Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Myrtle Beach
August 6, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Los Chicharrones de Columbia kick-off the weekend with a 7:05 pm contest with Los Pelicanos de Myrtle Beach. Columbia's RHP Matt Stil (2-2, 4.87 ERA) takes the bump and will rival righty Tyler Schlaffer (0-2, 7.56 ERA).
Tonight is the start of Copa de la Diversion weekend at Segra Park. The first 1,500 fans through the gates at 6 pm will receive a Chicharrones Sugar Skull Bobblehead. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES CAN'T HOLD ONTO LATE LEAD, FALL 4-3: For a second straight night, the Fireflies fall 4-3 at Segra Park, but Thursday, the story was different, as Myrtle Beach scratched for three runs in the ninth to upend Columbia for the third straight night. The Fireflies (38-42) were gifted an incredible start from Cruz Noriega, who after six innings on the bump, allowed only two hits and one earned run. After that, he handed the ball to Luis De Avila (L, 4-4; BS, 3) who cruised through the seventh and eighth, but couldn't finish off the game.
HITTING HIS STRIDE: Kale Emshoff has been on an absolute tear over the course of the last week. In his last four games, he is 11-16 (.688) with two homers, five runs scored and four RBI. During the abbreviated stint, Columbia's backstop has a 1.785 OPS in 18 plate appearances.
ONE RUN, NO FUN: The Fireflies have lost back-to-back games by the slimmest margin possible, which brings their 2021 record to 6-15 in one-run contests. The Fireflies have particularly struggled in close games in the last month. Since the start of July, the Fireflies are 2-10 in one-run games.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Outfielder Burle Dixon is enjoying the friendly confines of Segra Park in his first month playing in the Low-A East League. Dixon's average at home is .282 through his first 12 games, and he has hit all three of his homers and driven in eight RBI at Segra Park this season. That's compared to five RBI in 17 games to pair with a .204 average while on the road in 2021. Dixon's home on-base percentage is .383, that mark is over 80 points higher than 2019 .300 in 48 contests.
REBOUNDING WITH STYLE: Last week, starter Anderson Paulino rebounded from his worst start of the season against Myrtle Beach. The righty allowed nine runs and 11 hits in the outing, both of which are season highs in that start on the road. He returned to Segra Park with a career-high seven strikeouts in five two-hit innings where Paulino did not allow a run to score. He kept the trend going with six no-hit innings in relief to start off the doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. He's now allowed two hits in his last 11 innings on the bump.
SAVING GRACE: After a tough start to the season, Zack Phillips has turned things around in his last few outings with the Fireflies. He has now only allowed one earned run in his last eight innings (1.13 ERA) to drop his season ERA to 2.70. He began July giving up five runs in four innings. Phillips started the season in Quad Cities where he had a 7.2 inning scoreless streak before he was sent to Columbia.
ON THE PODIUM: Following the Major League All-Star Break, and at the half-way point of the 2021 Low-A East season, it's a good time to highlight a few individuals who are making a name for themselves around the league. Outfielder Juan Carlos Negret is proving to be one of the best sluggers in the league, pacing the Low-A East with 18 homers and tallying the second-most RBI, with 54 so far this season. Tolbert has stolen the second-most bases of anyone in the League. He has 37 already this year. On the mound, two pitchers have really contributed in a big way for Columbia.
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