Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Carolina Mudcats September 2

September 2, 2022 – Carolina League (CarL) – Columbia Fireflies News Release

The Fireflies continue their series with the Mudcats at Five County Stadium today at 7 pm. RHP Ben Hernandez (1-6, 4.44 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Carolina counters with RHP Max Lazar (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

The Fireflies return to Segra Park for their final homestand of the season September 6-11 to face the Charleston RiverDogs as they fight for their first playoff berth in franchise history. Join the Fireflies for the final fireworks show of the year, a t-shirt giveaway and Wands and Wizards night to close out the regular season! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.

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FIREFLIES SURRENDER FINAL FOUR RUNS IN EXTRA INNINGS LOSS: The Fireflies gave up the final four runs after adding six in the first three innings as they lost to the Carolina Mudcats 7-6 in 10 innings Thursday night. Ben Wereski (L, 4-5) escaped a jam for Wander Arias (BS, 1) in the eighth, stranding an inherited runner, but the offense couldn’t score the placed runner in the 10th. After Carolina loaded the base paths with one out in the 10th, Hedbert Perez lofted a single to shallow center field to win the game. The Fireflies are now 8-7 in extra-innings contests this season. Last night, late offense made the difference for Columbia, but tonight, the bats kicked off early. In the first inning four Fireflies drew walks to take a 1-0 lead. After Carolina tied the game in the home half of the inning, David Hollie was hit by a pitch and came around to score on an RBI double from Yeudi Advincola, allowing the Fireflies to retake the lead. Later, Omar Hernandez grounded out to score Advincola from third, pushing the Fireflies in front 3-1. Carolina would once again answer the bell with a pair of runs off Ben Kudrna in the bottom of the second. Then Columbia drove ahead with a three-spot in the third.

JUMP-STARTING JENSEN: Carter Jensen has reached base safely in 20-consecutive games, which is the second-longest on-base streak for Columbia this season and the third-longest active on-base streak in the Carolina League. Eddison Paulino paces the pack as he has reached safely in 31-consecutive games.

SECOND-HALF FIREFLIES?: After trudging to the finish line of the first-half of the season with a Carolina League-worst 18-48 record, the Fireflies burst onto the scene in the second-half, sweeping Augusta after taking two of the first three games with the RiverDogs to begin the second slate 8-1. Since then, the Fireflies have a 24-23 record (.511) and are 3.5 games back of first place. Columbia’s elimination number is 7 with 9 games remaining. Columbia has now won four series this season, and all four series (at Augusta June 28-July 3, at Myrtle Beach August 9-14, vs Kannapolis August 16-21 and vs Salem August 23-28) have come in the second half.

SWING AND A MISS: Lefty Marlin Willis fanned four hitters in the eighth inning last Thursday. It was the first time a pitcher has struckout four batters in one inning while wearing a Fireflies uniform. Willis has been on a tear in the second half of the season, punching out 26 hitters in 14.1 innings to spin a 1.88 ERA in 10 games.

100 CLUB: Last Sunday, Luinder Avila became the first pitcher since 2019 to spin 100 innings in a single campaign. Last season, Adrian Alcantara was the closest, as he worked 97.1 innings. In 2019, Willy Taveras, Christian James and Jose Butto all spun at least 100 innings for the Fireflies.

SOUTHPAW SIZZLES: After adding five, one-run innings to his resume Wednesday at Carolina, Frank Mozzicato has put together an impressive last three outings, spinning 20 innings while allowing only three earned runs (1.35 ERA). During the stretch, the Connecticut native has punched out 28 batters (12.6 K/9 IP).

THE SITUATION: The Fireflies face the first-place Charleston RiverDogs in a six-game series at Segra Park Tuesday-Sunday. As it stands, Columbia would have to win five of those six games to punch their ticket to the 2022 Carolina League Playoffs.

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