August 12 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at SALEM RED SOX (BOSTON RED SOX)
Sunday, August 12, 2018 | 4:05 PM | Game 117, Away Game 57 | at Haley Toyota Field | Salem, VA
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 56-60; SAL: 54-61
Streaks: CAR: W1; SAL: L1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 3-7, SAL: 4-6
Home Record: CAR: 34-26; SAL: 30-29
Road Record: CAR: 22-34; SAL: 24-32
Division Record: CAR: 35-41; SAL: 34-34
Current Series: Tied 1-1 (of 4)
Season Series: CAR leads 5-4 (of 11)
CAR v. OPP: 1-2 @CAR (3), 4-2 @OPP (8)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
SUN, 8/11, 4:05 PM: Carolina RHP Christian Taugner (-, -.--) at Salem RHP Jake Thompson (5-10, 4.64)
MON, 8/12, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Alec Bettinger (1-3, 5.34) at Salem RHP Kutter Crawford (0-1, 4.50)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a seven game road trip tonight with game three of a four game series versus the Salem Red Sox at Haley Toyota Field in Salem, VA. Tonight's game is also the 10th meeting of 11 total between the two teams this season. Carolina's 4-3 victory last night evened the current series at 1-1 and put the Mudcats up 4-3 in the overall season series as well.
ICYMI:Robie Rojas went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, Nathan Kirby pitched through three scoreless while earning the win, Luke Barker earned his league leading 17th save and the Mudcats erased a two-run deficit in the sixth while defeating the Red Sox 4-3 in Salem on Saturday night.
WHERE THEY RANK: RHP Luke Barker leads the Carolina League in saves (17) and games finished (32). Barker is also 2nd in games (40), 4th among CL relievers in lowest batting average (.211), 1st in fewest baserunners/9ip (8.72) and 4th in lowest BB/9ip ratio (1.98)… INF Dallas Carroll is currently tied for 3rd in the CL in games played (113), tied for 2nd in at bats (433), 4th in most walks (55) and 1st in most double plays grounded into (15).
TRENDING: INF/OF Ryan Aguilar is batting .364/.462/.682 over his last seven games (8-for-22, 5 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 8 SO)... INF Dallas Carroll is batting .333/.364/.381 (7-for-21, 1 R, 2 RBI) over his last five. Carroll has also hit safely in four straight games; including three straight multi-hit games... C Mario Feliciano is batting .371/.439/.600 over his last 10 games (13-for-35, 6 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 10 SO)... LHP Daniel Brown has totaled 19 strikeouts over his last five appearances and last 11.1 innings pitched.
OF LATE: The Mudcats are just 3-7 since Weston Wilson missed his first game due to injury on July 29 (2.6 R/G, .182 w/RISP)... As a team, the Mudcats have struck out in 30.2% of their plate appearances in August (last 7 games). The Mudcats have also walked in 11.9% of plate appearances this month (BB% by month: 10.3% in July, 8.4% in June, 9.3% in May and 10.1% in April).
LATE LOSSES: Carolina has a Carolina League high 15 losses when leading after six innings this season. They have also totaled a league worst 11 losses when leading after seven innings. The Mudcats are the only CL team with more than seven losses when leading after the sixth, and more than six losses when leading after the seventh innings this season.
MUDDIES ON THE POND: The Carolina offense is currently last in the CL when batting with runners on base (.234 / .663 OPS), last when batting with runners in scoring position (.232 / .674 OPS), last when batting with runners in scoring position with 2-outs in an inning. (.217 / .670 OPS) and 7th when batting with the bases loaded (.219 / .630 OPS).
INSERT HUMMEL: Cooper Hummel is hitting .299/.414/.486 with a .900 OPS (32 H, 17 R, 14 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI) and a Carolina League leading 14 doubles since replacing an injured Tucker Neuhaus in the fourth inning of a home game versus the Keys on July 6. Hummel ended up going 1-for-2 with a two-run home run (eventual game winner in the seventh) in that same game and has not missed a start since (32 consecutive games).
WILSON'S JULY: Weston Wilson finished July batting .436/.481/.681 with a 1.162 OPS over 27 games played and was named both the Carolina League's Player of the Month for July and the Milwaukee Brewers MiLB player of the month for July. He finished July tied for first in the CL in OPS (1.162), 1st in average (.436), 1st in OBP (.481), 2nd in SLG (.681), 2nd in runs (26), 1st in hits (41), tied for 4th in extra-base hits (12), 2nd in total bases (64), tied for 3rd in home runs (5) and tied for 4th in RBI (23). Wilson also finished July 1st in MiLB (full-season teams) in average (.436) and tied for 4th in OPS (1.162). 
POWER OUTAGE: The Mudcats have hit a Carolina League low two home runs this month. They are currently tied with three other teams in Minor League Baseball for the fewest home runs hit in August. The Southern League's Jackson Generals have hit a MiLB low one home run this month.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 202 more strikeouts than hits (1090 SO, 888 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently the 5th largest in MiLB. Since 1991, only the 2017 and 2007 Mudcats have finished a season with more strikeouts than hits. Carolina totaled 164 more strikeouts than hits in 2017 (1,245 SO [franchise record], 1,081 H) and 70 more strikeouts than hits in 2007 (1,219 SO, 1,149 H).
ALL THE Ks: The Mudcats offense has combined to total a CL high 1,090 strikeouts this season (on pace for 1,297 SO). Carolina is currently tied for 9th in most strikeouts among all MiLB teams. The Carolina offense struck out a Carolina League and franchise record 1,245 times last season. The previous league record (per the 2017 Carolina League Media Guide) was 1,198 strikeouts and was set by the 1990 Lynchburg Hillcats.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Averaged the 2nd fewest runs per game in the CL (3.91).
... Totaled the 2nd fewest runs (454) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 5th fewest runs (488) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% (offense) in the CL this season (25.6%).
... Totaled a CL high 15 losses when leading after 6 innings.
... Totaled a CL high 11 losses when leading after 7 innings.
... Gone 21-19 (.525) vs. the CL Northern Division.
... Made 87 total roster transactions this season.
... Not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... Not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.
... Been in Zebulon, NC since 1991 (28th season).
... Been in the Carolina League since 2012 (7th season).