Church Shines In Debut And Cola Bats Explode For Four Blasts

Augusta Green Jackets @ Columbia Fireflies

May 24, 2016

Logan Webb @ Andrew Church

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Augusta	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1		2	6	0
Columbia	3	0	0	3	2	1	0	5	X		14	15	5

W: Church (1-0, 0.00 ERA); L: Webb (2-3, 6.38 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Andrew Church (W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA) – 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 3B, 4 TB, 9 K (6 K/Sw), 3 GB: 2 FB: 2 LD: 1 PU, 78 Pitches (59 Strikes), 12 Swinging, 22 Called, 15.4% SwStr, 32.4% Whiff/Swing, 15.6 Pitches/IP, 20 BF

Seth Davis (2.84 ERA) – 3 IP, 2 H, 2 TB, 3 K (2 K/Sw), 6 GB: 1 FB: 1 LD, 29 Pitches (22 Strikes), 4 Swinging, 7 Called, 13.8% SwStr, 26.7% Whiff/Swing, 9.7 Pitches/IP, 11 BF

Nicco Blank (6.75 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 3 GB, 26 Pitches (15 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 7 Called, 7.7% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 26 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Batters

2B - Vinny Siena - 2-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 15% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA

RF - Kevin Kaczmarski - 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB, 12.5% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4.8 Pitches/PA

C - Patrick Mazeika - 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 3.2 Pitches/PA

3B - Luis Ortega - 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 6.7% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

1B - Dash Winningham - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 5.6% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.6 Pitches/PA

CF - Ivan Wilson - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K, 7.7% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 3.25 Pitches/PA

DH - Tyler Moore - 2-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 11.8% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.25 Pitches/PA

LF - Joe Tuschak - 1-4, 1 R, 1 GIDP, 3.75 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            Andrew Church, the Mets 2^nd round draft pick from 2013, made his full season and 2016 debut Tuesday night in Columbia, and he was the star of the show for 5 innings. Columbia’s offensive explosion eventually overshadowed his huge start, as the team finished with 4 blasts among their 15 hits, and the Fireflies walked away with a huge 14-2 win.

            Still just 21, Church hasn’t done much in his minor league career to this point, but he looked ready for a breakout season in his debut. It’s only one start, but if he can continue to control his fastball and sit low-90’s like he did Tuesday night, he will have success in the SAL.

            Church worked around a triple in the 1^st inning and an E5 in the 2^nd inning. The Fireflies committed a pair of errors behind him in the 3^rd inning, with a run scoring on the second error. Church responded by striking out the final 3 batters of the frame. He then retired the side in order in the 4^th and 5^th innings before calling it a night. The Fireflies were up 8-1 when Church left with 78 pitches, so he obviously could’ve gone deeper, but he was probably on an ~80-pitch limit given it’s his first start. Strikeouts and errors take a toll on the pitch count.

            Seth Davis took over for Church in the 6^th inning and had one of his best outings over 3 scoreless innings. He limited Augusta to 2 hits and 9 of 11 at bats ended in either a strikeout or groundball.

            Nicco Blank worked the 9^th and allowed a run on a pair of singles and a lot of defensive indifference. His line won’t reflect it, but he pitched well, picking up a pair of strikeouts and inducing 3 groundballs.

            I break down the scoring details with highlights below, and have included a pitch log for Church at the bottom, so enjoy! This series wraps up Wednesday morning with an 11:05 AM start and Kevin Canelon (2-3, 3.00 ERA) scheduled to pitch for Columbia. The Fireflies head on the road after the series ends, and there won’t be MiLB.tv coverage for their weekend series.

MiLB.tv Scoring Highlights

            The Fireflies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1^st inning when Luis Ortega launched his first homerun of the season, a 3R blast to LF.

            After Patrick Mazeika and Ortega picked up a pair of singles to lead off the 4^th, Dash Winningham went oppo taco for the Fireflies second 3R blast of the night.

            Columbia took advantage of Augusta catcher Matt Winn for a pair of runs in the 5^th inning. Vinny Siena and Kevin Kaczmarski both singled and stole a base before scoring in the frame. Mazeika added his first double of the year. Kaczmarski also added an RBI single in the 6^th inning.

            Ivan Wilson and Kaczmarski went deep in the 8^th inning. Tyler Moore, Joe Tuschak, and Siena all singled in between the blasts, and Ortega added his third hit of the game later in the frame.

MiLB.tv Defensive Highlights

            If you’re Vinny Siena, you don’t need to use your hands.

Pitcher Coverage

Andrew Church

Table 1 – Church pitch stats by inning

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Total	19	17	23	8	11	78
Strikes	15	13	18	6	7	59
Swinging*	3	3	5	1	0	12

*15.4% Swinging strike rate; 32.4% Whiff/Swing

Pitch types and velocities courtesy of iscorecast

1^st inning

1)   Lucius Fox struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         91 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-1

                               iii.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-2

                               iv.         82 MPH Slider – foul 1-2

                                v.         92 MPH Fastball – foul 1-2

                               vi.         83 MPH Slider – swinging strike 3

2)   Jalen Miller tripled to CF (T8/L)

                                  i.         93 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         94 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

                               iii.         84 MPH Slider – in play

3)   Dillon Dobson struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         93 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

                                ii.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-2

                               iii.         88 MPH Changeup – ball 1-2

                               iv.         79 MPH Slider – ball 2-2

                                v.         84 MPH Slider – foul 2-2

                               vi.         93 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 3

4)   Dylan Davis hit a groundout to Ortega (53/G)

                                  i.         83 MPH Slider – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         84 MPH Slider – ball 1-1

                               iii.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-2

                               iv.         80 MPH Slider – in play

2^nd inning

1)   Matt Winn struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         90 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         90 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-2

                               iii.         92 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 3

2)   Miguel Gomez reached on a fielding error by Ortega (E5/P)

                                  i.         84 MPH Slider – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         – in play

3)   Jean Angomas hit a fielder’s choice groundout to Siena (46/G)

                                  i.         91 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         93 MPH Fastball – ball 1-1

                               iii.         87 MPH Changeup – swinging strike 1-2

                               iv.         93 MPH Fastball – in play

4)   Gustavo Cabrera struck out looking (K/Lo)

                                  i.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         92 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-2

                               iii.         92 MPH Fastball – ball 1-2
*Angomas stole 2B

                               iv.         85 MPH Slider – ball 2-2

                                v.         80 MPH Slider – ball 3-2

                               vi.         92 MPH Fastball – foul 3-2

                             vii.         82 MPH Slider – foul 3-2

                            viii.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 3

3^rd inning

1)   Seth Harrison reached on a fielding error by Ortega (E5/G)

                                  i.         91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         90 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-1

                               iii.         80 MPH Slider – in play

2)   Fox singled back through the middle with Harrison running, so he ended up at 3B (S8/G)

                                  i.         92 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-1

                                ii.         90 MPH Fastball – ball 1-1

                               iii.         85 MPH Slider – in play

3)   Miller reached on a fielding error by Siena – Harrison scored (E4/G)

                                  i.         91 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         82 MPH Slider – swinging strike 1-1

                               iii.         – in play

4)   Dobson struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         91 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-1

                                ii.         92 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 0-2

                               iii.         93 MPH Fastball – ball 1-2

                               iv.         79 MPH Slider – foul 1-2

                                v.         78 MPH Slider – ball 2-2

                               vi.         92 MPH Fastball – foul 2-2

                             vii.         85 MPH Changeup – swinging strike 3

5)   Davis struck out looking (K/Lo)

                                  i.         85 MPH Slider – swinging strike 0-1

                                ii.         84 MPH Slider – swinging strike 0-2

                               iii.         95 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

                               iv.         82 MPH Slider – ball 1-2

                                v.         80 MPH Slider – called strike 3

6)   Winn struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         83 MPH Slider – swinging strike 0-1

                                ii.         93 MPH Fastball – foul 0-2

                               iii.         81 MPH Slider – foul 0-2

                               iv.         80 MPH Slider – swinging strike 3

4^th inning

1)   Gomez lined out to Wilson (8/L)

                                  i.         90 MPH Fastball – in play

2)   Angomas flied out to Wilson (8/F)

                                  i.         90 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         89 MPH Fastball – called strike 1-1

                               iii.         83 MPH Changeup – ball 2-1

                               iv.         90 MPH Fastball – in play

3)   Cabrera struck out swinging (K/Sw)

                                  i.         92 MPH Fastball – foul 0-1

                                ii.         93 MPH Fastball – called strike 0-2

                               iii.         91 MPH Fastball – swinging strike 3

5^th inning

1)   Harrison struck out looking (K/Lo)

                                  i.         89 MPH Fastball – foul 0-1

                                ii.         82 MPH Slider – foul 0-2

                               iii.         77 MPH Slider – called strike 3

2)   Fox flied out to Wilson (8/F)

                                  i.         92 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         90 MPH Fastball – in play

3)   Miller popped out to Siena (4/P)

                                  i.         90 MPH Fastball – ball 1-0

                                ii.         90 MPH Fastball – strike 1-1

                               iii.         89 MPH Fastball – ball 2-1

                               iv.         81 MPH Slider – ball 3-1

                                v.         89 MPH Fastball – called strike 3-2

                               vi.         89 MPH Fastball – in play

If I find the time, I’ll go back to add the Davis and Blank pitch log info, but here are there strikeouts

Seth Davis

Nicco Blank

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