April 15 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at WINSTON-SALEM DASH (CHICAGO WHITE SOX)
Sunday, April 15, 2018 | 2:00 PM | Game 11, Away Game 4 | at BB&T Ballpark | Winston-Salem, NC
RADIO: WDWG, Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 5-5; WS: 7-3
Streaks: CAR: L3; WS: W6
Last 10 Games: CAR: 5-5, WS: 7-3
Home Record: CAR: 5-2; WS: 3-0
Road Record: CAR: 0-3; WS: 4-3 
Division Record: CAR: 3-3; WS: 7-3
Current Series: WS leads 3-0 (of 4)
Season Series: WS leads 4-3 (of 20)
CAR v. OPP: 3-1 @CAR (10), 0-3 @OPP (10)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TODAY, 4/15, 2:00 PM: Carolina RHP Braden Webb (0-1, 10.80) at Winston-Salem RHP Jimmy Lambert (1-0, 0.00)
MON, 4/16, 6:35 PM: Carolina RHP Marcos Diplan (0-0, 2.53) at Wilmington LHP Cristian Castillo (0-1, 4.35)
TUE, 4/17, 6;35 PM: Carolina RHP Trey Supak (0-0, 0.90) at Wilmington RHP Jace Vines (0-2, 12.91)
WED, 4/18, 10:35 AM: Carolina LHP Nathan Kirby (0-1, 11.25) at Wilmington RHP Ofriedy Gomez (0-0, 4.91)
ICYMI: Carlos Belonis hit two home runs, Tucker Neuhaus had three doubles and Cam Roegner struck out six over seven scoreless innings, but the Dash hit four home runs in the eighth to tie the game before defeating the Mudcats 6-5 in the tenth with a walk-off, suicide squeeze bunt on Saturday night. The Mudcats had a 5-0 lead heading into the eighth, but the Dash went on to rally for five runs on six hits, including four home runs from Joel Booker, Luis Basabe, Micker Adolfo and Yermin Mercedes to tie the game at 5-5. Booker, Basabe and Adolfo each homered against reliever Miguel Sanchez, while Mercedes' game tying blast came off reliever Cody Beckman.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Carlos Belonis homered twice in last night's loss to the Dash while going 2-for-5 with four RBI (matching a career high). Belonis did not hit a home run during the 2017 season between his time with the Mudcats and Low-A Wisconsin. The two-homer game, however, was the second in his career as he also homered twice in a game on 8/10/12 while playing in the Dominican Summer League... Tucker Neuhaus set a new career best with three doubles in last night's loss. Jake Gatewood was the last Mudcat to total three doubles in a game as he did it on 4/16/17 against the Keys at Five County Stadium.
VS. DASH: The Mudcats continue their first road trip of the season tonight in Winston-Salem with the finale of a four game series versus the Dash at BB&T Ballpark. The Mudcats opened the season by winning three of four versus the Dash at Five County Stadium, but are down 3-0 in the current series... Carolina finished the 2017 season going 19-5 against the Dash, including a perfect 13-0 record when playing the Dash at home in 2017.
MUDCATS STARTER: Braden Webb has the start for the Mudcats in today's series finale against the Dash in Winston-Salem. Webb enters today's start at 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA over one outing this season. He lasted just 1.2 innings in his season debut on 4/10 versus the Keys in Zebulon and was forced to leave his last start early after reaching 50 pitches (only 10 thrown in the first inning) in the second. In all, he walked three, struck out one and allowed two runs on two hits in his 2018 debut.
DASH STARTER: Jimmy Lambert gets the series finale start for the Dash today. Lambert is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over one start this season. He made his 2018 debut on 4/10 in Myrtle Beach where he allowed one unearned run on just one hit over 5.0 innings pitched. He also walked two and struck out four in his first outing of the year. Lambert pitched to a 5.45 ERA over 14 starts with the Dash last season (76.0 IP, 29 BB, 59 SO). 
GOT CLUTCH: The Mudcats scored five runs in last night's loss, but still wasted plenty of other scoring chances. Carolina went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. The Mudcats are collectively batting just .185 with runners in scoring position this season. They are additionally batting .205 as a team with runners in scoring position and with two-outs in an inning. The Mudcats have also stranded 78 runners on base overall this year (3rd most in the CL).
WITH THE BIG FLY: Carolina's five combined home runs in their current road series in Winston-Salem have accounted for seven of their eight total runs scored in the series.
BULLPEN WOES: Carolina's bullpen lost a 5-0 lead in the eighth last night and allowed four home runs in the process. They had allowed just one home run collectively this season before last night's game. The Mudcats bullpen is currently 4-3 with a 5.70 ERA and a 5.7 BB/9ip ratio so far this season. Opponents are batting .291 against Carolina relievers and the bullpen has converted just three saves in seven opportunities... Conversely, Carolina's starting rotation is 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA over 10 start this year.
WHERE THEY RANK: Luis Aviles Jr. Jr. is tied for 2nd in the Carolina League in stolen bases (6)… Clint Coulter leads the CL in strikeouts (18), but is also tied for 2nd in the CL in extra-base hits (6)... Luke Barker is tied for 3rd among all CL pitchers in WHIP (0.67).
QUIET START: Keston Hiura has been held without a hit in five of his seven total games played this season and is batting just .143 (4-for-28). Hiura was held without a hit in just five of his 42 total games played between the AZL Brewers and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers last season.
INJURY PLAGUED: Several 2018 Mudcats are coming off injury plagued seasons, including… Keston Hiura who suffered a right elbow injury in college and was limited to DH duties during his 2017 season. Hiura also finished 2017 season on the Wisconsin disabled list (8/16-9/2) with a strained left hamstring… Tucker Neuhaus suffered a bone bruise in his knee during a rundown last July and missed the remainder of the season with Wisconsin. He also broke his wrist in April of 2016 and missed the majority of the 2016 season… Nathan Kirby missed the 2016 and 2017 seasons after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery in September of 2015… Cam Roegner missed time with Low-A Wisconsin from 6/2/17-7/10/17 after being placed on disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. He later finished the 2017 season on the disabled list after landing on DL on 8/5/17 with a left elbow strain… Chase Williams began the 2017 in extended spring training before being placed on the DL on 6/18/17 with ulnar nerve transposition. He returned from DL on 8/11/17 and made his Wisconsin debut on 8/19/17 after six rehab games with the AZL Brewers.