draft domestic beer or a 24 oz fountain soda. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.

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FIREFLIES SWEPT IN TWIN BILL VS MUDCATS: The Columbia Fireflies were swept 8-7 and 7-3 in a doubleheader vs the Carolina Mudcats Saturday night at Segra Park. Game One The Mudcats upended Columbia with two outs in the top of the seventh of game one. With two runners on, Jeferson Quero belted his fourth homer of the year to the home run porch to push Carolina in front 7-5. The next batter, Hedbert Perez hit his second homer of the game to provide another run of insurance. It's the first time a Fireflies opponent hit back-to-back homers against Columbia since Bryson Horne and Willie Carter did so for the Augusta GreenJackets June 29, 2021. In the home half of the frame, Daniel Vazquez doubled to score River Town to bring the tying run to the plate. With two outs, Carter Jensen lined a base knock to center to score Vazquez and bring the Fireflies within a single run. Game Two The Fireflies lost game two 7-3 to Carolina and five homers were slapped between the two teams. Starting in the top of the fourth inning, Carolina scored five unanswered runs, utilizing homers from Jheremy Vargas and Eduardo Garcia, as well as a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to go up 7-2 over Columbia. River Town hit his team-leading eighth homer of the season to right center, scoring Enrique Valdez to tie the game 2-2 in the home half of the third.

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING: Fireflies outfielder River Town has been wearing out his cleats walking to first base. The Louisiana native has walked six times in 18 plate appearances this series vs Carolina, bringing his season total to 25 walks in 50 games. The stretch has landed him with an eight-game on-base streak.

AT THE BUZZER: Two Fireflies hitters have been going back-and-forth for the homer and runs batted in lead for Columbia, and after game two of yesterday's doubleheader, both Carter Jensen and River Town are tied atop the leaderboard again with eight homers and 23 RBI. Town crushed a two-run homer in the third inning to tie the contest 2-2 and Jensen lifted a solo shot over the right field berm in the bottom of the sixth to match Town.

SINGING THE BLUES: The Fireflies have struggled in their navy jerseys this season, owning a 4-17 record when they don the blues through the first 62 games of the 2022 campaign.

WILY WILLIS: In his 37th appearance in the neon and navy, Marlin Willis earned his first win. He is now 1-2 in his career with the Fireflies across 60.2 innings of work. In his second season in the Soda City, the southpaw has a 4.07 ERA in 14 appearances, fanning 33 in 24.1 innings and holding opponents to a .189 average. Columbia's reliever has been on a tear since the end of April though. After recording an 8.53 ERA in the first month of the season, Willis continues to perform better as time passes. He went 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six games spanning 12.1 innings in May and is 1-0 in his first four games of June with a 1.59 ERA in 5.2 innings.

K IS FOR KUDRNA: Yesterday's starting pitcher hasn't been phased by the jump to full-season bsaeball early on. After allowing a single run in his debut across 3.2 innings, the Kansas native has tallied four more starts. He spun a four inning scoreless outing at Lynchburg and a three inning scoreless outing at Salem before returning home to Columbia. In his most pair of starts, Kudrna allowed a pair of unearned runs in three innings before being lifted and he worked a career-high 4.1 innings without allowing a run. That means that Kudrna has not allowed an earned run in his last 14.1 innings of work. In that time, the righty has struck out 19 opposing hitters while allowing just 10 hits.

Check out the Columbia Fireflies Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from June 19, 2022


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