May 16 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEXAS RANGERS)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 39, Away Game 19 | 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: 18-20; DE: 21-17
Streaks: CAR: L1; DE: W1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 5-5, DE: 7-3
Home Record: CAR: 13-8; DE: 12-5
Road Record: CAR: 5-12; DE: 9-12
Division Record: CAR: 11-17; DE: 18-13
Current Series: DE leads 1-0 (of 3)
Season Series: DE leads 5-2 (of 23)
CAR v. OPP: 2-1 @CAR (14), 0-4 @OPP (9)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
WED: 5/16, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Trey Supak (2-1, 1.85) at Down East RHP Jonathan Hernández (3-2, 2.10)
THU, 5/17, 7:00 PM: Carolina LHP Nathan Kirby (0-2, 7.36) at Down East RHP Michael Matuella (1-3, 8.20)
FRI, 5/18, 6:00 PM: Carolina LHP Cam Roegner (4-1, 0.89) at Buies Creek TBD
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a six game road trip tonight with game two of a three game series versus the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. 
ICYMI: Marcos Diplan struck out six and allowed just two runs over six innings, but Edgar Arredondo of the Wood Ducks pitched through seven scoreless frames while leading Down East to a 2-0 blanking of the Mudcats on Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium. The Mudcats were held to just one infield single over the seven innings pitched by Arredondo and were held to just three hits overall in the loss. 
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Carolina suffered its third shutout loss last night after falling to the Wood Ducks 2-0 in Kinston. Carolina is now 6-3 in shutouts this season. Those six shutout wins are the second most in the CL this season.
VS. DEWD: Tonight's game is the second of a three game series and the 8th of 23 total games between the Mudcats and Wood Ducks this season. The Wood Ducks won last night's game 2-0 and lead the overall season series 5-2. Down East started the season by sweeping three straight from the Mudcats in Kinston between April 27 and April 29, but the Mudcats later took two of three at Five County Stadium between May 4 and May 6. Carolina is batting .255 with seven home runs and 4.4 r/g against the Wood Ducks the year. Carolina pitchers have worked to a 5.58 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and .277 average against versus the Wood Ducks this season… Keston Hiura is batting a team best .467/.515/.667 (14-for-30, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) versus Down East this season. Luis Aviles Jr. Jr. is batting .407/.393/.481 (11-for-27, 5 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) versus the Wood Ducks this season.
MUDCATS STARTER: RHP Trey Supak has the start for the Mudcats tonight in Kinston. Supak is currently 2-1 and has pitched to a 1.85 ERA (the Carolina League's second lowest ERA so far this season) over seven starts and 39.0 innings. Supak has also totaled 33 strikeouts, 12 walks and a .209 average against this year. He last pitched on May 10 against the Blue Rocks and earned his second win of the season after allowed just one run on seven hits over 7.0 innings pitched. He also walked one and struck out four in what was his longest start of the season.
OPP STARTER: RHP Jonathan Hernandez starts for the Wood Ducks tonight in Kinston. Hernandez is currently 3-2 with a 2.10 ERA and has totaled 13 walks, 41 strikeouts and a .179 average against over six starts and 34.1 innings this season. Hernandez last pitched on May 9 at home against the Pelicans and ended up working through 5.0 scoreless frames with two walks and four strikeouts. Hernandez has allowed just eight runs this season; with six of those eight coming off the four home runs he has given up (three solo HRs, one 3-run HR).
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 the same award the following week, April 23 through April 29.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 80 more strikeouts than hits (380 SO, 300 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently tied for the 3rd 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 Carolina pitching staff 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 2.6 BB/9 and a 2.92 ERA (last 13 games). The Mudcats are additionally 7-6 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%), 4th in GB/FB ratio (1.89) and 3rd in innings pitched (40.1)… Trey Supak is 2nd in the CL in lowest earned run average (1.85). Supak is also 4th in WHIP (1.03), 5th in average against (.209) and 3rd in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (9.92)…  Luis Aviles Jr. is tied for 2nd in the CL in stolen bases (12)... Tucker Neuhaus is 2nd in most strikeouts (48).
GOT HEEEM: Max McDowell leads MiLB catchers in most caught steals (23) and is 2nd in caught stealing/stolen base efficiency (.561) 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 also allowed six stolen bases on 4/19 vs. BC.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Stranded the 3rd most base runners in the CL (292).
... Averaged the fewest runs per game in the CL (3.86).
... Totaled the fewest runs (147) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (27.1%).
... Totaled a CL leading 26 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).