August 17 - Mudcats Game Notes

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POTOMAC NATIONALS (WASHINGTON NATIONALS) at CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS)
Friday, August 17, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 122, Home Game 60 | at Five County Stadium | Zebulon, NC
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 58-63; POT: 63-55
Streaks: CAR: W1; POT: W1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-5, POT: 4-6
Home Record: CAR: 34-26; POT: 33-27
Road Record: CAR: 24-37; POT: 31-28
Division Record: CAR: 36-43; POT: 43-35
Current Series: First game (of 3)
Season Series: POT leads 3-0 (of 6)
CAR v. OPP: 0-0 @CAR (3), 0-3 @OPP (3)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
FRI, 8/16, 7:00 PM: Potomac LHP Nick Raquet (2-3, 7.02) at Carolina RHP Christian Taugner (1-0, 0.00)
SAT, 8/17, 5:00 PM: Potomac RHP Joan Baez (7-9, 4.03) at Carolina RHP Alec Bettinger (1-4, 6.44)
SUN, 8/18, 2:00 PM: Potomac TBD at Carolina RHP Bowden Francis (0-1, 12.46)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats begin a three game home stand tonight with the first game of a three game series versus the Potomac Nationals at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC. Tonight's game is also the 4th of six (6) total meetings between the two teams this season. The Nationals swept the Mudcats in three straight games in late July and own a 3-0 lead in the season series.
ICYMI: Weston Wilson broke a scoreless tie in the eighth with a two-out, two-run double, Nick Roscetti went 2-for-4 and Luke Barker earned his Carolina League leading 18th save of the season as the Mudcats avoided a series sweep with a 2-1 road win versus the Wood Ducks on Thursday night at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Weston Wilson's go-ahead two-out, two-run double in the 8th last night gave the Mudcats a 2-0 lead and counted for Wilson's 59th and 60th RBIs of the season. Wilson has also now totaled 29 RBI with 2-outs in an inning this season... The Mudcats improved to 22-17 in one-run games with last night's 2-1 victory and currently lead the league with 22 one-run game victories this season.
PLAYOFF UPDATE: The Mudcats are currently 8.0 games back of first place Buies Creek in the Southern Division's Second Half Standings. The Mudcats have 17 games remaining this season including seven games (three home, four away) versus Buies Creek, three games versus Potomac, four versus Down East and three at Frederick. Carolina's elimination number is currently 10.
WHERE THEY RANK: RHP Luke Barker leads the Carolina League in saves (18) and games finished (33). Barker is also 2nd in games (41), 4th among CL relievers in lowest batting average (.212), 2nd in fewest baserunners/9ip (8.84) and 4th in lowest BB/9ip ratio (1.93)… INF Dallas Carroll is currently tied for 1st in the CL in games played (118), 2nd in at bats (450), 4th in most walks (58) and tied for 2nd in most double plays grounded into (16)... INF/OF Ryan Aguilar is tied for 2nd in the CL in triples (8) and tied for 3rd in most strikeouts (117).
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.
TRENDING: INF/OF Ryan Aguilar is batting .300/.391/.550 over his last 12 games (12-for-40, 7 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 BB, 16 SO)... C Mario Feliciano is batting .295/.367/.477 with a .845 OPS over his last 12 games (13-for-44, 6 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 19 SO)... LHP Daniel Brown has totaled 19 strikeouts over his last six appearances and last 12.1 innings.
INSERT HUMMEL: Cooper Hummel is hitting .300/.432/.467 with a .899 OPS (36 H, 21 R, 14 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI) and a Carolina League high 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.
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).
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 221 more strikeouts than hits (1,142 SO, 921 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently the 4th 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: Carolina batters have combined to total a CL high 1,142 strikeouts this season and are on pace for a CL and franchise record 1,302 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).
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Averaged the 2nd fewest runs per game in the CL (3.89).
... Totaled the 2nd fewest runs (471) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 5th fewest runs (510) in the CL this season.
... Hit a Carolina League low four (4) home runs in August.
... Totaled the worst K% (offense) in the CL this season (25.8%).
... 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 91 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).