Columbia Fireflies Game Notes September 8 vs Charleston
September 8, 2022 – Carolina League (CarL) – Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Ben Kudrna (2-4, 3.39 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Nick Bitsko (0-0, 3.00 ERA).
Tonight is halfway to St. Pat’s day at Segra Park. Fans can enjoy Budweiser Thirsty Thursday specials all evening long, including half-priced draft beer and fountain sodas, as well as $2 12 oz cans of Bud Light. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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PLAYOFF HOPES EXTINGUISHED FOLLOWING 11-INNING THRILLER: The Columbia Fireflies scored four runs after the seventh to tie the game, but couldn’t come away with a victory, falling 11-7 to the Charleston RiverDogs Wednesday night at Segra Park. The loss eliminated the Fireflies from playoff contention as the RiverDogs clinched a playoff berth at Segra Park for a second consecutive inning. Gavin Cross homered in a second consecutive game with two strikes against him in the ninth inning to plate Omar Hernandez and tie the game 6-6. The homer was Cross’s seventh of the season for the Fireflies. It capped off a four-run rally that started with a Cross triple in the seventh that scored Hernandez to draw Columbia within two. Dayton Dooney homered in the eighth to make it a one-run contest before the late rally for Columbia. In the 11th inning, Luis Barroso (L, 4-8) allowed three homers, and giving up four runs to Junior Caminero, Willy Vasquez and Brock Jones. As he left the mound, the Fireflies trailed 11-7 with three chances to send the game to the 12th. Columbia finished with Omar Hernandez reaching on a catcher’s interference as Roel Garcia (W, 2-1) struck out Levi Usher and Cross and forced Vaz to flyout to close out the game. Columbia got on the board in the third inning. After Daniel Vazquez led off the inning with a broken bat single, Levi Usher drew a walk to put ducks on the pond for the top of the order. Javier Vaz got an RBI single to get ther Fireflies on the board and then with two outs, Carter Jensen rolled a base knock up the middle to score Levi Usher and make it a 4-2 game.
CROSS IS CRUISING: Gavin Cross has the second-longest on-base streak in the Carolina League currently, as he has reached safely in 21-consecutive games. The Virginia Tech product’s streak began in his third game in the Carolina League August 13. During the run, Cross has scored 22 runs and has drawn 20 walks to the tune of a .446 on-base percentage. Cross trails Salem’s Eddison Paulino, who has reached safely in 35-consecutive games. The stretch is Columbia’s second-longest on-base streak this season.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING: The Fireflies bats have three active hitting streaks of eight games or more as Guillermo Quintana has hit safely in nine straight games, Omar Hernandez has an eight game streak and Javier Vaz also has an eight-game hitting streak to it’s credit. It’s the first time this season that three Fireflies players have a six-or-more game hitting streak simultaneously.
BAD LUCK BRIAN: Last night, after the Fireflies tied the game in the ninth inning, they ended up losing in 11 frames and were subsequently eliminated from playoff contention. The Charleston RiverDogs clinched a playoff berth at Segra Park for a second consecutive season.
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. Currently, Avila has 95 strikeouts, making him five shy of becoming the first Fireflies pitcher to notch 100 strikeouts in a season since Butto had 109 in 2019.
THERE’S A LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: The Fireflies close out the 2022 regular season at Segra Park. Purchase your tickets for the final games of the season at FirefliesTickets.com.
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