Fireflies Bats Explode for Season-High 14 Runs
May 24, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
COLUMBIA, SC - The Fireflies bats exploded for a season-high 14 runs and launched a single-game best four home runs to take care of the GreenJackets on Tuesday night, 14-2. The first five hitters in the lineup combined for ten hits - including Kevin Kaczmarksi's 3-for-5 night at the plate. The right fielder blasted his first dinger of the season and drove in four runs.
The bats did plenty early for Andrew Church (W, 1-2) in his first start in a Columbia (23-22) uniform. Luis Ortega got things started in the first. With two runners on base, the third baseman tattooed his first homer of the season to put the Fireflies ahead, 3-0.
The right-hander Church allowed just one unearned run, which came in the top of the third. The former second round pick of the Mets in 2013 registered five scoreless innings and a career-best nine strikeouts. Church outlasted Augusta (21-24) starter Logan Webb (L, 2-3), who let up eight earned runs in four innings of work.
The Fireflies' sticks got back to work in the fourth. After Pat Mazeika and Ortega reached base on consecutive base knocks, Dash Winningham clubbed his second long ball of 2016 into the left-field seats. The home team extended its lead to five, 6-1.
Columbia pushed runs across in the fifth and sixth innings to pad the lead to 9-1. Collectively, the Fireflies hit .395 (15-for-38) against GreenJackets' pitching.
The Fireflies were not done and erupted in the eighth for a five-run frame. The first five batters in the half inning blistered hits, two of which were home runs by Ivan Wilson and Kaczmarski. Wilson tagged his team-best fifth home run of the season. The center fielder is riding a five-game hitting streak.
Seth Davis pitched three scoreless innings in relief and picked up three strikeouts. Nicco Blank tossed the final inning and grabbed a pair of punch outs. For the second time this season, Fireflies pitchers combined for a season-high 14 strikeouts.
Columbia aims for the sweep of Augusta starting at 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday. Left-hander Kevin Canelon (2-3, 3.00) toes the rubber for Manager Jose Leger and faces GreenJackets southpaw Grant Watson (2-3, 3.48).
You can watch the action on MiLB.TV starting at 11:00 a.m. The game will not be carried live on the radio, but will be re-broadcast on WGCV 620 AM, 105.1 and 96.3 FM and the TuneIn Radio app at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 24, 2016
- Fireflies Bats Explode for Season-High 14 Runs - Columbia Fireflies
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- OF Michael Suiter Promoted to Winston-Salem - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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