Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: April 19 vs. Hickory (Game 14)
April 19, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Please note the following New York Mets minor league transactions.
Effective Thursday, April 19, 2018
- C Dan Rizzie transferred from Columbia to advanced-A St. Lucie
- C Ali Sanchez transferred to Columbia from short-season A Brooklyn
Columbia Fireflies (9-4) vs. Hickory Crawdads (4-8)
RHP Tony Dibrell (2 GS, 0-0, 2.70) vs. RHP Alex Eubanks (1-1, 5.06)
Thurs., April 19, 2018 - Spirit Communications Park - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 14
LISTEN: Fox Sports Radio 1400 AM / ColumbiaFireflies.com / iHeartRadio App
WATCH: MiLB.tv
ABOUT LAST GAME: Columbia completed a three-game sweep of the Drive with an 8-4 win on Wednesday. It's the first sweep for Columbia since August 15-17, 2017 (@ Augusta).
DOMINATION: The Fireflies completely over-matched their opponent the last three nights. Columbia never trailed in the series vs. Greenville and led by multiple runs in an astounding 19 of 27 innings.
2018 DEBUT: The 20th overall selection in the 2017 MLB Draft made his first start of 2018 for the Fireflies. Mets No. 2-rated prospect David Peterson fanned four over six innings and allowed just three hits and one run.
BACK-2-BACK: Quinn Brodey became the third Firefly in franchise history to bash two homers in one game (Dash Winningham, Michael Paez), but the first to do it in consecutive innings (8th & 9th frames on Wednesday at Fluor Field).
CAN'T HANDLE THE HEAT: Columbia's pitching staff has fanned 141 hitters through 13 games - the most in the SAL by a wide margin. The pitching staff fanned 71 batters during the six-game road trip compared to just 15 walks (six coming in one game on Monday, April 16).
STARTER'S SUCCESS: Columbia's starting pitchers have been marvelous to begin the year (Tony Dibrell, Joe Cavallaro, Jake Simon, Anthony Kay, Chris Viall, Marcel Renteria, David Peterson). The starters' combined ERA is 2.75 (68.2 IP, 21 ER) through 13 games.
WE'RE GOIN' STREAKING: Jeremy Vasquez (3-for-4, R, BB) reached base again on Wednesday. Vasquez has reached base safely in all 12 games he's played in this season-the best streak in the SAL. Wednesday was also Vasquez's first three-hit game of the season. The Floridian is one of the most patient hitters in the SAL: he's tops in the league in walks (14).
WE'RE GOING STREAKING, Pt. II: Four Fireflies hitters are currently on hit streaks longer than four games: Rigoberto Terrazas (9), Walter Rasquin (8), Quinn Brodey (7), Raphael Gladu (4).
THESE GUYS CAN HIT...: Columbia has arguably the best offense in the league. Matter of fact, the Fireflies are first in the South Atlantic League in batting average (.286), OBP (.374), hits (115) and triples (9) and second in the league in walks (56) and runs (78).
...ESPECIALLY LATELY: 64 hits for the club during the 6-game road trip.
PROSPECTS IN COLUMBIA
Columbia's 2018 roster is filled with plenty of skilled Mets farmhands:
METS PROSPECTS (according to MLB.com & Baseball America)
2. LHP, David Peterson (1st Rnd, '17) 14. LHP, Anthony Kay (1st Rnd, '16)
22. OF, Quinn Brodey 27. C, Ali Sanchez
METS STERLING AWARD WINNERS
Nicolas Debora, RHP (2017 Brooklyn Cyclones, 2015 DSL Mets)
Rigoberto Terrazas, INF (2017 Kingsport Mets)
TOP 10-ROUND METS DRAFT PICKS:
David Peterson (Oregon, 2017 - 1st round) Anthony Kay (UConn, 2016 - 1st), Quinn Brodey (Stanford, 2017 - 3rd), Blake Tiberi (Louisville, 2016 - 3rd), Tony Dibrell (Kennesaw State, 2017 - 4th), Matt Winaker (Stanford, 2017 - 5th), Chris Viall (Stanford, 2016 - 6th), Marcel Renteria (New Mexico State, 2017 - 6th), Conner O'Neil (Cal. State Northridge, 2017 - 7th), Trey Cobb (Oklahoma State, 2017 - 8th), Cannon Chadwick (Arkansas, 2017 - 9th)
South Atlantic League Stories from April 19, 2018
- Lillie Lille: Starter Dominates with 7.0 Scoreless - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Fireflies Smash Ten Hits in Loss to Crawdads - Columbia Fireflies
- Freeman's First Homer Not Enough in Suns Loss - Hagerstown Suns
- MacGregor, Mitchell Star in 3-0 Win over Asheville - Charleston Dirty Birds
- I's Use Big First Inning to Run by Greenville, Win 8-3 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- GreenJackets Sting Braves 6-1 - Rome Emperors
- Legends Utilize the Long Ball in Game One Victory over Hagerstown - Lexington Legends
- 'Claws Deal 'Birds First Home Loss - Delmarva Shorebirds
- When in Rome, Do as the GreenJackets Do - Augusta GreenJackets
- Lopez Homers to Tie It But RiverDogs Fall in Ninth in Greensboro - Charleston RiverDogs
- Self Inflicted Wounds Cost Tourists Series Opener - Asheville Tourists
- BlueClaws Score Three in Eighth for 4-3 Comeback Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Defeated by Intimidators on Thursday - Greenville Drive
- Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: April 19 vs. Hickory (Game 14) - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Add New Outfielder - Charleston RiverDogs
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (April 19) - Charleston Dirty Birds
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