Fireflies Game Notes: August 29 vs. Charleston (Game 128)
August 29, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (27-33, 61-66) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (27-35, 60-70)
RHP Zac Grotz (3-5, 5.00) vs. RHP Janson Junk (6-5, 3.94)
Wed., August 29, 2018 - Spirit Communications Park - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 128
LISTEN: Fox Sports Radio 1400 AM / ColumbiaFireflies.com / iHeartRadio App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: The Fireflies walloped the RiverDogs on Tuesday night, 11-2. Columbia tallied 16 hits, one shy of the season high. Seven Fireflies hitters recorded multi-hit games, including Edgardo Fermin who finished 3-for-5 with a triple. Zach Rheams also blasted a solo home run, his sixth in 38 games. Tony Dibrell picked up the win for the Fireflies and set the new single-season strikeout record (see below) after punching out five on Tuesday.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Columbia aims for its third straight series win for the first time since late May:
May 29-31 @ CSC (2-1) ... May 25-27 v. GVL (2-1) ... May 21-23 v. WV (2-1)
LATE-SEASON SURGE: The Fireflies are 9-4 over their last 13 games and aiming to finish the season .500 or better. These four hitters have produced over the last 13 games (since August 12):
- Hansel Moreno (13 GP) - .321 (18-for-56), 9 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 9 SB
- Scott Manea (12 GP) - .320 (16-for-50), 8 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI
- Jose Brizuela (12 GP) - .311 (14-for-45), 7 R, 3 2B, 5 RBI
- Zach Rheams (12 GP) - .289 (13-for-45), 3 HR, 10 RBI
IMPROVEMENT, Pt. I: Columbia has made a major jump over the last two months. The Fireflies are 12-11 in August compared to 10-18 in July. The Fireflies are also hitting .247 as a team this month compared to .218 in July.
IMPROVEMENT, Pt. II: Hansel Moreno was hitting .177 just 24 games into the season. Since June 8, Moreno is batting .285 (61-for-214, 58 games). That's the best average during that span among current Fireflies.
BACK, BACK, BACK...GONE!: As a team, the Fireflies have blasted 81 homers in 2018, a new single-season team record. The Fireflies have 23 in August (23 games). That's second only to Asheville (29 in 25 games) in the SAL.
RECORDS ON RECORD ON RECORDS: Tony Dibrell has struck out 138 batters in 125 innings this year. That's the new single-season Fireflies record after the righty passed Joe Shaw (134 in 2016). That's not all. Edgardo Fermin's triple on Tuesday was his seventh of the year, tying him with Kevin Kaczmarski (2016) for the most in a single season. Scott Manea and Matt Winaker are also both inching closer to the Fireflies single-season home run record:
1. Dash Winningham & Brandon Brosher (2017) - 13
2. Matt Winaker (2018) & Dash Winningham (2016) - 12
3. Scott Manea (2018) - 11
4. Quinn Brodey (2018) - 10
South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2018
- RiverDogs Rally for Six Late Runs in Bounce-Back Victory - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Dads Blank 'Birds to Clinch Series - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Tourists Gain Ground with Big Road Win - Asheville Tourists
- Magic Number Is One as BlueClaws Sweep Pair - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Grotz Turns in Another Quality Start on Wednesday - Columbia Fireflies
- Drive Fall in Walkoff Fashion for Second Straight Night - Greenville Drive
- Osborne Triples in 2 Runs in Loss to 'Claws - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Extra Innings Go To Rome 3-2 - Rome Emperors
- Upshaw Homers in 4-1 Loss on Wednesday - Hagerstown Suns
- Pair of Late Homers, Quality Start Lead to 4-1 Victory - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hoppers Break up No-Hitter in Sixth - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Fireflies Game Notes: August 29 vs. Charleston (Game 128) - Columbia Fireflies
- GreenJackets Take Game Three in Matinee - Lexington Legends
- No Horsing Around for the GreenJackets in Kentucky - Augusta GreenJackets
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (august 29) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- ZOOperstars, Bark in the Park and More - Hickory Crawdads
- Seuly Matias Named to South Atlantic League 2018 Annual All-Star Team - Lexington Legends
- South Atlantic League Announces 2018 Annual All-Star Team - SAL1
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