Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Kannapolis August 20
August 20, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off the weekend vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Segra Park at 6:05 pm. RHP Shane Panzini (0-2, 4.50 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Hunter Dollander (3-3, 3.72 ERA).
Tonight is Faith and Family Night at Segra Park, presented by Columbia International University. Famed World Series champions and University of South Carolina legend Mookie Wilson will be at the game and will speak prior to a Fireworks show to cap off the evening. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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BATS BUOY EIGHTH-STRAIGHT WIN: The Fireflies beat up on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 12-3 to claim their eighth-consecutive win. It's their longest winning streak of the season and the Fireflies are just one game shy of tying their franchise record. Columbia's bats started rolling in the fifth inning. Daniel Vazquez drew a lead-off walk and David Hollie reached via an error to set the table for Lizandro Rodriguez, who stroked a double to get Columbia on the board. Jean Ramirez rolled a sacrifice bunt up the first base line to cut Kannapolis's lead to 3-2. Next, Omar Hernandez reached safely on a fielder's choice that scored Rodriguez to tie the game. The Fireflies took the lead behind a Gavin Cross triple and Carter Jensen singled in the next at-bat to end the inning with the Fireflies in-front 5-3. It didn't take long for Columbia to pour it on. After another Daniel Vazquez walk, Hollie tripled to double up Kannapolis 6-3. Later, Jean Ramirez launched his third homer of the season to push Columbia's lead to 9-3.
EVERYBODY'S HANDS GO UP.... AND THEY STAY THERE: With last night's win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Columbia has now won a season-best eight-consecutive games. Prior to this stretch, their longest winning streak of the year came June 28-July 4 as they swept August and took one game against Myrtle Beach to hit the mark. The longest winning streak in Fireflies franchise history was a nine-game stretch from June 4-12, 2017. During the stretch, the Fireflies won their last game of a series vs Hagerstown before sweeping Lexington in a three-game set and then taking five-consecutive against the Charleston RiverDogs.
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 18-18 record (.500) and are 1.5 games back of first place. Columbia has now won three series this season, and all three series (at Augusta June 28-July 3, at Myrtle Beach August 9-14 and vs Kannapolis August 16-21) have come in the second half.
BOLSTERED BULLPEN: The bullpen rolled through another outing Friday night. Wander Arias and John McMillon combined for five scoreless innings, which earned Arias his fourth save of the season and McMillon his first win in Columbia. Since August 11, the bullpen has allowed three runs in 36.2 innings of work (0.74 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 11-32 (.343) with nine RBI.
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.
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