Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: July 31 at Kannapolis (Game 105)
July 31, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Please note the following New York Mets minor league transactions:
- RHP Conner O'Neil transferred to advanced-A St.Lucie
- OF Taylor Lane released
- RHP Colin Holderman activated from Columbia's Injured List
- OF Chandler Avant transferred to Columbia from short-season A Brooklyn
Columbia Fireflies (15-23, 39-65) vs. Kannapolis Intimidators (19-19, 47-59)
RHP Jose Butto (4-9, 3.86) vs. RHP Kevin Folman (0-2, 4.50)
Wed., July 30, 2019 - Intimidators Stadium (Kannapolis, NC) - First Pitch 7:00 p.m. - Game 105
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Columbia fell to Hagerstown, 5-1, in the series finale. The loss gave the Fireflies their second four-game home sweep of 2019. Brian
Sharp collected a pair of hits in the affair. Guillermo Granadillo registered his first hit and RBI with the Fireflies. Additionally, the bullpen combined for four innings without allowing an earned run.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Columbia ventures to Intimidators Stadium in Kannapolis for the first time since 2017 (July 22-25) on Tuesday. Former Fireflies broadcast & media relations intern Sam Hyman was on the call for these games. Columbia went 3-1 on the trip. Harol Gonzalez highlighted the series with a complete-game nine-inning performance on July 23, 2017. The Fireflies have yet to witness a hurler accomplish this since then. Hyman will keep his streak of Fireflies games at Intimidators Stadium (five straight) alive with a fill-in appearance on Wednesday night. On Thursday, Kevin Fitzgerald will make his return to Kannapolis for the first time since August 28, 2016.
HITS ON HITS ON HITS: Ronny Mauricio notched two more hits on Sunday. The Mets prospect now has 105 this season, good for fifth in the South Atlantic League. Mauricio is on pace for 138 hits this season with Columbia, which would smash the single-season record of 111 set by J.C. Rodriguez in 2016.
HE'S RED-HOT, TOO: The 18-year-old shortstop has now reached safely in seven straight games and is hitting .423 (11-for-26) during that span with six runs scored and three RBI.
HE WAS NUMBER ONE: MLB Pipeline (along with Baseball America) has long been the leader in MiLB prospect rankings. It recently re-ranked the Mets' minor-league prospects and Fireflies shortstop Ronny Mauricio is now the top-rated prospect in the Mets system (and also ranks 84th across all of MiLB).
MEDINA'S MASHING: Outfielder Jose Medina has reached safely in 16 of his last 17 games. The outfielder is hitting .319 (15-for-47) over his last 13 games (since July 16) with six runs scored, four doubles, four homers and seven RBI.
NORTH OF THE BORDER: Former Firefly ace Simeon Woods-Richardson had just earned a promotion to the advanced-A St. Lucie Mets early Sunday afternoon. By Sunday night, he found himself in a different organization. The Mets and Blue Jays announced late Sunday night Woods-Richardson and 2018 Firefly Anthony Kay were traded to Toronto in exchange for 2019 All-Star Marcus Stroman. Woods-Richardson was brilliant in his final months as a Firefly. From June 3-July 23: 3-2 (9 GS), 2.09 ERA, 53 K, 10 BB, 43.0 IP.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 31, 2019
- Tourists Come out Swinging to Open the Homestand - Asheville Tourists
- Smith's Heroics Not Enough, Dogs Fall in Opener - Charleston RiverDogs
- Jackets Open Homestand with Comeback Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Litscher, 'Birds Shut out Drive Again - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Five-Run Third Sends Delmarva Past Greenville - Greenville Drive
- Mendoza Caps off Win with Walk-Off - Hagerstown Suns
- Shenton's Three-Run Homer Not Enough in 5-4 Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Claws Lose Late Lead, Fall 8-7 at Augusta - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Intimidators Quiet in 3-0 Setback - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Host Online Charity Auction in August - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: July 31 at Kannapolis (Game 105) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns: Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Homestand #10 Preview: July 31-August 6 - Hagerstown Suns
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