August 16 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MIL) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEX)
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 7:00 PM
Game 121, Away Game 58
at Grainger Stadium
Kinston, NC
RADIO: The Big Dawg 98.5 FM, WDWG 
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: -
Overall Record: CAR: 58-62; DE: 50-71
Streaks: CAR: L1; DE: W1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 2-8, DE: 6-4
Home Record: CAR: 31-32; DE: 25-40
Road Record: CAR: 27-30; DE: 25-31
Division Record: CAR: 37-37; DE: 38-43
Current Series: Tied 1-1 (of 4)
Season Series: DE leads 10-9 (21)
CAR vs. OPP: 7-7 @CAR (14), 2-3 @OPP (7)

UPCOMING PROBABLES:
WED, 8/16, 7:00: Carolina RHP Jordan Yamamoto (5-4, 3.32) at Down East RHP Jonathan Hernández (1-5, 4.04)
THU, 8/17, 7:00: Carolina LHP Kodi Medieros (4-9, 5.01) at Down East TBD
FRI, 8/18, 7:00: Frederick TBD at Carolina TBD
ICYMI: The Mudcats were held scoreless and managed just two hits in a 1-0 walk off loss to the Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium on Tuesday night. Evan Van Hoosier singled and scored the game winning in the ninth for Down East in the series tying victory.
THE MATCHUP: Tonight's game between the Mudcats and Wood Ducks is the third of a four game series between the two teams. The current series is tied 1-1 and the Wood Ducks took a 10-9 lead in the overall season series following last night's victory. Carolina is batting .222 and has averaged 4.42 runs per game against the Wood Ducks while also pitching to a 3.76 ERA and averaging 6.6 SO/9ip. The Wood Ducks are batting .256 and have pitched to a 4.36 ERA against the Mudcats this season. 
STARTING OFF: Jordan Yamamoto heads to the bump tonight for the Mudcats in game three of Carolina's four game series against the Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium. Yamamoto is currently 5-4-1 with a 3.32 ERA over 18 games, 14 starts and 84.0 innings pitched this season. He has also totaled 86 strikeouts, 26 walks and has held opponents to a .237 average against this season. Yamamoto last pitched on 8/10 versus Lynchburg and took a tough luck loss after allowing one earned run (four total) on four hits over 6.0 quality innings pitched. He struck out seven, walked two and allowed a three-run home run to former High School teammate Ka'ai Tom in his last start. The Mudcats did not manage a run in support of Yamamoto his last time out and lost 5-0.
POWER OUTAGE: The Mudcats are 2-6 and have totaled just six extra-base hits, including four doubles, one triple and one home run, since Jake Gatewood was promoted to Double-A Biloxi on 8/9. Carolina is batting just .163 with a .199 slugging percentage and .150 average with runners in scoring position since 8/9 (without Gatewood). Carolina's team slugging percentage has dropped from .378 on 8/9 to .367 entering tonight's game.
THIEVERY: The Mudcats have totaled a Carolina League high 143 stolen bases this season. They are also 6th in most steals in MiLB this season. Trent Clark (29 SB, 5 CS) currently leads the Mudcats in stolen bases and is 4th in the Carolina League in most steals this season. Luis Aviles Jr. (28 SB, 7 CS) and Corey Ray (21 SB, 10 CS) are 5th and 7th in the CL in SB this season.
WHERE THEY RANK:Lucas Erceg is currently 2nd in the Carolina League in RBIs (67). Erceg is also tied for 7th in XBH (40), tied for 6th in doubles (26) and is tied for 6th in home runs (13)… Trent Clark is currently 2nd in the Carolina League in walks (82) and tied for the league lead in outfield assists (13). Clark is also 2nd in the CL in games (115), tied for 4th in runs (64) and 4th in stolen bases (29)… Corey Ray is tied for 8th in the CL in doubles (24) and 7th in stolen bases (21).
BULLISH PEN: Wuilder Rodriguez ranks atop the Carolina League in several categories, including ERA (2nd, 1.46), WHIP (1st, 0.88), LOB% (2nd, 85.0), and fewest baserunners/9ip (1st, 8.06) among CL pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched… Eric Hanhold is 6-3 with a 4.45 ERA overall this season, but went 6-1-1 and pitched to a 1.54 ERA over 18 consecutive relief appearances between 5/18 and 8/14 (19 G, 35.0 IP, 29 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 35 SO)... Brad Kuntz 3rd among CL relievers in lowest BB-IBB/ratio (2.52) and 2-2-0 with a 2.53 ERA over his last 23 games (39.0 IP, 26 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 8 BB, 36 SO, .184 AVG).
20-20 CLUB:Monte Harrison has totaled 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases between Low-A Wisconsin (11 HR, 11 SB) and High-A Carolina this season. He is currently one of 15 MiLB players with at least 15 HR and 15 SB this season. AAA Lehigh Valley's Scott Kingery, AAA Fresno's Derek Fisher, Low-A Fort Wayne's Fernando Tatis Jr. and Potomac's Daniel Johnson are the only players in MiLB with at least 20 HR and 20 SB this season. Harrison (11 HR/ 11 SB) and former Mudcat Troy Stokes Jr. (11 HR, 14 SB) were both among the 15 MiLB players to finish with at least 10 home runs at 10 stolen bases before 6/22 this season. 
NUMBER ONE: Monte Harrison has reached SportsCenter's Top 10 countdown twice this season, with both plays landing at the number one overall spot in their respective countdowns on 7/31 and 8/10. The first play was a diving catch in left-center against the Wood Ducks at Five County Stadium on 7/31. The second occurred on 8/10 and was a diving catch in right against Lynchburg at Five County. Harrison also began Carolina's 9-2-6-2 triple play, which was featured as SportsCenter's "Golden Moment" on 8/9. The Mudcats have been featured on SportsCenter seven times overall this season (military homecoming surprise on 4/26, Lucas Erceg's hidden-ball trick on 5/3, Trent Clark foul ball lands in fan's cup on 5/5, Weston Wilson proposal on 5/6) and have reached the No. 1 slot of the SC top 10 twice.
THE HAVES:
- The Mudcats have combined to hit .223 and are 22-30 in the 2nd Half (4.17 R/G, -14 DIFF, .234 AVG w/RISP).
- The Mudcats have combined to pitch to a 4.00 ERA and an 8.17 SO/9ip ratio in the 2nd Half.
- The Mudcats have combined to .188 and are 3-11 in August (3.36 R/G, 4.74 ERA since 8/1).
- The Mudcats have combined to hit 86 home runs this season; 2nd most in the club's Carolina League era.
- The Mudcats have totaled a Carolina League high 143 stolen bases this season.
- The Mudcats have won 22 of 27 (22-5) when scoring at least one run in the first inning this season.
- The Mudcats have gone 4-9-1 in series played so far in the second half.