Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 8.22
Published on August 22, 2024 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Fredericksburg Nationals tonight at 7:05 pm. RHP Felix Arronde (4-7, 3.12 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Travis Sthele (5-6, 5.14 ERA).
Tonight is the Office Night at Segra Park! The team will wear special Dunder Mifflin-themed jerseys that are available at MiLBAuctions.com from now until tomorrow evening. The worst thing about prison is the dementors, so break out with Prison Mike tonight for The Office Night at Segra Park! Enjoy our classic Budweiser Thirsty Thursday specials with $1 fountain sodas, $2 domestic drafts and $3 craft drafts and cocktails. Plus, enjoy a special $5 serving of Kevin's spilled chili cheese fries at concessions stands. Use it as your chance to be part of a new inside joke and buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com!
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PITCHING STAFF SHUTS DOWN FREDNATS IN 4-1 WIN: The Fireflies bats rallied late behind another excellent pitching performance to beat the Fredericksburg Nationals 4-1 at Segra Park Wednesday night. The win moved the Fireflies just three games back of the Charleston RiverDogs for first place in the South Division. Columbia rallied late against the FredNats. Austin Charles kicked-off the seventh with a single and stole his 32nd bag of the season to set the table for Hyungchan Um. Columbia's catcher slapped a single up the middle to score Charles from second and tie the game 1-1. Next, Johan Otanez came in and walked four batters and offered two wild pitches, resulting in Um and Callan Moss scoring for Columbia to take a 3-1 lead.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After working four scoreless innings Wednesday, Columbia's bullpen now has a 3.04 ERA this season, which is the second-best mark in all of full-season baseball. It trails only the Midland Rockhounds (3.01 ERA). The Fireflies are the only team in the top three bullpens who have tossed at least 475 innings this season.
MISSING MICHEL: Ismael Michel has stepped up in a big way over the last month for Columbia. The righty hasn't allowed a run in his last eight outings (13.1 IP) which has pushed his ERA down from 3.27 on July 21 to 1.54 today, but what's been truly impressive is that he's allowed just two hits over his last seven outings. On the run he is 4-0 with 13 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched in relief for Columbia.
THIS IS 50: Wednesday, Austin Charles drove in one RBI, giving him 54 on the young season. In 2023 only one Fireflies hitter finished the season with 50 or more RBI: Brett Squires, who had 69 RBI. The Fireflies single-season RBI record belongs to Juan Carlos Negret, who drove in 76 runs in a shortened 2021 season thanks in part to a franchise record 23 homers in a single season.
THE RACE INTENSIFIES: Yesterday, Columbia beat Fredericksburg 4-1 and Charleston lost 8-6 to Myrtle Beach, pushing Columbia one game closer to first place. They currently sit 3.0 games behind Charleston and 3.5 games in front of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in second in the division. As Kannapolis continues their second-half slide after their first-half division crown, the Fireflies have the best record in the South Division for the entire season. Columbia has the best overall record in the division by 2.5 games.
AWESOME ARRONDE: Friday, Felix Arronde led the way with six two-run innings to earn his seventh quality start of the season for Columbia. It's the second time in his career that he has worked back-to-back quality starts. The righty also leads the Fireflies with 92 punchouts on the season. Since 2020, Shane Panzini and Adrian Alcantara lead the way with 98 strikeouts in a single season in the neon and navy.
MITCHELL'S MISSILES: Tuesday, Blake Mitchell blasted his Carolina League leading 18th homer of the season. Mitchell is the first Fireflies player to lead the league in homers since Juan Carlos Negret slapped 23 homers in a pandemic-shortened 2021 season. Mitchell is just one round-tripper shy of Ariel Almonte, who plays for the Daytona Tortugas, for the most round trippers in Single-A in 2024.
Carolina League Stories from August 22, 2024
- Oatmilkers Let Lead Slip in Loss to Cannon Ballers - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Smith Homers for Third Night in a Row, Pelicans Defeat RiverDogs 6-2 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Um Gets Two RBI in 5-2 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- FXBG Notches Well-Rounded 5-2 Victory - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Big Ninth Inning Not Enough as Jackets Drop 4th Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Early Offense Guides Pelicans to 6-2 Victory over Dogs - Charleston RiverDogs
- Delmarva Out-Duels Down East for Third-Straight Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mudcats Hold off Late Rally to Beat Augusta - Carolina Mudcats
- Wood Ducks Toppled with Slow Bats - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 8.22 - Columbia Fireflies
- Hillcats Announce 2025 Schedule and Ticketing Plans - Lynchburg Hillcats
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