Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes vs Kannapolis 8.7
August 7, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
RHP Blake Wolters has been placed on the development list
RHP Zachary Cawyer has been added to the active roster
1B/C Aldrin Lucas has been transferred to the ACL Royals
1B Sam Kulasingam has been added to the active roster
Cawyer will wear jersey #28. Kulasingam will wear jersey #7.
The Fireflies active roster now sits at 29.
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The Fireflies kick-off their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at 7:05 pm. RHP Josh Hansell (2-2, 2.52 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Tanner McDougal (0-8, 6.37 ERA).
Tonight is Purr at the Park where Segra Park is becoming Feline Friendly! Bring your leashed cat out to enjoy the game and enjoy $5 12 oz cans of White Claw. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT MOVES FIREFLIES CLOSER TO FIRST: The Columbia Fireflies split a doubleheader with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Sunday evening at Segra Stadium. Columbia lost the first game 13-12, but rallied behind five hitless innings from Emmanuel Reyes in game two to blank the Woodpeckers 6-0. Game One The Fireflies charged ahead early in game one, scoring six runs in the fifth inning, but couldn't hold on for the lead as the bullpen allowed nine earned runs across seven innings in a 13-12 loss to Fayetteville. In the ninth inning, Jesus Rios (BS, 1; L, 1-3) allowed four hits and walked a pair to allow four runs to come around and score, resulting in the Fireflies second-consecutive walk-off loss to the Woodpeckers. Game Two Emmanuel Reyes (W, 5-3) had a game to remember. The Fireflies righty went five hitless innings with four punchouts through 63 pitches, 44 of which were strikes. The Fireflies had a 5-0 lead when he left the game and transferred the ball to Julio Rosario. Rosario worked a scoreless sixth inning and got the ball to Henson Leal to spin the seventh frame. The three pitchers combined to earn the club's fifth shutout of the season.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After six innings of one-run baseball Friday, Columbia's bullpen now has a 3.16 ERA this season, which is good for the fifth-best mark in all of full-season baseball. It trails the Frisco Rough Riders (3.06 ERA), the Down East Wood Ducks (3.10 ERA) the Midland Rockhounds (3.25 ERA) and the Harrisburg Senators (2.77 ERA). One arm the Fireflies may miss is righty Jarold Rosado. He had a 1.85 ERA across nearly 40 innings and was traded for Paul DeJong at the trade deadline.
TUMULTUOUS TORRES: Erick Torres has had a week to remember, beginning with a walk-off double Saturday to score Diego Guzman in the 11th to beat Lynchburg. The Fireflies center fielder has kept the ball rolling on the road vs Fayetteville. Sunday, he started things off with a 1-3 game with three free passes to reach an eight-game hitting streak, which is tied for his season-best mark. In game two, Torres went 0-2 with two more walks, meaning he reached base safely six times in 11 chances, but his hitting streak ended there. It was his fourth hitting streak of six or more games this season.
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. Figueroa has an extra-base hit in four-consecutive games as the calendar turns to the month of August.
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.
BUYING HANSELL STOCK: Josh Hansell had an up and down start to his Fireflies' tenure, but the 6'6" righty has rounded into form the last few weeks. In Thursday's game, he worked three scoreless frames while allowing only one hit. That means over his last five appearances, Hansell has allowed only two earned runs over 17.1 innings (1.04 ERA).
Carolina League Stories from August 7, 2024
- Freddies Battle Back to Beat Carolina 13-9 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Kulasingam Shines in Professional Debut - Columbia Fireflies
- Red Sox Win Second-Straight over Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes vs Kannapolis 8.7 - Columbia Fireflies
- Wood Ducks Postponed - Down East Wood Ducks
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