Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes at Charleston
August 17, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals are making the following roster moves that affect the Columbia Fireflies active roster.
RHP Luinder Avila has been promoted to the Fireflies active roster
RHP Cruz Noriega has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
RHP Matt Stil has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
LHP Marlin Willis has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
LHP Zack Phillips has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
LHP Walter Pennington has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
RHP John McMillon has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
C Kale Emshoff has been removed from the Fireflies active roster
Avila will wear jersey #38. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 28 with four on the injured list. Updated roster is attached.
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The Columbia Fireflies begin a series in Charleston at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark at 7:05 pm tonight. RHP Luinder Avila (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his Fireflies debut and faces off against RHP Seth Johnson (3-4, 3.72 ERA).
The Fireflies will return home August 31 in a six-game homestand where they will host the Charleston RiverDogs for the final time this season. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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COLUMBIA STRANDS 11 IN 3-2 LOSS: The Columbia Fireflies wrapped up their two-week homestand with a 3-2 loss with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Sunday night at Segra Park. The game began in a 35 minute rain delay, but both pitching staffs came out of the gates ready to blow past opposing hitters. After breezing through the first two frames, Adrian Alcantara (L, 4-6) struggled when he started the third inning, giving up a pair of solo homers to Justin Williams and Adonis Giron, allowing Fayetteville to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Fireflies tried to respond in the home half of the inning. Gage Hughes laced a double to the right field corner on the first pitch of the frame before advancing on a wild pitch from Jayson Schroeder. The Fireflies would draw three walks in the remainder of the inning, but due to a double play on an attempted bunt, were unable to score.
GARZA'S GANG: Since coming to Columbia, Saul Garza has been absolutely electric at the plate. The infielder is 6-16 with five runs and 5 RBI in the series and has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games dating back to July 25. In that stretch, Garza is slashing .302/.455/.488 with two homers and 11 RBI. The LSU-product has also drawn eight walks and stolen a pair of bases in his August push.
MARQUEE MARQUEZ: Columbia's left-handed pitcher, Emilio Marquez, has been one of the top pitchers in the Low-A East League, and has certainly been the most consistent arm for the Fireflies in 2021. The southpaw has tallied the sixth-most strikeouts in the league (83) in only 59 innings, and has a 0.83 WHIP, which would be lowest amongst qualifying pitchers in the League. Marquez is 10 innings shy of being a qualifying pitcher for the Columbia Fireflies. If he catches up to the mark, he will also have the lowest ERA in the Low-A East League. As it stands, that honor belongs to Joey Estes who has a 2.77 ERA this season.
KILLING THEM WITH SPEED: Tyler Tolbert has been crushing the Fayetteville Woodpeckers during this series. Last night's shortstop has reached base safely 10 times in 20 plate appearances (.500) and has a double, a triple and a grand slam on his way to eight RBI in three games against the Woodpeckers. Tolbert has been on a special streak since July 30, reaching safely in 11 consecutive games. During that time, the speedster owns a .404 on-base percentage, has walked nine times and has five stolen bases. The Mississippi-native has 13 RBI and a pair of homers and triples across that 10-game stretch.
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 13.1 innings (0.68 ERA) to drop his season ERA to 2.05. 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.
ONE RUN, NO FUN: The Fireflies have lost four of their last seven losses by the slimmest margin possible, which brings their 2021 record to 6-17 in one-run contests. The Fireflies have particularly struggled in close games in the last month. Since the start of July, the Fireflies are 2-12 in one-run games.
Carolina League Stories from August 17, 2021
- Frelick Totals 5-Hits and McGee Hits 3-Run Homer in 10-4 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- RiverDogs Fall 9-3, Drop Three Straight Games for First Time this Season - Charleston RiverDogs
- Ballers Out-Hit Woodies in 5-1 Loss - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- New Faces Help 'Birds Pound FredNats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Shorebirds Stifle New-Look FredNats in Series Opener - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Fireflies Dominate in Opener against RiverDogs - Columbia Fireflies
- Errors and Walks Fuel Wood Ducks Win against Kannapolis - Down East Wood Ducks
- Birds Drop Series Opener to Woodpeckers - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes at Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Down East Wood Ducks Game Notes - at Kannapolis - Down East Wood Ducks
- Brewers and Mudcats Announce Several Roster Moves - Carolina Mudcats
- Orioles First Rounder Colton Cowser Joins Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Noel Promoted to High-A - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Méndez and Strohschein Promoted; Boissiere, Fein and Young Added to FredNats - Fredericksburg Nationals
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