August 14 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEXAS RANGERS)
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 119, Away Game 59 | at Grainger Stadium | Kinston, NC
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: N/A
Overall Record: CAR: 57-61; DE: 50-70
Streaks: CAR: L1; DE: L4
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, DE: 3-7
Home Record: CAR: 34-26; DE: 31-28
Road Record: CAR: 23-35; DE: 19-42
Division Record: CAR: 35-41; DE: 35-46
Current Series: First game (of 3)
Season Series: DE leads 9-7 (of 23)
CAR v. OPP: 7-3 @CAR (14), 0-6 @OPP (9)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TUE, 8/13, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Bowden Francis (-, -.--) at Down East LHP Joe Palumbo (0-4, 3.32)
WED, 8/14, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Jorge Ortega (0-2, 6.75) at Down East RHP Emerson Martinez (4-11, 4.28)
THU, 8/15, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Devin Williams (0-3, 6.37) at Down East RHP Rollie Lacy (0-2, 3.60)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a seven game road trip tonight with the first game of a three game series versus the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. Tonight's game is also the 17th of 23 total meetings between the two teams this season. Carolina trails the season series 7-9 and is currently 0-6 versus the Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium this season.
ICYMI: Salem's Jerry Downs went 2-for-4 with a run and a three-run home run in the fifth while leading the Red Sox to a series tying 7-4 victory versus the Mudcats on Monday night at Haley Toyota Field in Salem. Carolina finished with a 2-2 tie in the four game set in Salem.
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), 2nd in fewest baserunners/9ip (8.89) and 4th in lowest BB/9ip ratio (1.98)… INF Dallas Carroll is currently tied for 1st in the CL in games played (115), 1st in at bats (440), 4th in most walks (56) and tied for 1st in most double plays grounded into (15)... INF/OF Ryan Aguilar is 2nd in the CL in triples (8) and tied for 4th in most strikeouts (112).
TRENDING: INF/OF Ryan Aguilar is batting .400/.471/.733 over his last nine games (12-for-30, 7 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 11 SO). Aguilar has also hit safely in seven consecutive games (.400/.464/.760, 10-for-25, 4 2B)... INF Dallas Carroll is batting .333/.370/.417 (8-for-24, 1 R, 3 RBI) over his last six... 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 six appearances and last 12.1 innings.
OF LATE: The Mudcats are just 4-8 since Weston Wilson missed his first game due to injury on July 29 (3.25 R/G, .207 w/RISP)... As a team, the Mudcats have struck out in 29.3% of their plate appearances in August (last 10 games). The Mudcats have also walked in 11.5% of plate appearances this month (By month: July: 10.3 BB%, June: 8.4 BB%, May: 9.3 BB%, April: 10.1 BB%).
INSERT HUMMEL: Cooper Hummel is hitting .318/.432/.500 with a .932 OPS (35 H, 19 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 (33 consecutive games).
WELL TRAVELED: C Robie Rojas has totaled two hits in each of his last two games and is 5-for-9 over his last three games with two RBI and three runs. He is also 5-for-13 with four runs since returning to the Mudcats from Triple-A Colorado Springs on 8/3. Rojas appeared in four games with Colorado Springs (4/21-4/25, 7/15) and in three games with Rookie Level Helena (6/17-6/22) before retuning to the Mudcats on 8/3.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 200 more strikeouts than hits (1109 SO, 909 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).
RECORD SETTING: The Mudcats offense has combined to total a CL high 1,109 strikeouts this season and is on pace for a CL and franchise record 1,297 strikeouts this season. The Carolina offense struck out a CL and franchise record 1,245 times last season... The Mudcats hit into a franchise record six (6) double plays 8/10 in Salem (Dallas Carroll: 5-4-3; Devin Hairston [3]: 6-4-3, 5-4-3, 5-4-3; Trever Morrison: 3u-3-6; Rob Henry 6-4-3)… The Mudcats set a franchise record for strikeouts in a nine inning game after totaling 19 strikeouts on on 5/31 in Lynchburg (Marcos Diplan: 10 SO, Chase Williams: 3 SO, Phil Bickford: 3 SO, Luke Barker: 3 SO).
LATE LOSSES: Carolina has a CL high 15 losses when leading after 6 innings this season. They have also totaled a league worst 11 losses when leading after 7 innings. The Mudcats are the only CL team with more than 7 losses when leading after the 6th, and more than 6 losses when leading after the 7th inning this season.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Averaged the 2nd fewest runs per game in the CL (3.96).
... Totaled the 2nd fewest runs (467) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 5th fewest runs (495) 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 22-20 (.524) 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).