Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes August 30
August 30, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
LHP Shane Connolly has been placed on the development list
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 29 with one on the injured list and two on the development list.
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The Fireflies head on the road to begin a six-game series with the Carolina Mudcats tonight at 7 pm at Five County Stadium. RHP Jonatan Bernal (0-1, 3.70 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Carolina counters with RHP Logan Henderson (0-0, 1.50 ERA).
The Fireflies return to Segra Park for their final homestand of the season September 6-11 to face the Charleston RiverDogs as they fight for their first playoff berth in franchise history. Join the Fireflies for the final fireworks show of the year, a t-shirt giveaway and Wands and Wizards night to close out the regular season! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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COLUMBIA BLANKS RED SOX IN FINALE: The Fireflies pitching staff worked their first shutout of the 2022 season Sunday night in a 2-0 win over the Salem Red Sox at Segra Park. The shutout was the Fireflies first shutout in a year and a day. Their last shutout came from Adrian Alcantara and A.J. Franklin, who blanked the Myrtle Beach Pelicans August 27, 2021. Today, it started with Luinder Avila (W, 6-9), who spun five scoreless frames while striking out three batters. Then Ben Wereski spun a pair of hitless innings from the pen before Ben Sears hauled through the eighth and Brandon Johnson (S, 1) earned his first professional save in his third appearance since throwing the final pitch in the College World Series. The Fireflies scored both of their runs in the fourth inning on Juan Daniel Encarnacion (L, 10-5). Encarnacion had spun 16.1 consecutive scoreless innings against the Fireflies prior to that point.
RODRIGUEZ IS ROLLING: After going hitless in his first two games in Columbia, infielder Lizandro Rodriguez has been on a tear, hitting in 11 consecutive games, leading into Sunday where he went 0-4. During the run, Rodriguez was 15-38 (.394) at the plate with three doubles, a triple, a homer and five RBI. The 11-game stretch is the longest hitting streak for the Fireflies since Edgardo Fermin hit safely in 13-straight games ending July 1, 2018. It is tied for the third-longest hitting streak in Fireflies history. The longest hitting streak for Columbia belongs to Rapheal Gladu, who had a 23-game streak in 2018.
JUMP-STARTING JENSEN: Carter Jensen has reached base safely in 17-consecutive games, which is the second-longest on-base streak for Columbia this season and the fourth-longest active on-base streak in the Carolina League. Eddison Paulino paces the pack as he has reached safely in 29-consecutive games.
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 22-22 record (.500) and are 3.5 games back of first place. Columbia's elimination number is 10 with 12 games remaining. Columbia has now won four series this season, and all four series (at Augusta June 28-July 3, at Myrtle Beach August 9-14, vs Kannapolis August 16-21 and vs Salem August 23-28) have come in the second half.
SWING AND A MISS: Lefty Marlin Willis fanned four hitters in the eighth inning last 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 26 hitters in 14.1 innings to spin a 1.88 ERA in 10 games.
100 CLUB: Last 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.
SOUTHPAW SIZZLES: After spinning his first quality start Wednesday night vs Salem, Frank Mozzicato has put together an impressive last three outings, spinning 15 innings while allowing only two earned runs (1.20 ERA). During the stretch, the Connecticut native has punched out 20 batters (12 K/9 IP).
Carolina League Stories from August 30, 2022
- Carolina Held to Three Hits in 9-0 Loss to Fireflies - Carolina Mudcats
- FredNats Double Up Shorebirds in Series Opener - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Augusta Tops Red Sox with Offensive Outburst - Augusta GreenJackets
- 'Birds Doubled Up By FredNats In Series Opener - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Bats Boost Fireflies to 9-0 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Hillcats Take Opener with Cannon Ballers - Lynchburg Hillcats
- RiverDogs and Pelicans Postponed Due to Unplayable Field Conditions; Doubleheader Set for Wednesday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes August 30 - Columbia Fireflies
- In Partnership with Augusta Technical College, SRP Park to Host September 2nd - Augusta GreenJackets
- Cannon Baller Chronicle: Ballers Trade Wins with Mudcats in Series Split at Home - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Night Announced - Augusta GreenJackets
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