Columbia Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 8.20
August 20, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster move affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
* LHP Mason Miller has been added to the active roster
There are no corresponding moves. Miller will wear jersey #19.
The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.
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The Fireflies kick-off a series with the Fredericksburg Nationals tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Jonatan Bernal (1-3, 3.79 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Travis Sykora (3-3, 2.51 ERA).
Tonight is Prisma Health Night on a Miller Lite $2 Tuesday. Join us as we thank Prisma Health employees for all they do for our community, and enjoy $2 hot dogs, popcorn, fountain sodas and 12 oz cans of Miller Lite at concession stands.
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FIREFLIES HOLD-OFF LATE RALLY TO CLAIM SERIES: The Fireflies held off a late rally to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6-4 and claim a series victory on the road at Pelicans Ballpark Sunday evening. Columbia stormed ahead in the sixth. Derlin Figueroa led the frame off with a walk and then moved to second on a throwing error with Austin Charles at the plate. Next, Carter Frederick sliced a base knock to left to score Figueroa to break the stalemate. With Charles at third, Callan Moss smashed a single of his own to score Charles and replace him at third with Frederick with Columbia in front 3-1. Finally, Dionmy Salon grounded out to plate Frederick as Columbia brought a 4-1 lead to the bottom of the sixth.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After working four, one-run innings Thursday, Columbia's bullpen now has a 3.13 ERA this season, which is the third-best mark in all of full-season baseball. It trails the Midland Rockhounds (2.97 ERA) and the Harrisburg Senators (3.08 ERA). The Fireflies are the only team in the top four bullpen ERAs in MiLB that has worked more than 450 innings this season.
MISSING MICHEL: Ismael Michel has stepped up in a big way over the last month for Columbia. The righty hasn't allowed a run in his last eight outings (13.1 IP) which has pushed his ERA down from 3.27 on July 21 to 1.54 today, but what's been truly impressive is that he's allowed just two hits over his last seven outings. On the run he is 4-0 with 13 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched in relief for Columbia.
THIS IS 50: Sunday, Austin Charles drove in two RBI, giving him 54 on the young season. In 2023 only one Fireflies hitter finished the season with 50 or more RBI: Brett Squires, who had 69 RBI. The Fireflies single-season RBI record belongs to Juan Carlos Negret, who drove in 76 runs in a shortened 2021 season thanks in part to a franchise record 23 homers in a single season.
THE RACE INTENSIFIES: Sunday, Columbia won 6-4 over Myrtle Beach, but because Charleston swept a doubleheader over Kannapolis, the Fireflies dropped a half-game on first place. They currently sit 3.0 games behind Charleston and 3.5 games in front of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in second in the division. As Kannapolis continues their second-half slide after their first-half division crown, the Fireflies have the best record in the South Division for the entire season. Columbia has the best overall record in the division by 2.5 games.
AWESOME ARRONDE: Friday, Felix Arronde led the way with six two-run innings to earn his seventh quality start of the season for Columbia. It's the second time in his career that he has worked back-to-back quality starts. The righty also leads the Fireflies with 92 punchouts on the season. Since 2020, Shane Panzini and Adrian Alcantara lead the way with 98 strikeouts in a single season in the neon and navy.
MITCHELL'S MISSILES: Blake Mitchell has homered twice this week to give him 17 homers on the season. It's the second-most homers in the Carolina League this season, trailing Andy Garriola by just one. Garriola was called up to the South Bend Cubs earlier this month. He is just two homers behind Ariel Almonte, who plays for the Daytona Tortugas, for the most round trippers in Single-A in 2024.
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