Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Salem August 24
August 24, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Salem Red Sox tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. LHP Frank Mozzicato (1-6, 4.87 ERA) toes the rubber for the Fireflies and Salem counters with RHP Hunter Dobbins (0-3, 4.31 ERA).
Tonight is a Whiteclaw Wednesday and the last Trash the Poop Dog Days of Summer of the season. $5 Whiteclaw Seltzers will be available at concessions stands and your dog can sit in the berm with you during tonight's game. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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LATE RAMIREZ KNOCK NOT ENOUGH FOR FIREFLIES: The Fireflies bats were smothered by Salem's pitching staff in a 5-2 loss to open up a six-game series at Segra Park Tuesday night. The Fireflies (26-22) clawed to within a single run in the bottom of the eighth. After Lizandro Rodriguez singled to advance his hitting streak to seven games, Jean Ramirez clobbered his fourth homer of the season to right. The homer snapped a 17-inning scoreless streak for the Fireflies, dating back to the eighth inning Saturday night. The lead didn't last long though, Salem answered with a pair in the top of the ninth against Oscar Rayo. Kier Meredith singled to plate Johnfrank Salazar from third before a Karson Simas single brought around Meredith to make the difference 5-2 in favor of Salem. Salem started the scoring in the top of the third inning. Karson Simas singled and moved to second on a Daniel Vazquez throwing error, then Eddison Paulino crushed an RBI double to centerfield to break the scoreless tie.
RODRIGUEZ IS ROLLING: After going hitless in his first two games in Columbia, infielder Lizandro Rodriguez has been on a tear, hitting in seven consecutive games. During the run, Rodriguez is 9-22 (.409) at the plate with two doubles and two RBI. Only two Fireflies players have a hitting streak longer than seven games this season, and Guillermo Quintana has the longest one, a 10-game streak, in 2022.
MULTI-HIT JEAN: Last night, Jean Ramirez showed off his power stroke, hitting his second homer of the homestand and his fourth homer of the season in the eighth inning vs Salem. He also notched his 15th multi-hit game of the season. Enrique Valdez had the most multi-hit games for a Columbia player this season, carrying 18 through his promotion to Quad Cities. Guillermo Quintana and River Town also had more multi-hit games than Ramirez, although Ramirez has played the fewest games of any of those four players. Ramirez has now played in 49 games for the Fireflies in 2022, meaning he is averaging two multi-hit games per series in the Carolina League.
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 18-21 record (.462) and are 4.5 games back of first place. Columbia's elimination number is 14 with 17 games remaining. 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.
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 Thursday. 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 23 hitters in 12 innings to spin a 2.53 ERA in nine games.
100 CLUB: Sunday, Luinder Avila became the first pitcher since 2019 to spin 100 innings in a single campaign. Last season, Adrian Alcantara was the closest, as he worked 97.1 innings. In 2019, Willy Taveras, Christian James and Jose Butto all spun at least 100 innings for the Fireflies.
Carolina League Stories from August 24, 2022
- 'Birds Rally to Win Second Straight Over Hillcats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Garabitos Dominates in 5-3 Carolina Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- Arruda's Huge Night Propels Frednats To 7-1 Win - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs Shut Out for First Time in Second Half as Fayetteville Snaps Losing Streak - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Take It on Rodriguez Walk-Off Blast - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Salem August 24 - Columbia Fireflies
- Wagoner, Vargas and Lazar Assigned to Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- Fresh Faces for Kannapolis Contribute to 8-3 Series Opening Victory over Mudcats Tuesday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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