Fireflies Game Notes: June 24 at Lexington (Game 71)
June 24, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (26-44) @ Lexington Legends (38-35)
RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (1-7, 5.26) vs. RHP Jon Heasley (6-3, 2.64)
Mon., June 24, 2019 - Whitaker Bank Ballpark (Lexington, KY) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 71
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Columbia was victorious over Asheville, 11-9, in the series finale. The win secured a series tie to start the second half for the Fireflies. Columbia smacked a season-high 18 hits in the contest, and all but one member of the starting nine record a hit during the affair. With the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, Billy Oxford punched out Cade Harris to end the game and pick up his second save of the season.
SWINGIN': Wagner Lagrange has enjoyed a hot start to the second half. The 23-year-old is hitting .364 (7-for-16) since The All-Star break, and has driven in at least one run in each of the four contests he's played in. Lagrange's .386 slugging percentage puts him at first amongst Fireflies hitters with at least 150 plate appearances on the season.
RESPECT: With a pair of hits in Sunday's game, Chandler Avant has now reached base safely in 13 straight contests, the longest such streak for a member of the Fireflies this season. The former Alabama Crimson Tide infielder has made major strides at the plate this year after hitting just .105 in 11 April games. Since May 16 (24 GP), Avant leads the team with a .374 on-base percentage. His batting average is also .288 during that span.
WHO'S HOT?: Ronny Mauricio leads Columbia in hitting (.286 average). The All-Star is fifth in the league with 75 hits, but he is the only teenager who appears in the top 10 (and that's qualified hitters, too). The second-rated Mets prospect only strikes out 19.6% of the time which is good for 23rd in the SAL. It's worth noting, though, he's the youngest player in the league to appear that high up on the list. The Mets prospect has performed notably well at the plate as of late:
SINCE MAY 28
Mauricio (17 GP) - .325 (25-for-77), 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 15 K
WELCOME BACK: Columbia newcomer Danny Hrbek tossed two scoreless innings in his Fireflies debut on Saturday. The former Radford Highlander was signed and activated earlier in the day, and wasted no time providing the pitching staff with some quality innings. The righty allowed just one baserunner in two innings of work, while striking out three. Hrbek, a member of Lexington's 2018 SAL Championship team, will be making his return to Whitaker Bank Ballpark this series.
BLUEGRASS BLUES: Columbia continues its road trip against Lexington on Monday. The Fireflies are just 2-10 against the Legends in 12 prior meetings this season. Columbia is on the sour end of a -44 run differential over those 12 games.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 24, 2019
- Road Trip Begins with a Loss Despite Solid Approach - Asheville Tourists
- Jackets Defeat Asheville in Series Opener - Augusta GreenJackets
- Legends Unable to Contain Fireflies - Lexington Legends
- Grenier Carries 'Birds to Walkoff Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Rolled by Braves in Series Opener - Charleston RiverDogs
- Birds Walk-Off on Claws 3-2 on Monday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Anchia's Homer Not Enough to Spark Rally in 7-3 Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Monday's Game Between the Drive and Intimidators Suspended - Greenville Drive
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 24 at Lexington (Game 71) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (June 24) - Charleston Dirty Birds
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