Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes vs Kannapolis 8.11
August 11, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
* 1B Callan Moss has been added to the active roster
Moss will wear jersey #6.
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.
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The Fireflies close out their series with a doubleheader against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers beginning at 2:30 pm at Segra Park. Columbia sends RHP Emmanuel Reyes (5-3, 3.41 ERA) to the bump in game one and RHP Logan Martin (2-3, 4.44 ERA) to the hill in game two and Kannapolis counters with RHP Ricardo Brizuela (1-0, 4.18 ERA) in game one and a bullpen game in game two.
The Fireflies will conclude their series against Kannapolis today. This Sunday Funday, we will be hosting Kids Club Takeover Night presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. We're having a pre-game party on the Crescent Patio with plenty of opportunities for our Kids Club members to throw first pitches, show their stuff off as a public address announcer or dance as a Fly Guy. We'll also have a pre-game autograph session for the general public and post-game, all kids can run the bases thanks to Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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FIREFLIES BEST 'BALLERS SATURDAY NIGHT: The Fireflies pitching staff led the way to a 3-2 victory over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Saturday evening at Segra Park. Columbia is now 20-16 in one-run games this season.Felix Arronde held Kannapolis scoreless through six innings. The righty struck out five and only allowed four hits and one walk. The Cuban-born hurler earned his sixth quality start of the season, the most among all Fireflies starting pitchers this season. Arronde has not allowed more than two earned runs in a start since May 30th, sporting a 1.70 ERA in 37 innings pitched since that date. Columbia struck first on the scoreboard. Derlin Figueroa smacked a solo home run to lead off the second inning. Figueroa's blast was his 10th round-tripper of the season. He joins Blake Mitchell and Erick Pena in the double-digit home run club for the 2024 season.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After eight innings of two-run baseball Friday, Columbia's bullpen now has a 3.13 ERA this season, which is good for the fourth-best mark in all of full-season baseball. It trails the Down East Wood Ducks (3.07 ERA), the Midland RockHounds (2.96 ERA) and the Harrisburg Senators (2.96 ERA).
FIGUEROA FIGURING IT OUT: Derlin Figueroa mashed out of the gates this year, hitting .274 with six homers and 30 RBI in his first 45 games in April and May. Then, from June 1-July 25, the super utility player hit .163 with two homers and nine RBI. It appears he's snapping out of his funk though. All-in-all, Figueroa is slashing .308/.438/.654 in August with five extra-base hits in eight games to add to his six RBI.
MISSING MICHEL: Ismael Michel has stepped up in a big way over the last month for Columbia. The righty hasn't allowed a run in his last five outings (8 IP) which has pushed his ERA down from 3.27 on July 21 to 2.00 today, but what's been truly impressive is that he hasn't allowed a single hit in his last four outings. On the run he is 3-0 with seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched in relief for Columbia.
THIS IS 50: Sunday, Austin Charles drove in four RBI, giving him 51 on the young season. In 2023 only one Fireflies hitter finished the season with 50 or more RBI: Brett Squires, who had 69 RBI. The Fireflies single-season RBI record belongs to Juan Carlos Negret, who drove in 76 runs in a shortened 2021 season thanks in part to a franchise record 23 homers in a single season.
THE RACE INTENSIFIES: Last night, Columbia beat Kannapolis 3-2 to keep pace with the first place Charleston RiverDogs. They currently sit 1.5 games behind Charleston and 1.0 game in front of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in second in the division. As Kannapolis continues their second-half slide after their first-half division crown, the Fireflies are just one game back of having the best record in the South Division for the entire season. The two teams have three games remaining against each other this weekend.
AWESOME ARRONDE: Saturday, Felix Arronde led the way with six scoreless innings to earn his sixth quality start of the season for Columbia. The righty also leads the Fireflies with 85 punchouts on the season. He currently has 97 strikeouts in his two year Fireflies career.
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