Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Kannapolis August 19
August 19, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Ben Hernandez (1-6, 4.64 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia, while Kannapolis sends out RHP Dylan Burns in his Carolina League debut.
Tonight is a Freebie Friday at Segra Park! The first 1,000 fans through the gates will get a free shersey courtesy of the COMET. You'll want to get there quickly after gates open at 6 pm, because the shirts will go fast. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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HERNANDEZ GETS THIRD WALK-OFF SINGLE OF SEASON: The Fireflies went 10 innings Thursday night, but came out on-top after an Omar Hernandez walk-off single sent the fans happy with a 4-3 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Hernandez came up with Jean Ramirez placed on second. The left fielder swiped his 31st stolen base of the season on a bunt attempt from Hernandez. Then, with two strikes, Hernandez stroked a single between third and short to score the game-winning run. It is Hernandez's third walk-off single of the season and the Fireflies fifth overall walk-off winner. Hernandez has also driven in the game-winning run in three consecutive games for the Fireflies. While Ben Wereski (W, 3-4; BS, 4) gave up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth with a pair of outs, the southpaw was masterful in the 10th, striking out DJ Gladney and Wilfred Veras before forcing Colby Smelley to ground out to strand the placed runner at second.
SECOND-HALF FIREFLIES?: After trudging to the finish line of the first-half of the season with a Carolina League-worst 18-48 record, the Fireflies burst onto the scene in the second-half, sweeping Augusta after taking two of the first three games with the RiverDogs to begin the second slate 8-1. Since then, the Fireflies have a 17-18 record (.486) and are 2.5 games back of first place.
BOLSTERED BULLPEN: The bullpen continued their hot stretch Thursday evening. Luis Barroso and Ben Wereski combined to allow a single run over four frames while fanning five Cannon Ballers batters.. Over the last week, the bullpen has allowed three runs in 31.2 innings of work (0.85 ERA). Matt Stil and Aldrich have both pitched twice during the run, earning a pair of wins for the Fireflies.
FRESH BATS MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Cayden Wallace and Gavin Cross joined the Fireflies while they were on the road in Myrtle Beach, and the two helped Columbia win a few games and ultimately their second series of the 2022 campaign. The outfielder and third baseman combined to go 9-28 (.321 average) with eight RBI on the series. The Fireflies scored 21 runs across the week and the other bats combined to go 37-166 at the dish (.222). They've kept up the hot hitting at Segra Park, going a combined 10-24 (.417) with seven RBI.
QUALITY KUDRNA: Thursday night, Ben Kudrna notched his second quality start of the season, both occuring vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The righty went six frames, allowing two runs while scattering seven hits. Kudrna's ERA this season is now at 2.88, which is the lowest amongst Fireflies with at least 50 innings pitched this year.
SWING AND A MISS: Lefty Marlin Willis accomplished a feat that most professionals only joke about through their career. The Georgia native fanned four hitters in the eighth inning last night. It was the first time a pitcher has struckout four batters in one inning while wearing a Fireflies uniform. Willis has been on a tear in the second half of the season, punching out 21 hitters in 10.2 innings to spin a 2.53 ERA in eight games.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE HUNT: Columbia is in second place in the South Division second-half standings, 2.5 games back of the Charleston RiverDogs with 21 games remaining in the season. This week, the RiverDogs are playing six more games against the Augusta GreenJackets, who have won 11 of their last 15 games.
Carolina League Stories from August 19, 2022
- Jaraba Has 5 RBI as Carolina Wins Fourth Straight 10-9 - Carolina Mudcats
- Late Runs Put Augusta Over the Top on Friday Night - Augusta GreenJackets
- Bats Buoy Eighth-Straight Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Augusta Rallies Late to Hand RiverDogs Second Consecutive Loss - Charleston RiverDogs
- Five-Run Third, Sterling Bullpen, Lead 'Birds over Red Sox - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Hillcats Defeat Nationals 4-3 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Young Approaches 100 Runs As FredNats Fall In Lynchburg - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Kannapolis August 19 - Columbia Fireflies
- Woodies Pile Up the Hits on the Pelicans - Down East Wood Ducks
- Sox Ride Huge Eighth Inning to Victory - Salem Red Sox
- Moon Taxi and Funk You to Open Paceline's Ride Weekend with Benefit Concert - Augusta GreenJackets
- Big Innings Crush Pelicans, Wood Ducks Win 12-4 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Augusta Bats Break out Late to Win Game Two - Augusta GreenJackets
- Mendez and Brown Homer in 10-5 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
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