Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston
Published on May 16, 2021 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies wrap up their homestand with the Charleston RiverDogs today at 5:05 pm. Gates open at 3:30. Fans who enter the gates will receive a 2021 magnet schedule giveaway presented by CAE. Columbia offers RHP Anderson Paulino (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on the bump, while Charleston's righty Cole Wilcox (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will earn his second start of the series today.
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RIVERDOGS ROMP AT SEGRA PARK IN 19-6 WIN: Alexander Ovalles stole the show at Segra Park in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,136 where he hit three homers and drove in 10 for the Riverdogs, who beat the Columbia Fireflies 19-6 Saturday evening. Columbia (6-5) gave up the most runs in a game since the Asheville Tourists beat the Fireflies 26-9 June 20, 2019 at McCormick Field. The RiverDogs (6-5) took the lead early, scoring six runs in the first three innings and pulling ahead 8-1 by the conclusion of the fifth. They knocked starter Adrian Alcantara (L, 1-2) out of the game after only two innings of work. Things got interesting in the sixth though. After Charleston starter John Doxakis (W, 1-0) left the game, Brady McConnell hit Columbia's first grand slam of the season over the centerfield wall to bring the Fireflies within three. In the sixth, Tyler Tolbert led things off with a triple before Maikel Garcia was able to drive him in to push the score to 8-6. Then the Fireflies bullpen gave up 11 runs over the final two innings to fall by a final score of 19-6. Rubendy Jaquez closed the game out for Columbia to become the first Fireflies position player to pitch in a game since Brian Sharp tossed a few pitches in a July 21, 2019 contest at Greenville.
OUTRUNNING THE LEAGUE: Tyler Tolbert picked up another pair of stolen bases last night to bring his season total to seven bags in nine games played. That's good for the second-most in the league, behind Down East's Jayce Easley, who has eight heading into Sunday's slate of games. What makes it even more remarkable for Columbia's second baseman is that he has seven stolen despite only making it to base safely from four hits and six walks thus far. Tolbert hasn't been caught on the basepaths yet this season and now has 35 stolen bases in 59 career games.
I THINK WE'RE CATCHING ON: Columbia has primarily utilized two catchers this season so far, Kale Emshoff and Omar Hernandez. Through the first 11 games, the two have had vastly different fortune handling the pitching staff. With Emshoff behind the dish, Columbia is 3-1 and pitchers have a 2.12 ERA in 34 innings, meanwhile, when Hernandez lines up 60'6" away from the arms on the bump, the team is 2-4 and has spun an 7.97 ERA through 49.2 innings.
FEAST OR FAMINE IN 2021: The Fireflies bats have been rather inconsistent this season through the first 10 games. They have notched more than nine runs four times this season, scoring 12 a pair of times, but have also scratched the scorecard two times or less four times through the first 10 contests of the season.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: The Fireflies have a pair of players, Diego Hernandez and Kale Emshoff, who both marked a six-game hitting streak in last night's 9-4 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs. Hernandez moved ahead with a 1-5 effort last night to eran a seven-game stretch, while Emshoff has a six-game streak. Emshoff is 9-25 with a triple and four doubles during the stretch. The backstop has also driven in a team-high eight RBI this season through Columbia's first 10 contests. Hernandez was held hitless in his first game of the season, but has been electric since. The Fireflies' outfielder has 11 hits in 31 at-bats during the stretch and has scored five runs for Columbia. He has also stolen three bases in those six games. In 2019, the longest hitting streak for a Fireflies hitter was 11 games and Mark Vientos accomplished the feat from May 14-25 and Hayden Senger reached safely in 11 consecutive from June 30-July 14.
Carolina League Stories from May 16, 2021
- RiverDogs Earn Series Split with 8-5 Victory over Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
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- Shorebirds Seal Sweep with Sixth Successive Win Sunday - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mudcats Get Series Split with 3-1 Finale Victory at Down East - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
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