Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes vs Augusta 7.1
July 1, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
* SS Ryan Cepero has been promoted to the Columbia Fireflies active roster.
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.
Cepero will wear jersey #2.
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Columbia kicks off a series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Logan Martin (1-1, 3.00 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Augusta counters with righty Adel Dilone (4-1, 3.12 ERA).
Tonight, we have a special Monday night game at Segra Park to kick-off Independence Week. We'll start things off with $6 margaritas and $2 tacos available at concessions stands in center field and we'll also play as our food identity, The Carolina Grits. In addition to that, we'll be giving away tons of great prizes to some fans in attendance. Some of those prizes include a LEGO Millenium Falcon, air pods and a pair of Beats headphones.
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SALON'S THREE-HIT DAY LEADS TO 7-3 WIN: The Fireflies scored seven behind three Dionmy Salon hits in a 7-3 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Sunday at Atrium Health Ballpark. The win gave Columbia five of six wins over Kannapolis on the week. Dionmy Salon got the scoring started Sunday afternoon. The Fireflies backstop punched a single through the right side after Austin Charles reached on an error to put Columbia in front 1-0. The single gave Salon his longest hitting streak of the season, a nine-game stretch that started June 9. Salon finished the game 3-4 with two RBI as he led the way for Columbia's offense over the weekend.
GOING STREAKING: Catcher Dionmy Salon is riding a hot streak for Columbia. He is on his longest hitting streak of the season, a nine-game stretch that began June 9 and is tied for the second-longest active hitting streak in the Carolina League. He trails Esteban Gonzalez who has hit in 10-consecutive games for the Lynchburg Hillcats. Salon is 12-27 (.444) on the run and has five RBI. Salon has increased his batting average from .165 to .229 during the strech which encapsulates over one quarter of his games played this season.
QUALITY FELIX: Saturday, Felix Arronde worked his team-leading fifth quality start of the season. He's two ahead of Ethan Bosacker for the most on the Fireflies. So far this season, Arronde has a 4-6 record to pair with a 3.68 ERA. He's been able to persevere despite receiving the lowest run support of any regular Fireflies starter this year. The bats are scoring 2.19 runs per nine innings when Arronde is on the hill in 2024.
KICKING WITH KIRKLAND: In Doug Kirkland's last seven outings, he has allowed just one earned run spanning 12.1 innings of work (0.73 ERA). In that time, he has 16 punchouts and his opponents are hitting .114 against him. In his first full professional season, Kirkland is 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA. He has an outlandish 36 strikeouts in 25.2 innings and opponents are hitting just .179 against him this season.
POWERING PENA: Erick Pena clobbered the ball in June. He finished the month second in the Carolina League in OPS (1.004) and RBI (19), third in homeruns (4), fourth in total bases (46) and 14th in batting average (.291) over the month. On the season, the outfielder is hitting a career-best .222 and is approaching career highs in homers (he has eight, his career-best is 10) and RBI (he has 35, his career-best is 36). He's been able to increase his power numbers while also increasing his on-base percentage to .313, which is 37 points higher than it was during the 2023 season. While it isn't perfect, he's also dropped his K% from 53% in 2023 to 39% in 2024.
LEAVE THEM STRANDED: The Columbia Fireflies have held the Cannon Ballers to 2-46 with runners in scoring position over their last five games. The Fireflies have won four of those five games in large part because they were able to limit the damage done by Kannapolis. Columbia was also able to score first in all five of their wins in Kannapolis. When the Fireflies score first this season, they are 24-6.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WIN A GAME: The Fireflies come back home in first place in the South Division in the second half. Columbia won five games in a single series for the fourth time this season and the third time in the month of June. All-in-all, the Fireflies finished June 17-10.
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