May 15 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEXAS RANGERS)
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 38, Away Game 18 | 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: 18-19; DE: 20-17
Streaks: CAR: W2; DE: L1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, DE: 6-4
Home Record: CAR: 13-8; DE: 11-5
Road Record: CAR: 5-11; DE: 9-12
Division Record: CAR: 11-16; DE: 17-13
Current Series: First game (of 3)
Season Series: DE leads 4-2 (of 23)
CAR v. OPP: 2-1 @CAR (14), 0-3 @OPP (9)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TUE, 5/15, 7:00 PM: Down East RHP Edgar Arredondo (3-1, 3.26) at Carolina RHP Marcos Diplan (1-1, 4.41)
WED: 5/16, 7:00 PM: Down East RHP Jonathan Hernández (3-2, 2.10) at Carolina RHP Trey Supak (2-1, 1.85)
THU, 5/17, 7:00 PM: Down East RHP Michael Matuella (1-3, 8.20) at Carolina LHP Nathan Kirby (0-2, 7.36)
TONIGHT: Following yesterday's off-day, the Mudcats begin a six game road trip tonight with game one of three versus the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. 
ICYMI: Ronnie Gideon hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth, Rob Henry added to the lead with a home run in the seventh and Conor Harber worked through two and 2/3 scoreless frames while earning the win as the Mudcats defeated Wilmington 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Both Ronnie Gideon and Rob Henry hit solo home runs in Sunday's series clinching finale victory versus Wilmington; thus ending a streak of five straight games without a home run for the Carolina offense. The Mudcats have collectively hit just five home runs in May (2nd fewest in the CL), with three of the five hit by Keston Hiura.
VS. DEWD: Tonight's game is the first of a three game series between the Mudcats and Wood Ducks and the 7th of 23 total games between the two teams this season. The Mudcats are currently 2-4 versus Down East, with the Wood Ducks sweeping three straight from the Mudcats in Kinston between April 27 and April 29, and the Mudcats taking two of three at Five County Stadium, May 4 through May 6. Carolina is batting .276 with seven home runs and 5.16 r/g against the Wood Ducks the year. Carolina pitchers have worked to a 6.08 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and .282 average against versus the Wood Ducks this season… Keston Hiura is batting a team best .481/.517/.704 (13-for-27, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) versus Down East this season.
MUDCATS STARTER: RHP Marcos Diplan has the start for the Mudcats in tonight's series opener versus the Wood Ducks in Kinston. Diplan is currently 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA over seven starts this season. He has also totaled 29 strikeouts against 22 walks over 32.2 innings pitched so far this season. Diplan last pitched on May 9 at Buies Creek where he worked through the sixth with just one run allowed on one hit. Diplan pitched to a season high 71 game score and struck out a season best eight over 6.0 innings pitched his last time out. He also walked four while reaching 87 pitches (49 strikes).
OPP STARTER: RHP Edger Arredondo is tonight's scheduled starter for the Wood Ducks. Arredondo enters tonight's start at 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA over six starts this season for the Woodies. He has also totaled 33 strikeouts, just five walks and a .261 average against over 30.1 innings so far this season. Arredondo last pitched on May 8 against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and ended up earning his second straight victory after holding the Pelicans scoreless over 5.2 innings pitched. Arredondo is 2-1 with a 4.96 ERA at home (4 GS, 16.1 IP, 14 SO, 5 BB) and 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA on the road (2 GS, 14.0 IP, 0 BB, 19 SO).
P.O.W: Cam Roegner was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on May 13. Roegner started twice and pitched through 13.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts during the last week of games running from May 7 through May 13. He was also 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and totaled seven strikeouts, three walks, four hits and a 0.51 WHIP over his two starts between May 7 and May 13. Roegner is the third Mudcats player earn player of the week honors this season. Outfielder Ryan Aguilar earned Carolina League Player of the Week award honors for the week of April 16 through April 22. Outfielder/infielder Weston Wilson then won then won the same award the following week, the week of April 23 through April 29.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 73 more strikeouts than hits (370 SO, 297 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently tied for the 4th largest in MiLB. Since 1991, only the 2017 Mudcats and 2007 Mudcats finished a season with more strikeouts than hits. Carolina totaled 164 more strikeouts than hits last season (1,245 SO [franchise record], 1,081 H) and 70 more strikeouts than hits in 2007 (1,219 SO, 1,149 H).
WALK LESS, WIN MORE: The Mudcats matched a season high for walks in a game after walking 11 on May 1 in Myrtle Beach. Since May 2, Carolina's pitching staff has combined to average just 2.8 BB/9 and a 2.80 ERA (last 12 games). The Mudcats are additionally 7-5 in that span.
WHERE THEY RANK: Cam Roegner leads the Carolina League lowest earned run average (0.89). Roegner is also 1st the CL in LOB% (94.2%), 2nd in GB% (57.4%) and 3rd in innings pitched (40.1)… Trey Supak (1.85) is 2nd in the CL in lowest earned run average. Supak is also 3rd in WHIP (1.03), 4th in average against (.209) and 3rd in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (9.92)…  Luis Aviles Jr. Jr. is tied for 2nd in the CL in stolen bases (12)... Tucker Neuhaus is 3rd in most strikeouts (47).
GOT HEEEM: Max McDowell leads MiLB catchers in most caught steals (22) and is 3rd in caught stealing/stolen base efficiency (.550) for catchers with at least 20 attempts against... McDowell caught four base runners attempting to steal and picked off another at first on Opening Night, 4/5 vs. Winston-Salem. He and the Mudcats also allowed six stolen bases on 4/19 vs. BC.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Stranded the 4th most base runners in the CL (287).
... Averaged the fewest runs per game in the CL (3.97).
... Totaled the fewest runs (147) this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (27.0%).
... Totaled a CL leading 25 caught steals (.417 - CL best).
... 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).