Merryweather Named Pitcher of the Week

Dominating the Carolina League since Opening Day with a league-best six wins and an 0.63 ERA, Julian Merryweather received recognition from the league office Monday with the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Award for his most recent two starts.

The right-hander earned two wins, struck out 17 batters and only walked four in 12 2/3 innings. He held opponents to only nine hits in those 12 2/3 frames, and the only run against him for the entire week came on a solo homer by Drew Ward.

On Sunday, Merryweather tied a career high with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings at Carolina. He did not allow a run and only surrendered four hits and two walks against the Mudcats.

Before that, Merryweather limited Potomac to one run on five hits in seven innings of work. He fell one strikeout shy of his career high with eight in that appearance. It matched the longest outing by a Hillcat starter this year and also marked the second time he accomplished the feat, as he threw seven shutout innings at Potomac on April 20.

"I feel like I was able to rely on my changeup a lot, especially the first time through the lineup," Merryweather said after his start against Potomac. "Later in the game, I opened up more of the breaking pitches, but overall I think it was the best my changeup has felt all year."

In seven starts this year, Merryweather has not allowed an earned run in five of them, and three of his outings have led to combined team shutouts for Lynchburg. The northpaw has a 6-1 record, and his only loss came at Carolina on May 1 when the Mudcats scored four unearned runs on only two hits against Merryweather in 6 1/3 frames.

Merryweather owns six wins this year, while no one else in the league has more than four. His ERA of 0.63 is a full run better than second-place Matthew Grimes of Frederick, who has a 1.67 earned run average. Merryweatherleads the league with an 0.96 WHIP (combined walks and hits per inning pitched). He has also allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings of any starter in the league at 8.86, and his .205 opponents' batting average ranks second in the Carolina League.

Merryweather began the season and his Advanced-A career with 18 1/3 scoreless innings before he finally allowed a run in his fourth start of the year.

"The thing is, when you're in a stretch like that, the last thing you want to be thinking is 'I haven't given up a run in 18 innings,'" said Merryweather. "For me, it was being aware of it but also going out there and executing each pitch. That's the only way you can really build a streak like that. Brick-by-brick, lay that foundation. Honestly, it was a lot of fun while it lasted. That doesn't happen very often. I definitely enjoyed it."

Lynchburg concludes its seven-game road swing Monday night at Carolina at 7 p.m. The Hillcats return home to play Salem at City Stadium for the first time Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m.