Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes August 4
August 4, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster move affecting the Columbia Fireflies roster.
INF Joshua Rivera has been released
There will be no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 29 with one on the development list.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. Southpaw Frank Mozzicato (1-4, 5.19 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP JJ Goss (2-5, 4.39 ERA).
Tonight is a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, where fans can enjoy half-priced fountain sodas and draft beer, as well as $2 12 oz cans of Bud Light. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES STUNNED IN 10-3 LOSS: The Fireflies weren't able to keep the RiverDogs bats at bay, giving up 10 or more runs on back-to-back nights as they fell to the RiverDogs 10-3 in seven innings at Segra Park Wednesday night.Charleston jumped out of the gates hot in the top of the third inning. Shane Sasaki charged up the order, launching his second homer of the season over the home run porch to tie the game 1-1. After that, Carson Williams was hit by and a pitch and Willy Vasquez walked to set up Bobby Seymour for a two-run double to break the stalemate.The RiverDogs offense kept piling it on after that as four straight hitters reached safely to score three more runs in the fourth, sinking Luinder Avila (L, 5-8) to his second loss in three games. After fanning five in the first two innings, the righty allowed seven earned runs in the next pair of innings before handing the ball to the pen. The Fireflies jumped on the board first again tonight. Designated hitter Carter Jensen led off the bottom of the second golfing a two-bagger into right-center field. He later came around as Enrique Valdez bounced into a 4-6-3 double play, granting Columbia a 1-0 lead.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: In the last two games, Ben Kudrna and Frank Mozzicato have combined to spin 11 innings, while allowing just a single run. It's the first time the two have both claimed a win in one trip through the rotation.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: The Fireflies changed their pace of the season in July, finishing above .500 in a month of games for the first time since May 2021. Columbia was 12-11 across July including the latter-half of a six-game sweep of the Augusta GreenJackets at the start of the month. The smooth sailing hasn't continuing in August as the Fireflies have kicked-off the month dropping their first pair.
UPCOMING STRETCH: The Fireflies are in the midst of an important part of their schedule. The top four teams in the South Division are separated by only two games. The Fireflies are playing Charleston at home for the first time this season before visiting the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and then Kannapolis again. That's 18-consecutive games against the top four teams in the division to start the month of August. The Fireflies are currently two games out of first place behind Charleston, 1.5 games behind Kannapolis and a half-game back of Myrtle Beach. Columbia will also close out the season with a six-game set at Segra Park vs the Charleston RiverDogs. The Fireflies magic number to clinch the first playoff berth in franchise history is 35.
WORKING TOWARDS THE WEEKEND: Columbia has struggled on non-traditional work days in 2022. Friday nights, the Fireflies are 6-11, they're 7-12 Saturday and 6-9 in Sunday contests this season. Overall, that's a 19-32 record (.372). The Fireflies have 18 more weekend games this season to try to change the stigma.
ROUGH SLEDDING: After jumping ahead 4-0 in the second inning of Tuesday's game vs the RiverDogs, the Fireflies have been outscored 21-8. The Fireflies have moved from second place in the standings, 0.5 games behind Kannapolis to fourth place and a pair of games behind Charleston.
SO LONG PARTNER: The Royals have started their roster turnover as they've signed new draft picks this year. So far, the Fireflies have seen three players released in the last week, catcher Felix Familia, relief pitcher Ryan Hennan and today infielder Joshua Rivera.
Carolina League Stories from August 4, 2022
- Santana Goes Seven, Pelicans Win 4-2 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Chirinos Homers Twice & Jimenez Totals 10 Ks in 7-4 Win - Carolina Mudcats
- GreenJackets Score Eight in the Eighth to Stun Shorebirds - Augusta GreenJackets
- FredNats Look to Bounce Back Friday vs. Wood Ducks - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Roberto Martinez's Three-RBI Night Not Enough as Eight-Inning Collapse Dooms 'Birds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Blank Fireflies for Seventh Straight Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Four-Run Second Seals Columbia Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame Announces 2022 Class - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes August 4 - Columbia Fireflies
- Miscues Doom Salem against Woodpeckers - Salem Red Sox
- RiverDogs Look to Take Bite out of Lynchburg in Penultimate Homestand - Charleston RiverDogs
- Woodpeckers Team Up To Host 'Back to School Bash' - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Woodies Fall By One Again - Down East Wood Ducks
- Woodpeckers Remain Undefeated in August with Win over Salem - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- RiverDogs Take over First Place by Swatting Fireflies 10-3 - Charleston RiverDogs
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