July 9 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (CHICAGO CUBS)
Monday, July 9, 2018 | 7:05 PM | Game 88, Away Game 45 | at TicketReturn.Com Field | Myrtle Beach, SC
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 45-42; MB: 40-48
Streaks: CAR: W1; MB: L1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, MB: 5-5
Home Record: CAR: 26-17; MB: 24-21
Road Record: CAR: 19-25; MB: 16-27
Division Record: CAR: 29-36; MB: 23-34
Current Series: First game (of 4)
Season Series: CAR leads 8-6 (of 21)
CAR v. OPP: 3-3 @CAR (9), 5-3 @OPP (12)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
MON, 7/9, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Victor Diaz (4-5, 4.39) at Myrtle Beach Alex Lange (5-5, 3.39)
TUE, 7/10, 7:05 PM: Carolina LHP Cam Roegner (8-4, 2.10) at Myrtle Beach RHP Erich Uelmen (2-1, 3.18)
TONIGHT: Winners of six of their last seven, the Mudcats begin a four game road trip tonight with game one of a four game series versus the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at TicketReturn.Com Field in Myrtle Beach, SC. Tonight's game is the 15th of 21 total meetings between the two teams this season. Carolina recently won four of five in Myrtle Beach to close out the first half and leads the season series 8-6.
ICYMI: Dallas Carroll hit a solo home run in the third, Demi Orimoloye and Weston Wilson hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth and starter Conor Harber pitched through seven scoreless innings as the Mudcats defeated the visiting Keys 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.
STARTING OFF: RHP Victor Diaz has tonight's series opening start against the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach. Diaz is 4-5 with a 4.39 ERA over 16 games and five starts this season. He has also totaled 67 strikeouts, 31 walks and a .269 average against this season over 80.0 innings pitched. He started the season pitching out of the bullpen while following starter Nathan Kirby. He entered the Carolina starting rotation in June (6/9 vs. WS) and has gone 2-2 with a 4.82 ERA over five starts (28.0 IP, 31 H, 15 ER, 6 HR, 8 BB, 23 SO) ever since. Diaz last started on July 4 versus the Keys and earned a victory despite allowing two home runs to Frederick's Wilson Garcia. Diaz allowed three runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings and struck out four in his last start. He also reached a season high 98 pitches on July 4 versus Frederick and ended up turning in his second straight quality start.
WHERE THEY RANK: LHP Cam Roegner is currently 1st in the Carolina League in earned run average (2.10), 2nd innings pitched (94.1), tied for 2nd in wins (8) and 5th in WHIP (1.13)… RHP Conor Harber is currently 2nd in the CL in ERA (2.20)… RHP Braden Webb is currently 6th in the CL in most strikeouts (79), 4th in walks (45), 3rd among CL starters in lowest batting average against (.223) and 3rd in highest SO/9ip ratio (9.12)… INF Tucker Neuhaus (106) leads CL hitters in most strikeouts, is 6th in extra-base hits (31) and is tied for 3rd in triples (5)… RHP Luke Barker is currently tied for league lead in games (29), tied for 1st in games finished (22) and tied for 2nd in saves (11). Barker is also 3rd among CL relievers in lowest batting average (.170), 5th in highest strikeouts/9ip (9.29), 3rd in lowest BB-IBB/9ip ratio (1.94) and 1st in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (7.34).
OF LATE: The Mudcats have gone 15-7 over their last 22 games and have combined to pitch to a 2.78 ERA while also owning a +16 run differential since June 14 (game one of a five game series in Myrtle Beach). The Carolina offense has combined to hit just .234 with an average of 3.7 runs per game since June 14, but the Carolina starting rotation has gone 9-5 with nine quality starts and a 2.95 ERA over that same stretch. The bullpen has combined to pitch to a 2.54 ERA and has gone 6-2 with 12 saves (14 SVO) and 68 strikeouts over 78.0 innings since June 14. They have also combined to allow only two of 24 inherited runners to score since June 14.
TRENDING: Weston Wilson has hit safely in a season best nine straight games and is batting .424/.444/.697 with a 1.141 OPS during the streak (14 H, 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBI)... Joangtel Segovia has gone 0-for-16 since returning to the lineup after being struck in the helmet by a pitch on July 2. He left that game in the sixth inning immediately after being hit. He had hit safely in 10 straight games (.350/.422/.425) before the incident.
LATE LOSSES: Carolina has a league high 10 losses when leading after six innings this season. They have also totaled a league worst seven losses when leading after seven innings.
MUDDIES ON THE POND: Carolina is currently 9th in the Carolina League when batting with runners on base (.240 / .681 OPS), last when batting with runners in scoring position (.238 / .704 OPS) and 9th when batting with runners in scoring position with 2-outs in an inning (.222 / .691 OPS).
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 148 more strikeouts than hits (812 SO, 64 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently the 6th 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 Carolina League high 812 strikeouts this season (on pace for 1,307 SO). The Carolina offense struck out a Carolina League and franchise record 1,245 times last season. The previous league record (per the 2017 CL Media Guide) was 1,198 strikeouts and was set in 1990 by the Lynchburg Hillcats.
INTRA-DIV: The Mudcats are currently just 29-36 in games against Southern Division opponents and own the Carolina League's second worst in division winning percentage (.446) this season. Carolina is, however, currently 16-6 (.727) over 22 games against Northern Division teams this season and own the CL's best winning percentage in games outside their own division. The Mudcats have 26 games remaining against CL Northern Division teams this season. CAR vs.... vs. FRE: 6-2, vs. LYN: 2-1, .vs WIL: 5-2, vs. SAL: 3-1.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Averaged the 2nd fewest runs per game in the CL (4.023).
... Totaled the 3rd fewest runs (344) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 2nd fewest runs (324) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (25.4%).
... Converted 61% of save opp. (25 SV, 41 SVO); 10th in CL.
... Totaled a CL leading 47 caught steals (.412 - 2nd in CL).
... Averaged the 2nd longest 9-inn. game times in the CL; 2:58 (h:mm)
... 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).