Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.2 at Augusta
August 2, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
LHP Cooper McKeehan has been promoted to the Quad Cities River Bandits active roster
RHP Henry Williams has been placed on the Fireflies active roster
Williams will wear jersey #51.
The active roster now sits at 29.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at 7:05 pm at SRP Park. RHP Shane Panzini (1-8, 4.29 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Jhancarlos Lara (2-6, 5.15 ERA).
Columbia returns home for a 12-game homestand vs the Charleston RiverDogs and Myrtle Beach Pelicans August 8-20 at Segra Park. Join us for Nickelodeon's PAW Patrol Night August 12, a Ben Kudrna Bobblehead night August 18 and Faith & Family Night August 19. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES WIN 11-INNING THRILLER IN AUGUSTA: The Fireflies won their second 11-inning game of the season 3-2 against the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park Tuesday night. The pitching staff didn't allow an earned run in the win. In the top of the 11th, Austin Charles laced a triple to left field to score the inherited runner Omar Hernandez to put Columbia in front again, this time 2-1. The RBI was Charles' first since June 9. Next, Daniel Vazquez singled to right to score Charles and gave the Fireflies insurance and a 3-1 lead. Cory Acton singled to score Ambioris Tavarez in the 11th, making it a one-run contest. Eduardo Herrera (S, 2) tossed a wild pitch to put the tying run at third and the winning run in scoring position, but ended the game striking out Jair Casanova to lock down his second save of the season.
BREAK OUT THE RAY-O BREAD: Oscar Rayo continued his role through the pitching utility role Friday. Rayo spun a season-high 5.2 innings while punching out a career-best eight batters to allow the Fireflies to get through the game after a rough start. The southpaw has a 1.61 ERA this season in what has mostly been a long-relief role--although he has also worked a few spot starts too. Sunday was his first save opportunity of the season, and he didn't disappoint, setting down Kannapolis 1-2-3 with a punchout.
CATCHING UP: Last week, the Fireflies catching room had a monumental series at the plate. All three catchers had a homer and Dionmy Salon led the Fireflies with a .444 average in three games. Hayden Dunhurst also had a .400 average in a trio of games in the series. After a two-hit game Sunday, Omar Hernandez had the third-best average amongst Fireflies bats, going .333 in the series. The three's OPS were all over .900 for the week, going 1.434, 1.355 and .908 in the same order as they were just listed. On the season, Dunhurst is hitting .185 in 16 games and Salon is hitting .204 in 56 games while Hernandez leads the way, hitting .243 in 64 games.
ROLLING RAMSEY: Ryan Ramsey came out and had another phenomenal game Saturday vs Carolina. The southpaw worked 5.1 scoreless innings with six punchouts while allowing only a pair of hits and a walk. Ramsey has not allowed a run since the third inning of his first start of the season back on April 15 at Charleston. Since then, he has spun 25.1-consecutive innings without allowing a run. The mark is the third-longest streak in Fireflies history without allowing a run. It trails Adonis Uceta who went 29.1 innings from May 11-July 22, 2017 and Matt Blackham who worked 26.2 frames from July 4-September 1, 2017.
MASTERING MCKEEHAN: After spinning two innings and earning his eighth win of the season last night, Cooper McKeehan was promoted to the Quad Cities River Bandits roster. The lefty leaves Columbia tied for the second-most saves (11), third-most wins (8) in a single season in franchise history and the third-best ERA (1.08) for a reliever in franchise history.
SCORING POSITION NOT SCORING: After a 3-9 outing with runners in scoring position Tuesday, the Fireflies are 20-121 (.150) with runners threatening since the All-Star Break. The run has dragged the Fireflies to a .201 average with RISP this season, the worst mark in the Carolina League. The next-worst team is Augusta, who is hitting .231. Kannapolis has the top marks in the circuit, hitting .267.
Carolina League Stories from August 2, 2023
- Fisher Drives Home Both Runs in Loss to Mudcats - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Castillo Drives in Two Runs as Carolina Evens the Series with a 5-2 Game 2 Win - Carolina Mudcats
- Sommers Leaves Bases Loaded as Dogs Win Second Straight - Charleston RiverDogs
- FredNats Storm Past Salem 7-1 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Ramirez's Four-Hit Night Propels Fireflies to Victory - Columbia Fireflies
- Four GreenJackets Debut But Bats Fall Quiet as Fireflies Take Second Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.2 at Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Pack the Camper School Supply Drive Returns - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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