Fireflies Game Notes: June 11 vs. Asheville (Game 61)
June 11, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (23-37) vs. Asheville Tourists (28-36)
LHP Thomas Szapucki (0-0, 1.74) vs. LHP Alfredo Garcia (1-5, 7.33)
Tues., June 11, 2019 - Segra Park (Columbia, SC) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 61
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Columbia received a masterful performance from Simeon Woods-Richardson on the mound Monday against Asheville but still lost the rain-shortened contest, 2-1. The right-hander tossed five more shut-out innings and struck out eight, but soon after he left the slope, the rain started falling. The rain delay began just moments before the top of the seventh and did not let up. The game was called and ruled an official game at 9:46 ET.
MAURICIO MAGIC: Fireflies shortstop Ronny Mauricio was named a South Atlantic League All-Star on Tuesday. Mauricio is eighth in the league with 63 hits and ninth in batting average (.293), even though everyone ahead of Mauricio has played more games than he has. The second-rated Mets prospect also leads Columbia in batting average, runs (25), hits and games played (53). Mauricio, a physically gifted switch-hitter, is just 18 years old and one of the youngest players in New York's minor-league system. The native of the Dominican Republic signed with the Mets for $2.1 million in the summer of 2017.
MAURICIO MAGIC, Pt. II: Mauricio is currently riding a nine-game hit streak (May 26-June 6). The shortstop is hitting .385 (15-for-39) during the streak. Mauricio has also reached base safely in 15 of his last 16 games.
MOUND MOJO: Fireflies pitchers punched out 10 Asheville hitters on Monday (in just 6 inn., no less) and have now struck out 44 batters in their last 4 games.
F=m(a): Shervyen Newton has turned things around at the plate. The 20-year-old Mets prospect was hitting .078 over his first 16 games as a Firefly (April 22-May 12). Since May 13 (24 GP), the Curacao native is batting .273 (24-for-88). Newton recently recorded a 10-game hit streak (May 22-June 1) and the infielder has reached safely in 20 of the last 24 games.
UNCLE!: Columbia had three straight games against the Crawdads cancelled because of rain from Friday to Sunday. This was the first time ever that Columbia has gone three straight days without playing due to weather.
NEW STAFF: Fireflies second-year manager Pedro Lopez notwithstanding, Columbia has an entirely different coaching staff in 2019. Former big leaguer and Mets pitcher Royce Ring assumes the role as pitching coach and former Eastern League champion Luis Rivera is the new hitting coach. One-time Mets farmhand (and former player for Lopez in Binghamton in 2014) Gilbert Gomez is the team's first-ever bench coach. Daichi Arima (athletic trainer), Sam Nickelsen (strength and conditioning coach), Nicole Collins (assistant athletic trainer) and Dave Williams (mental skills coach) complete the Fireflies coaching staff in 2019.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 11, 2019
- Shorebirds Fall to Power, Still Clinch North - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suns Complete Doubleheader Sweep with Walk-Off Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Lexington Drops Game Two to Augusta - Lexington Legends
- Jackets Rattle off 4th Straight Victory, Defeat Lexington 6-3 - Augusta GreenJackets
- Kannapolis Holds off Greenville, 5-4, on Tuesday - Greenville Drive
- Casetta-Stubbs Flings Six Scoreless in 1-0 Win - Charleston Dirty Birds
- BlueClaws Fall in Double-Header Tuesday at Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Bies Slams Door as RiverDogs Edge Braves, Cling to First-Place Spot - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Even Series by Trouncing Tourists - Asheville Tourists
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 11 vs. Asheville (Game 61) - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (June 11) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Lockridge, Smith to Participate in All-Star Home Run Derby - Charleston RiverDogs
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Hagerstown Suns Homestand Preview June 11-16 - Hagerstown Suns
- McKay Tabbed as Keynote Speaker for 2019 SAL All-Star Luncheon - Charleston Dirty Birds
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