Columbia Fireflies @ Charleston River Dogs
June 17, 2017
Teams
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
|
Columbia
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
|
Charleston
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
X
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
W: Keller (5-5, 3.64
ERA); L: Szapucki (1-1, 3.86 ERA); Save: Mundell (6)
 |
| 18-year old Andres Gimenez, currently the Mets 8th ranked prospect, per MLB.com |
The Highlights:
Pitchers
Thomas Szapucki
(L, 1-1, 3.86 ERA) – 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 2B, 4 TB, 1 BB, 5 K (4 K/Sw), 6
GB: 2 FB: 5 LD: 1 PU, 93 Pitches (57 Strikes), 10 Swinging, 10 Called, 10.8%
SwStr, 21.3% Whiff/Swing, 15.5 Pitches/IP, 21 BF
Blake Taylor (3.99 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 GB: 1 FB, 14 Pitches (8
Strikes), 2 Called, 14 Pitches/IP, 3 BF
Joseph Zanghi (3.97 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 TB, 1
BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB: 1 FB, 15 Pitches (10 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 3 Called,
20% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 15 Pitches/IP, 5 BF
Brian Keller – 6 IP, 2
H, 4 BB, 8 K, 98 Pitches (59 Strikes), 6 GO: 3 FO
Batters
CF - Gene Cone - 0-4, 1 BB, 3.6 Pitches/PA
SS - Andres Gimenez - 0-4, 1 BB, 2 K, 21.1% SwStr, 57.1%
Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA
2B - Michael Paez - 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB, 22.2% SwStr, 50%
Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA
1B - Dash Winningham - 1-4, 3 K, 26.3% SwStr, 55.6%
Whiff/Swing, 4.75 Pitches/PA
RF - Jay Jabs - 1-4, 1 K, 29.4% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 4.25
Pitches/PA
DH - Brandon Brosher - 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 6.2% SwStr, 25%
Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA
LF - Tim Tebow - 1-4, 1 K, 17.6% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 4.25
Pitches/PA
3B - Milton Ramos - 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 5% SwStr, 20%
Whiff/Swing, 5 Pitches/PA
C - Dan Rizzie - 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K, 18.2% SwStr, 50%
Whiff/Swing, 3.67 Pitches/PA
PH - Luis Carpio - 0-1, 7 Pitches/PA
Recapish
The
Columbia Fireflies missed an opportunity to clinch the division (and a playoff
spot) Saturday evening in Charleston, taking a 3-0 loss after another dominant
performance by River Dogs starter Brian Keller. The Greenville Drive lost their
game in Rome too, so Columbia maintained a half-game lead in the division, and
everything will come down to Sunday’s game. The Fireflies control their own
fate, as they’re in with a win, but a Drive loss also guarantees the Columbia
will be playing in the SAL playoffs this September.
Charleston
starter Brian Keller was making his second straight start against Columbia and,
aside from the walks, this start was slightly more dominant than the last.
Combined, Keller has 17 K: 5 BB with just one run allowed on seven hits over
the two starts against Columbia (13 IP). As a 22-year old with college
experience, the SAL should be a place Keller does well in, but he’s still been
putting up some nice numbers, especially for someone who’s not even on the
Yankees top-30 prospects list right now. Keller created trouble for himself in
this start with a walk issued in each of the first four innings, but then
finished his outing with two perfect frames, striking out four in a row before
hitting the showers.
Thomas
Szapucki wasn’t at his sharpest Saturday evening, but his stuff was too good
for the River Dogs batters to square up most of the night. He dealt with a base
runner in four of six innings, but he also faced the minimum in four of six
innings because two base runners were picked off (one by Szapucki and one by Dan
Rizzie).
Szapucki
found himself dealing with a runner on third just a few pitches into the 1st.
Hoy Jun Park singled to left to start the frame and then went to third when Tim
Tebow’s throw into the infield sailed over Andres Gimenez’s head, but didn’t
quite reach Michael Paez, skipping into RF instead. Szapucki was able to strand
Park, as the next three batters went down on a groundout to first, a pop out to
second, and a strikeout swinging (Estevan Florial).
 |
| K #1 |
In
the 2nd, Szapucki struck out Isiah Gilliam and Rizzie picked off
Donny Sands at first, after Sands led off the frame with a single.
 |
| K #1 |
 |
| Rizzie |
 |
| Jabs in RF |
Szapucki
had a proper 1-2-3 inning during the 3rd, striking out Mandy Alvarez
to get it started.
 |
| K #3 |
Columbia’s
best chance to score all night came in the 4th. Dash Winningham and
Jay Jabs led off the frame with singles, and a Milton Ramos walk would load the
bases with two outs, but the Fireflies just couldn’t come through with the big
hit to take a lead.
 |
| Dash |
 |
| Jabs |
Puck
issued a two out walk in the 4th, but then picked that runner off to
end the frame. He also collected a strikeout of Blake Rutherford during the
frame.
 |
| K #4 |
The
5th proved to be the decisive frame, as Charleston jumped ahead 2-0
to make the most out of one double. The double came off the bat of Alexander
Palma, his first of the season, and brought home Sands (who had taken a HBP to
start the frame). After the double, Jonathan Hurst came out to talk to his
starter and the Cola infield real quick. The pitching coach visit often calms a
pitcher down, but Szapucki uncorked a wild pitch on the first pitch after the
visit, which allowed Palma to advance to third. Palma came home to make it 2-0
on a sac fly.
 |
| Ramos at third |
 |
| Palma |
 |
| Paez at second |
Puck
finished his night with a perfect 6th, striking out Hoy Jun Park
along the way.
 |
| Swinging strike |
 |
| K #5 |
 |
| Initial read was horrible, but the catch Tebow makes to recover on this play in pretty nice |
Tim
Tebow led off the Cola 7th with a single against the new Charleston
pitcher, but David Sosebee would toss two scoreless for the River Dogs.
Blake
Taylor put in some work out of the Fireflies pen for a perfect 7th.
Given his last start was on the 12th and the All-Star break starts
Monday, it made sense for Columbia to get him some game action, although I was
surprised he only went one inning. Joe Zanghi worked the 8th and the
River Dogs were able to bring home a leadoff walk for an insurance run.
 |
| Zanghi |
The
Fireflies would have one last scoring chance Saturday night, and they saved it
for the 9th. Brandon Brosher reached on catcher’s interference to
start the frame. Milton Ramos singled him to second base two batters later, and
then Gene Cone took a walk to load the bases two batters after that. With two
outs in the 9th, Andres Gimenez represented the go-ahead run at the
plate for Columbia, but the 18-year old prospect couldn’t put the ball in play,
going down swinging to end the game.
 |
| Ramos |
The
first-half comes down to the final day for both divisions in the SAL. The
Fireflies have just a one-half game lead in the Southern division, but the
Northern division is even closer right now, with Kannapolis and Lakewood in a
virtual tie (Kannapolis has played two fewer games, so they hold a slight edge
in winning percentage).
The Fireflies turn to Gabriel
Llanes (4-3, 2.93 ERA) for their 1:05 PM Sunday start in Charleston, and since
the Greenville game doesn’t start until 2:05 PM, there will be no scoreboard
watching as a distraction for the Columbia players. In case you’re at home
reading this and thinking, “OK, but this is a minor league playoff race, and
it’s the first-half, these players don’t really care…” I direct you to these
two replies from two years ago.
— luis guillorme (@lguillorme13) June 21, 2015
I had asked those two Mets
prospects whether they were looking forward to clinching a playoff spot two
years ago, and they waited until after it was official, but made clear their
feelings. The video is no longer available on Facebook, but those Sand Gnats
celebrated in a dogpile like a team that had just clinched a playoff spot, so don’t tell me
they don’t care. Just like that team, this Fireflies squad has made an
incredible run over the last month of the half to overtake the Greenville Drive
on the final weekend, now they just need to take care of business on Sunday.
Pitcher Coverage
Table 1 – Szapucki pitch stats by inning
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
Total
|
|
Total
|
10
|
20
|
11
|
16
|
23
|
13
|
93
|
Strikes
|
9
|
12
|
6
|
8
|
13
|
9
|
57
|
Swinging*
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
*10.8% Swinging strike rate; 21.3% Whiff/Swing rate
Cosmic magnifying glass helps scientists see galaxies birthing stars https://t.co/UDoMAO02zF #astronomy pic.twitter.com/UAhQCOl3jw— AfricaAstronomy (@AfricaAstronomy) June 18, 2017
Leave your comment
Post a Comment