Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston 4.16
April 16, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their road trip with their first day game of the year set for 11:05 am in Charleston today. RHP Blake Wolters (0-0, 10.80 ERA) gets going for the Fireflies and Charleston sends LHP Drew Dowd (0-0, 2.25 ERA) to the hill.
The Fireflies return home April 23 for a six-game set with the Augusta GreenJackets at Segra Park. Friday, April 26 will be the inaugural Carolina Grits game at Segra Park. We're celebrating with a Grits bobble spoon giveaway. Get your tickets at ColumbiaFireflies.com
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BATS CRUISE IN 12-5 SUNDAY SHOWDOWN: The Fireflies offense came out in a hurry, scoring six runs in the first two frames on the way to a 12-5 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Sunday evening at Segra Park. The Fireflies were able to swipe five of six games in their first home series of the year and head to Charleston tied for first in the South Division of the Carolina League. The Fireflies jumped out of the gates again. They sent 17 hitters to the plate in the first two innings against Alfredo Romero (L, 0-2) and Jeral Vizcaino. Blake Mitchell got things started with a two bagger and then the hits rolled in. Next, Daniel Vazquez slapped a double to score Mitchell before coming around on a Derlin Figueroa base knock to put Columbia up 2-0. Figueroa came around on an Erick Pena RBI single. The second inning got started with a few walks to set up a wild pitch with the bases loaded to score Erick Torres. Next, Figueroa hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Mitchell and Austin Charles singled to score Vazquez. Before fans blinked, Columbia led 6-0. Gabriel Silva launched a two-run blast in the third to 7-0 to let the Fireflies cruise.
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS: The Fireflies kept the hot bats rolling with runners in scoring position. After starting the season 7-58 (.121) with runners threatening, Columbia clicked into high gear, tallying 26 hits in their final four games against Myrtle Beach to bring the season average up to .264 (33-125).
OPENING DAY PENA: Erick Pena is something of an opening day legend at Segra Park. The lefty hit a walk-off three-run blast against the Augusta GreenJackets in 2022 for his first home opener with the club and he kept his bat rolling yesterday against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Pena started the scoring with a two-run blast that plated Austin Charles and flipped the script, giving Columbia a 2-1 lead in the second. It was the club's first home run of the campaign. Pena continued his hot start as he has collected at least one hit in each game this homestand. The outfielder is currently riding a five-game hitting streak--the second longest of his career.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: It's early, but the Fireflies have two hitters who have a top-10 batting average in the Carolina League. Erick Torres has the third-best mark in the league (.400). He has the second-most hits (12) and the seventh-most walks (8) in the circuit, which also leads him to a .525 on-base percentage, which is just behind Carolina's Tayden Hall and Fredericksburg's Gavin Dugas for the best mark in the League. Jhonny Perdomo is also in the top-10 as he has split time with Lizandro Rodriguez at second this year. Perdomo is hitting .350 in five of Columbia's first nine contests this year. The team is also well represented in the RBI column. Austin Charles has the second-most RBI in the League (12), Derlin Figueroa sits in fourth with 10 and Perdomo is just behind in the six-spot with nine RBI.
GET HIM ON, MOVE HIM OVER, AND SCORE: Erick Torres has been incredible in the lead-off spot this season. The center fielder is tied for the third-most hits (9) and the fifth-most walks (7) in the Carolina League, which has allowed him to steal four bases and score the fifth-most runs (7) in the circuit this season.
WORK HORSE REYES: Last night, Emmanuel Reyes struggled out of the gate, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in the first two innings. After the second, he got back into cruise control and worked his second five inning start of the campaign. The righty is tied for the Carolina League lead with 10 innings of work. After striking out eight hitters Friday, he also is tied for eighth with five others who have recorded 10 strikeouts on the season.
Carolina League Stories from April 16, 2024
- Loud Sixth Leads Greenjackets Over Mudcats In Series Opener - Augusta GreenJackets
- FredNats Blanked 1-0 against Fayetteville - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Birds Fall in Fifth Straight with 3-2 Loss to Cannon Ballers - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Rodriguez Goes Five Strong in Mudcats Defeat - Carolina Mudcats
- Down East Edges Delmarva in Pitcher's Duel - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Wood Ducks Prevail in Pitchers' Duel - Down East Wood Ducks
- RiverDogs Open Homestand with Comeback Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Come up Short in Opener vs Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston 4.16 - Columbia Fireflies
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