SAL1 Columbia Fireflies

Fireflies Game Notes: May 1 vs. Delmarva (Game 25)

May 1, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


Please note the following New York Mets minor league transactions:

- RHP Allan Winans and OF Zach Rheams transferred to Brooklyn

- LHP Thomas Szapucki transferred to Columbia from Brooklyn

- INF Chase Chambers activated from Columbia's injured list

Columbia Fireflies (8-16) vs. Delmarva Shorebirds (18-4)

RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (0-2, 1.23) vs. RHP Hector Guance (0-0, 5.25)

Wed., May 1, 2019 - Segra Park (Columbia, SC) - First Pitch 11:05 a.m. - Game 25

LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App

WATCH: MiLB.TV

LAST TIME OUT: Jose Medina and Shervyen Newton each slapped a pair of hits and drove in a run but Columbia dropped the opener against Delmarva, 6-3. It was Newton's first multi-hit game of the season. The Fireflies at one point had the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but, ultimately, couldn't rally further.

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH: Ronny Mauricio (.286) led all hitters in batting average and Simeon Woods-Richardson led all starters in ERA (1.23) in the month of April. Mauricio led the team in hits (26) and allied three doubles. Woods-Richardson didn't walk a single batter in five starts (14.2 IP). The right-hander posted 22 strikeouts also.

BEST IN THE LEAGUE, TOO: Woods-Richardson, who starts today, also has the best K/BB rate in the SAL, among pitchers with 10 or more innings.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: Mark Vientos singled on Tuesday against Delmarva. The Mets fourth-rated prospect has now reached base safely in eight straight games.

MOUND MOJO: Over the last six games, Columbia's pitchers have combined for 58 strikeouts and have walked just eight. Columbia has walked the second-fewest batters in the league (61), sitting only behind Hickory (59).

FOLLOW THE LAW: Keith Law, senior baseball writer at ESPN, ranked Columbia's roster as the 7th-most "Loaded Roster" in all of Minor League Baseball. Law recognized the fact Columbia's roster includes the Mets' third, fourth and fifth-rated prospects (infielders Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos and Shervyen Newton, respectively), New York's past two second-round draft choices (RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson, Vientos) and the system's ninth-rated prospect, left-hander Thomas Szapucki (drafted in the fifth round in 2015). The roster also features 26th (Baseball America) and 27th-rated prospects Chris Viall and Christian James. The prospect rankings are according to MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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.

Check out the Columbia Fireflies Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from May 1, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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