April 21 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at FAYETTEVILLE WOODPECKERS (HOUSTON ASTROS)
Sunday, April 21, 2019 | 2:00 PM | Game 18, Away Game 11 | SEGRA Stadium | Fayetteville, NC
RADIO: WDWG, 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 9-8; FAY: 10-7
Streaks: CAR: L2; FAY: W2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, FAY: 6-4
Home Record: CAR: 3-4; FAY: 2-1
Road Record: CAR: 6-4; FAY: 8-6
Division Record: CAR: 5-5; FAY: 6-4
Current Series: FAY leads 2-1 (of 4)
Season Series: Tied 3-3 (of 20)
CAR v. OPP: 2-1 @CAR (10), 1-2 @OPP (10)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TODAY, 4/21 at Fayetteville, 2:00 PM: Carolina RHP Nelson Hernandez (2-0, 3.24) at Fayetteville LHP Parker Mushinski (0-0, 3.48)
Monday, 4/22: Off
Tuesday, 4/23 at Myrtle Beach, 7:05 PM: Carolina TBA at Myrtle Beach TBA
TODAY: The Mudcats continue a seven game and eight day road trip today with the finale of a four game series versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville... Carolina won the first ever game at SEGRA Stadium 7-5 on Thursday night, but lost both games of yesterday's split doubleheader 3-2 and 6-3 while falling behind in the series two games to one. Today's game is also the seventh consecutive game between the Mudcats and Woodpeckers. The Mudcats have split their home/away extended series with Fayetteville going 3-3 so far, making today's game the rubber match... The current road trip includes today's finale at Fayetteville before continuing with three games at Myrtle Beach following the first scheduled off day of the season on Monday, April 22.
ICYMI: GM:1 - Payton Henry homered for the second straight game after hitting a game tying home run in the fourth, but the Woodpeckers rallied for a run in the sixth to edge the Mudcats 3-2 in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville. GM:2 - Rob Henry hit a three-run home run with two outs in the fourth, but a four run Fayetteville first and a two run second proved to be too much as the Mudcats lost game two of a doubleheader 6-3 to the Woodpeckers at SEGRA Stadium on Saturday night.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Payton Henry hit a solo home run in game one and Rob Henry hit a 3-run homer in game two, stretching Carolina's current streak of consecutive games with a home run to six (4/15-Present)... Payton Henry's home run was his second of the season and his second in as many games. Henry also homered in back-to-back games on 7/6/18 and 7/7/18 last season with Low-A Wisconsin.
POWER SURGE: After beginning the season without a home run over their first three games, and with just five homers over their first 11, the Mudcats have totaled eight home runs over their last six consecutive games (all of which versus Fayetteville). The current power streak has included a fourth inning, no-hitter snapping solo homer from Joantgel Segovia on April 15, home runs from Ryan Aguilar and Mario Feliciano on April 16, an eighth inning, 4-4 tie breaking solo homer from Feliciano on April 17, big flies from Payton Henry and Tristen Lutz on April 18 and home runs from both Henry's, Payton and Rob in games one and two of yesterday's doubleheader respectively. Payton Henry's homer on Thursday was the first in SEGRA Stadium history, while Lutz's two-run shot on Thursday broke a 5-5 tie in the ninth.
STREAKING: After opening the season at 2-2 in a season opening four game set at Down East, the Mudcats have put together streaks of four straight wins, four straight losses, three straight wins and now two straight losses. Carolina's season opening series against Down East also included back-to-back wins on April 5 and April 6; giving Carolina win streaks of two, four and three; and losing streaks of four and two so far this season over their first 17 games.
CLUTCH GENE: Payton Henry brought the Mudcats back from a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 lead after driving in two runs with a double with two outs in the fifth on Thursday night. Henry has totaled eight 2-out RBI this season and 12 RBI overall. Henry is batting .333/.333/.444 (9-for-27) with a .778 OPS and 8 RBI when batting with two outs this season.
HOW THEY'RE BUILT: The Mudcats open the 2019 season with 11 returning players from last season... The 2019 squad features three of the Brewers' Top 30 prospects (as rated by MLBPipeline.com) including OF Tristen Lutz (No. 5), C Payton Henry (No. 10) and C Mario Feliciano (No. 22). 
WHERE THEY RANK: Joantgel Segovia is currently 3rd in the CL in OPS (.977) this season. Segovia is also 4th in the CL in on-base (.441), 6th in slugging (.536), tied for 4th in home runs (3) and tied for 3rd in walks (11)... Ryan Aguilar is currently tied for 2nd in the CL in doubles (6) and tied for 3rd in walks (11)... Rob Henry is tied for 4th in the CL in homers (3)... Matt Hardy is tied for the CL lead in games (7)... Rodrigo Benoit is currently tied for 2nd in the CL in games (6) and 2nd in the CL in saves (4).
MUDDIES V. WOODIES: Yesterday's doubleheader sweep lifted the Woodpeckers into a 2-1 lead in the current four game set between Carolina and Fayetteville. The sweep also dropped the Mudcats into a 3-3 record overall versus Fayetteville this season... The Woodpeckers are an affiliate of the Houston Astros and previously played in the Carolina League as the Buies Creek Astros the last two seasons. The Mudcats were 11-17 versus Buies Creek overall last year, including a 5-6 record at home and 6-11 record on the road. Carolina additionally went 7-16 overall against the Astros in 2017; 3-8 at home and 4-8 on the road. 
THE SKIPPER: Manager Joe Ayrault is back for his third season as Manager of the Mudcats and his eighth season overall as Manager of Milwaukee's Class A Advanced affiliate. Ayrault is currently second on Carolina's all-time managerial wins list and second all-time in games managed in Carolina...

THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... played in Zebulon, NC since 1991 (29th season).
... played in the Carolina League since 2012 (8th season).
... been an affiliate of the Brewers since 2017 (3rd season).
... operated under the ownership of the Brewers since Oct. 2017.
... not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.