June 16 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (CHICAGO CUBS)
Saturday, June 16, 2018 | 4:05 PM | Game 68/69, Away Game 34/35 | 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 (Myrtle Beach Broadcast)
Overall Record: CAR: 32-35; MB: 33-34
Streaks: CAR: W2; MB: L5
Last 10 Games: CAR: 5-5, MB: 5-5
Home Record: CAR: 19-15; MB: 19-14
Road Record: CAR: 13-20; MB: 14-20
Division Record: CAR: 23-31; MB: 21-23
Current Series: CAR leads 2-0 (of 5)
Season Series: CAR leads 6-5 (of 20)
CAR v. OPP: 3-3 @CAR (8), 3-2 @OPP (12)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
SAT, 6/16, 4:05 PM, GM1: Carolina LHP Cam Roegner (6-3, 1.64) at Myrtle Beach RHP Erick Leal (0-0, 0.00)
SAT, 6/16, TBD, GM2: Carolina RHP Alec Bettinger (-.--) at Myrtle Beach RHP Casey Bloomquist (1-0, 2.06)
SUN, 6/17, 6:05 PM: Carolina RHP Conor Harber (1-3, 2.54) at Myrtle Beach LHP Bryan Hudson (4-5, 5.80)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue an eight game road trip tonight with a doubleheader and games three and four of a five game series versus the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach. Carolina lost its most recent series at Buies Creek (1-2), has won back-to-back games since versus the Pelicans and is now 3-2 in the current road trip.
ICYMI: Victor Diaz turned in his first quality start of the season, Tucker Neuhaus and Weston Wilson had back-to-back RBI doubles in the third and Dallas Carroll hit a solo home run in the fifth as the Mudcats defeated the Pelicans 4-2 on Friday night in Myrtle Beach.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Nattino Diplan earned his second save of the season after working through 2.0 scoreless frames in last night's 4-2 victory in Myrtle Beach. The save was Carolina's second straight at Luke Barker finished out Thursday's series opener out of the Carolina bullpen. The consecutive saves effort from Diplan and Barker marks the first time this season that the Carolina bullpen has earned saves in back-to-back games. Additionally, Barker's save on Thursday was Carolina's first since Barker earned a save on May 21 versus Down East.
STARTING OFF: Carolina League All-Star LHP Cam Roegner has the start the start in game one of today's doubleheader versus the Pelicans. Roegner is currently 6-3 with a CL leading 1.64 ERA over 12 starts this season. He has also totaled 51 strikeouts, 17 walks and a .231 average against over 71.1 innings pitched with the Mudcats this year. Roegner last pitched on June 10 versus Winston-Salem where he pitched through a career high 8.0 (scoreless) innings while also totaling a career best eight strikeouts... Recently promoted RHP Alec Bettinger will start for Carolina in game two of today's twin-bill. Bettinger went 5-4 with a 3.73 ERA over 12 games and 11 starts with Low-A Wisconsin before moving up to Carolina today. He also totaled 50 strikeouts, 17 walks and a .250 average against in 62.2 innings with the Timber Rattlers before the transfer.
WHERE THEY RANK: LHP Cam Roegner is currently 1st in the Carolina League in earned run average (1.64), 4th in WHIP (1.07), 3rd in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (9.97) and 3rd in innings pitched (71.1)… SS Luis Aviles Jr. Jr. is currently 3rd in the CL in stolen bases (15)… INF Ronnie Gideon (85) and INF/OF Tucker Neuhaus (81) and 1st and 2nd in the CL lead in most strikeouts… RHP Luke Barker is tied for 2nd in the CL in games (21) and 2nd among relievers in both average against (.165) and fewest baserunners/9ip (7.64).
ON THE LISTS: The Mudcats roster currently features several of the Brewers top 30 prospects as ranked by Baseball America; including RHP Phil Bickford (No. 17), C Mario Feliciano (No. 20), RHP Marcos Diplan (No. 20) and LHP Nathan Kirby (No. 27)... Marcos Diplan and Mario Feliciano are also currently rated as the No. 11 and No. 14 prospects in the Brewers system by MLBPipeline.com.
STINGY MAY: Carolina pitchers combined to pitch to a Carolina League best 2.65 ERA in May (258.1 IP, 105 BB, 255 SO, .225 AVG). They also went 16-13 in May, while the offense totaled 20 home runs, 4.48 runs/game and a .245 average (.702 OPS).
JUNE GLOOM: Carolina is collectively batting a Carolina League worst .195 in June. They also own a -7 run differential and have averaged just 3.78 runs per game since June 1 and since Keston Hiura was promoted to Double-A.
GOT HEEEM: Max McDowell leads MiLB catchers in most caught steals (34) and is 2nd in caught stealing/stolen base efficiency (.557) for catchers with at least 30 attempts against in all of MiLB… McDowell also leads all MiLB catcher in most assists (60)... McDowell totaled 18 CS (.450) during his first season with the AZL Brewers in 2015, 54 CS (.443) in 2016 with Wisconsin and 31 CS (.556) last season with Carolina.
MUDDIES ON THE POND: Carolina is batting a CL low .238 (.678 OPS) with runners on base. The Mudcats are also 9th in the CL when batting with runners in scoring position (.244, .717 OPS) and last in the CL when batting with RISP/2-outs (.223, .684 OPS) this season.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 144 more strikeouts than hits (655 SO, 511 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently the 2nd 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 STARS: The Mudcats placed four players on the 2018 Carolina League Southern Division All-Star team, including CL earned run average leader LHP Cam Roegner, starter RHP Marcos Diplan, INF Tucker Neuhaus and MiLB caught steals leader C Max McDowell.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Stranded the 3rd most base runners in the CL (482).
... Averaged the 4th fewest runs per game in the CL (4.10).
... Totaled the 3rd fewest runs (275) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 2nd fewest runs (260) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (26.4%).
... Converted 52% of save opp. (15 SV, 29 SVO); 10th in CL.
... Totaled a CL leading 40 caught steals (.440 - 2nd in CL).
... 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).