Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 8.23
August 23, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Fredericksburg Nationals tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Emmanuel Reyes (5-4, 3.49 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Brian Polanco (7-4, 4.25 ERA).
Tonight is First Responders Night presented by the SC Department of Public Safety at Segra Park. We're honoring local first responders at the ballpark and the Fireflies and their partners and season ticket members have donated nearly 1,000 tickets to Midlands first responders to enjoy the game. There'll also be a fantastic fireworks show after the game. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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UM GETS TWO RBI IN 5-2 LOSS: The Fireflies started a rally behind a Hyungchan Um two RBI single, but couldn't complete it, as they fell to the Fredericksburg Nationals 5-2 Thursday night at Segra Park. Fredericksburg exploded out of the gates. Elijiah Green started things off, lacing a double down the third base line. Then, Kevin Bazzell brought him home with a double to the left-center gap. Next, Nate Rombach sliced a double down the right field line to score Bazzell and push Fredericksburg to a 2-0 lead. The Nationals weren't done there. Christian Vaquero led off the third with a double and scored on a throwing error after Elijiah Green bounced a ball to second.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After spinning four innings nad allowing just one run Thursday, 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 (3.00 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 nine outings (15.1 IP) which has pushed his ERA down from 3.27 on July 21 to 1.42 today,. On the run he is 4-0 with 16 strikeouts in 15.1 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: Thursday, both Columbia and Charleston lost to stay even at first and second place in the South Division. Columbia currently sit 3.0 games behind Charleston and 2.5 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: Thursday, Felix Arronde struck out five over a handful of innings as he got the loss vs Fredericksburg. The righty leads the Fireflies with 97 punchouts on the season. His 97 strikeouts are tied for the third-most in a single-season for the Fireflies since 2020 with Luinder Avila, who punched out 97 in 2022. Both Adrian Alcantara (2021) and Shane Panzini (2023) are tied with 98 strikeouts for the most in a single year since the schedule was shortened to 132 games.
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.
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Carolina League Stories from August 23, 2024
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