Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Myrtle Beach May 18
May 18, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Columbia Fireflies continue their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans today at 12:05 pm at Segra Park. Kansas City Royals' 2021 first-round draft pick (7th overall), LHP Frank Mozzicato (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is making his professional debut for the Fireflies. Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Porter Hodge (2-1, 3.51 ERA).
It's White Claw Wednesday at Segra Park! Fans can enjoy $5 16 oz cans of White Claw for only $5 at the concession stands. The Fireflies are having a business day special where fans can purchase two Palmetto Citizens FCU tickets, two hot dogs and two 24 oz fountain sodas or two 16 oz domestic beers all for just $24! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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BULLPEN FALTERS IN 15-5 LOSS: The Columbia Fireflies allowed seven runs in the fourth inning as they dropped the series opener at Segra Park to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 14-4 Tuesday night. Columbia (11-23) had a pair of errors, allowed five hits and ceded a walk in the inning that flipped the script. At the start of the frame, Columbia led 2-1, but they left the inning trailing 8-2. It was the second straight home appearance that Samuel Valerio (L, 0-2) lasted less than a full inning.
CLIPPING OUR WINGS: The Fireflies have not faired well against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans this season. Columbia has dropped six of the first seven contests against their division rival and have lost the last four games by a score of 40-7. The stretch of four games includes a contest where Columbia was no-hit. Through the first 47 games in the two clubs' rivalry, which began in 2021, the Fireflies have won 12 contest against the Chicago Cubs affiliate.
SHUFFLING THE SHOES: Prior to Columbia's series opener vs the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Tuesday, the Kansas City Royals made a series of moves affecting the Fireflies active roster. LHP Rylan Kaufman, who was 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA in six games in the navy and neon this year was promoted to the Quad City River Bandits active roster. Yaswel De Los Santos, Wilmin Candelario and Francis Grullon were all sent to the Arizona Complex League. The Fireflies added LHP and 2021 first round pick Frank Mozzicato, infielder Omar Florentino, Infielder Daniel Vazquez and outfielder Gary Camarillo to their active roster. Mozzicato, the seventh overall pick, will be the highest draft pick to make his debut with the Columbia Fireflies. Florentino was ranked the 18th-best prospect in the 2018 International Signing Class, according to Baseball America.
CRUISING CAMERON: Fireflies starter Noah Cameron had the best start of his young career last Wednesday afternoon at Segra Park. The lefty went five innings and tied a career-high with seven punchouts. If that weren't enough, the Missouri native faced the minimum during that stretch, retiring all 15 hitters he saw at Segra Park. Following the outing, Cameron has now made three of his five starts at Segra Park, and he's enjoying the home cooking. In 12 innings at home, Cameron has maintained a 2.25 ERA and fanned 14 hitters while holding opponents to a .128 average. The performance was enough to win the southpaw the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Award, the second time a Fireflies player has earned a weekly honor this season. River Town was the first player of the week for Columbia, an award he won for his play from April 19-24. He continued the stretch in his no-decision Tuesday at Augusta where he alllowed just a single earned run across 4.2 innings.
WILLIS THE WAYFINDER: After a rough 2021 season, southpaw Marlin Willis has been hitting a groove with the Fireflies in 2022. After two scoreless innings last night, Willis has not allowed an earned run in his last six innings of work. After 12.1 innings this season, opponents are hitting .200 against the Georgia native.
THIS IS THE WAY: After working primarily as a starter for the Fireflies in the 2021 season prior to a trip to the injured list, righty Delvin Capellan has been used as a reliever in the 2022 campaign. Thursday, after the Fireflies used two pitchers before recording the first out of the third inning, Capellan had a shot to stretch out. After spinning five innings, the righty allowed only three hits and one run while wringing up seven hitters.
Carolina League Stories from May 18, 2022
- Olguin Goes 5.0 Scoreless in Victorious Debut - Carolina Mudcats
- Lynchburg's Hot Bats Strike Again as Salem Loses Their Third Straight - Salem Red Sox
- RiverDogs Edge GreenJackets in Game Two - Augusta GreenJackets
- One Big Inning Allows RiverDogs to Topple GreenJackets 4-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Birds Snag Third Straight Win with 5-3 Triumph over FredNats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Loperfido and Hamilton Spark Woodpeckers to Comeback over Kannapolis - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Pelicans Score 13 Unanswered to Top Fireflies - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mozzicato Brilliant in Debut Despite 13-2 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs, Boeing to Induct Grimsley, Walsh into Hall of Honor - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Myrtle Beach May 18 - Columbia Fireflies
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