Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes May 24 at Lynchburg
May 24, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
RHP Eric Cerantola has been promoted to the Quad Cities River Bandits active roster
INF Edgar Martinez has been placed on the 7-day injured list
RHP Shane Panzini has been promoted to the Columbia Fireflies active roster
The Fireflies roster now stands at 29 players with two on the injured list.
Panzini will wear jersey #16.
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The Fireflies kick-off their 12-game road trip with a 6:30 pm contest vs the Lynchburg Hillcats at Bank of the James Stadium. LHP Frank Mozzicato (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball for Columbia and Lynchburg counters with RHP Will Dion (1-0, 1.91 ERA).
Columbia returns home for a two-week homestand June 7-19 that includes two Budweiser Thirsty Thursdays, two Freebie Fridays, two firework shows and the return of Negro League Weekend! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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LATE RALLY HALTED IN THE 9TH, CHICCARONES LOSE 4-3: Columbia was able to get their first two runners aboard in the ninth while down a single run, but they couldn't score and rally, losing 4-3 to Myrtle Beach Sunday evening at Segra Park. Guillermo Quintana walked and then Darryl Collins sliced a single to right to start the bottom of the ninth against Bryan King (S, 4), but those runners stayed put as King shut the door on Los Chiccarones (11-28). Columbia was able to get within one of Los Pelicanos (28-11) in the eighth inning. Collins doubled to score Quintana and then came around two batters later when Enrique Valdez was feet away from the right field wall. It drew the score to 4-3 in favor of Myrtle Beach.
CLIPPING OUR WINGS: The Fireflies have not faired well against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans this season. Columbia has dropped 11 of the first 12 contests against their division rival and have lost the last seven games by a score of 73-22. The stretch of nine games includes a contest where Columbia was no-hit. Through the first 52 games in the two clubs' rivalry, which began in 2021, the Fireflies have won 12 contest against the Chicago Cubs affiliate.
VENI, VIDI, VAZQUEZ: The Fireflies 18-year-old infielder, Daniel Vazquez, has started his season off on a tear. The shortstop is hitting .308 after four games, and he has reached base safely at least once each game, including four total hits. In the field, Vazquez has also showed off his prowess, turning two double plays in his first 36 innings in full-season baseball.
MAKING MOVES: The Kansas City Royals continued the roster turnover in Columbia prior to today's game. RHP Eric Cerantola has moved to Quad Cities and utility infielder Edgar Martinez has been placed on the seven-day injured list. To correspond with the moves, RHP Shane Panzini has been added to the Fireflies active roster.
THINGS COULD BE BETTER: The Fireflies have lost seven consecutive games and 11 of their last 12 games overall as they come into this 12-game road trip with an 11-28 record. The team has a -96 run differential, which is the worst in the Carolina League by 32 runs. Their run differential is the second worst in Minor League Baseball. Visalia leads MiLB with a -105 run differential. The Rawhide took over the spot after losing their last three games by a combined 18 runs, where Columbia has dropped the same games by six.
TAKING CONTROL: Guillermo Quintana has emerged as the top bat in the Fireflies order so far this season. After winning the ACL Royals' Player of the Year award in 2021, Quintana switched positions from catcher to first base when he transitioned to full-season baseball. If that weren't enough, he's still found a way to make a significant impact with his bat. After he crushed his team-leading sixth homer to left field in the eighth inning last night, accounting for his team-leading 19th RBI, Quintana is just .019 batting average points shy of owning the Fireflies triple crown.
WILLIS THE WAYFINDER: After a rough 2021 season, southpaw Marlin Willis has been hitting a groove with the Fireflies in 2022. After three innings of work Thursday night, Willis has allowed a single earned run in his last 11 innings of work. The Georgia native has been lights out in May. Willis has tallied a 0.82 ERA in five outings, lasting 11 frames while punching out 18 hitters and holding opponents to a .086 batting average.
Carolina League Stories from May 24, 2022
- Birds Grab Ninth Straight Win over GreenJackets - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Comeback 'Cats Rally Back for 11-8 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- Walk-off Woodies - Down East Wood Ducks
- RiverDogs Hang on Late as Delmarva's Comeback Hopes Die on Warning Track - Charleston RiverDogs
- Pelicans Stay Hot in Series Opener - Augusta GreenJackets
- Strasburg Strikes out Three in Return; FredNats Drop Opener to Salem - Fredericksburg Nationals
- 'Birds' Valiant Comeback Falls Just Short against RiverDogs - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Hillcats Cruise past Columbia - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Columbia's Slump Continues in Lynchburg - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes May 24 at Lynchburg - Columbia Fireflies
- Cannon Baller Chronicle: Ballers on Wrong End of Series Sweep at Home - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Wood Ducks Host Pitch, Hit & Run Event - Down East Wood Ducks
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