CarL Columbia Fireflies

Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 4.30 at Carolina

April 30, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster move affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster.

* RHP Ben Hernandez has been placed on the Fireflies active roster.

Hernandez will wear jersey #51.

There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.

---------------------------------

Columbia starts a fresh series with the Carolina Mudcats tonight at Five County Stadium in Zebulon at 6:30 pm. RHP Emmanuel Reyes (1-0, 6.10 ERA) gets the nod for the Fireflies and Carolina counters with RHP Manuel Rodriguez (0-2, 3.77 ERA).

Columbia returns home for 12 games in 13 days beginning May 7. The Fireflies welcome The Salem Red Sox and the Charleston RiverDogs to Segra Park during the run ending May 19. The club has tons of fun promotions on tap, including Star Wars Night May 11 and a Frank Mozzicato Bobblehead Giveaway May 10. Buy your tickets today at ColumbiaFireflies.com.

-------------------------

FIREFLIES SIX-RUN COMEBACK FALLS ONE RUN SHORT: The Columbia bats charged back, but couldn't complete the largest comeback in franchise history. After trailing 6-0 and 9-3, Columbia was able to make the score 9-8, falling with runners at first and second when the final out was recorded against the Augusta GreenJackets Sunday night at Segra Park. In the eighth inning, Erick Pena deposited a single in the outfield grass to start the frame and set the table for Lizandro Rodriguez. Columbia's second baseman legged out a triple to right field that plated Pena to cut Augusta's lead to 9-7. Rodriguez came around on a Brennon McNair ground out with one out to make it a one-run game, but the top of the order couldn't add in the eighth. After Giomar Diaz (S, 3) walked a pair with two outs, Pena came to the plate again with the tying run in scoring position, but he struck out swinging on three pitches to keep Augusta in front by one to end the game.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: The Fireflies nearly completed their largest comeback in franchise history Sunday afternoon at Segra Park. The previous mark was set May 3, 2023 vs the Myrtle Beach Pelicans as the Fireflies twice rallied from down five to beat the Pelicans 10-8 on an Erick Pena walk-off homer, the second of his career at the time.

LIFTING LIZANDRO: After a slow start to the season, second baseman Lizandro Rodriguez's bat has started to wake up his last few games. Over the weekend, Rodriguez went 4-7 with two doubles, a triple and three RBI to raise his batting average from .179 to .239 after 12 games. Rodriguez is in part of his third season with Columbia. In 2022, he hit .290 in 18 games and in 2023 he hit .235 in 118 games in the Carolina League.

IT'S ALL ROSES HERE: Jarold Rosado has been great out of the bullpen this season. He has a 2.45 ERA after allowing a 10.38 ERA in 2023. His success continued in two appearances (3 IP, 5 K) last week. On the season, the young pitcher has worked 11 innings in seven games. He has allowed three earned runs and punched out 14. The real secret to his success this year is that his walk rate is down from 16.7% in 2023 to only 4.3% in 2024.

MARVELOUS MITCHELL: The Fireflies back stop has been riding a hot streak fueled by patience at the plate. He currently is tied for the longest on-base streak in the Carolina League, a 17-game stretch that began April 6. On the run he is 18-62 (.290) with an incredible 19 walks which have pushed his on-base percentage to .463 on the run. Yesterday, Mitchell powered through his second-career three-hit game. The backstop was 3-5 wiht a lead-off triple and two runs scored on the night. The Fireflies' longest on-base streak in team history belongs to River Town, who reached safely in 33-consecutive games from June 9-July 23 in 2022. He's the only Fireflies player who has reached safely in more than 25-consecutive games since 2020.

POWERING PENA: Saturday night, Fireflies outfielder Erick Pena mashed his Carolina League-leading fourth round tripper of the season. He's currently eighth in the Carolina League with a .485 on-base percentage. Pena has had a storied career with Columbia. He made the Opening Day Roster in 2022 and started his career with a bang, launching a walk-off homer against the Augusta GreenJackets on Opening Night. All-in-all he has mashed 23 homers in the neon and navy, nine in 2022, 10 in 2023 and four this year. It places him second on the Fireflies all-time homer leadboard, behind Dash Winningham (25 in 2016 and 2017) and tied with Juan Carlos Negret (23 in 2021).

Check out the Columbia Fireflies Statistics



Carolina League Stories from April 30, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central