Game 16 Recap: Pulling Through

I did not go to this game, or any game for that matter on this Friday evening. For much of the day, it looked like few games in the state would be played. But this game would be played. And for most of the game, it looked like the Fireflies would lose. But as was the case the night before, the Fireflies would be able to pull through late when it was needed.

In the first half of the game, the Fireflies were dominated. Kevin Canelon so far hasn't been one of the better starters so far for the Fireflies, and fell behind 2-0 on a home run yet again to Josh Ockimey. But Canelon wasn't to blame for the Fireflies being down 2-0 after 5, it was the offense. The only hit the first five innings for the Fireflies was in the first inning by Vinny Siena, who then got thrown out at second by forgetting it's hard to double to left in Greenville. Fluor Field at the West End is modeled after Fenway Park, which has the Green Monster in left ready to bounce back shots to left back to the left fielder. Jeff Diehl made the same mistake the night before. In Siena's case, I;m only guessing since I didn't see the play itself. But after that the Fireflies only managed reaching on an error in the 5th before finally getting to Greenville starter Marc Brakeman in the 6th.

As pitchers often do when tired, Brakeman started the 6th with a walk to the struggling Milton Ramos. Brakeman got the next two out (the second in which appeared to be a botched pop-up turned fielders' choice based on the play-by-play) before issuing another walk, this time to Siena. Joe Tuschak singled but not deep enough for a run, and Dioscar Romero relieved Brakeman with the bases loaded. Legendary Firefly David Thompson would add to his SAL leading RBI total by doubling in two runs to tie at 2-2.

Jeff Diehl would lead off the 7th with a home run, making him the 5th Firefly to do so and putting Columbia ahead 3-2 at the stretch. Magliozzi relieved Canelon and did not fare well initially, as hits to Kyri Washington and Joseph Monge made it tied again at 3-3 after 7. Magliozzi then gave up a leadoff double in the 8th as well. But after getting a flyout, the Fireflies made a smart move you don't see much in the minors as Ockimey was walked, taking away his bat and setting up a DP to get the Fireflies out of trouble.

After Winningham led off the 9th with a single, Dash was replaced by someone who could dash in outfielder Vicente Lupo, who is off the DL after Kevin Kaczmarski apparently got hurt the night before (funny how so far when a Firefly lands on the DL somebody is ready to come off it), Like the night before, Diehl walked, and then Greenville threw the ball away the second straight night on a bunt to allow the go-ahead run in the 9th to score. I hope that doesn't make the Firefly coaches overconfident in bunting, but the Drive couldn't handle it this series. Milton Ramos then capped the scoring by coming through with a RBI single, and Tyler Bashlor came in to continue a major resurrection of his career by getting the save as the Fireflies won 5-3.

Overall, baseball is about coming through when needed and being fundamentally sound. After not doing that the first weekend in Charleston, this team seems to be learning better. Now here is the updated player standings:

Player	Position	TB	R	RBI	BB/HBP	SB	CS	0 for 1	SO	Outs	K	R	ER	H	BB/HBP	W	S	L	Score
David Thompson	3B	29	15	18	8	0	0	38	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	245
P.J. Conlon	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	50	11	2	2	17	2	2	0	0	232
Joe Shaw	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	36	16	2	2	9	0	2	0	0	223
Vinny Siena	2B	24	15	6	16	0	0	32	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	197
Chase Ingram	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	48	20	6	5	17	3	1	0	1	171
Tyler Bashlor	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	24	10	1	1	4	5	0	2	0	165
Johnny Magliozzi	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	6	4	4	8	1	1	2	0	130
Seth Davis	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	10	3	3	7	6	0	1	0	127
Alex Palsha	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	15	6	5	6	6	1	1	1	117
Dash Winningham	1B	20	7	8	6	0	0	40	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	107
Kevin Canelon	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	45	19	7	7	14	7	0	0	1	106
Joe Tuschak	LF	21	5	8	4	0	1	32	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	104
Thomas McIlraith	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	42	9	9	8	11	10	1	0	1	87
Ivan Wilson	CF	20	7	6	6	1	2	41	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	83
J.C. Rodriguez	DH	11	4	7	6	2	0	38	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	64
Jeff Diehl	DH	12	4	4	7	0	0	27	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	55
Kevin Kaczmarski	RF	14	10	3	7	0	2	41	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	52
Nicco Blank	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	45
Tyler Badamo	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	33	5	7	7	16	0	1	0	1	45
Tucker Tharp	RF	11	4	1	1	0	0	17	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	41
Milton Ramos	SS	10	3	8	4	0	0	34	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	37
Tyler Moore	C	8	6	2	3	0	1	24	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	31
Christian Montgomery	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	10	9	6	6	7	0	0	0	24
Craig Missigman	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	8	6	6	7	7	0	0	0	23
Natanael Ramos	C	4	1	1	2	0	0	7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20
Vicente Lupo	LF	2	2	1	1	0	0	6	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12
Jose Garcia	C	3	1	1	2	0	0	10	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Witt Haggard	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	3	3	3	3	0	0	2	-58