May 17 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEXAS RANGERS)
Thursday, May 17, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 40, Away Game 20 | 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: 18-21; DE: 22-17
Streaks: CAR: L2; DE: W2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, DE: 8-2
Home Record: CAR: 13-8; DE: 13-5
Road Record: CAR: 5-13; DE: 9-12
Division Record: CAR: 11-18; DE: 19-13
Current Series: DE leads 2-0 (of 3)
Season Series: DE leads 6-2 (of 23)
CAR v. OPP: 2-1 @CAR (14), 0-5 @OPP (9)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
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
SAT, 5/19, 5:00 PM: Carolina RHP Braden Webb (1-3, 7.17) at Buies Creek TBD
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a six game road trip tonight with the third and final game of a three game series versus the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. Carolina trails 2-0 in the series and will look to avoid a sweep with a victory tonight. 
ICYMI: Max McDowell had a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth, Tucker Neuhaus hit a game tying home run in the sixth, but the Wood Ducks answered with runs in the seventh and eighth while defeating the Mudcats for the second straight night 4-2 at Grainger Stadium on Wednesday night.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Carolina fell to 0-5 at Grainger Stadium this season after falling to the Wood Ducks 4-2 last night. Carolina is batting just .211 with an average of 3.4 runs per game at Grainger Stadium in Kinston this season. Mudcats pitchers have also pitched to a 5.23 ERA in Kinston this season… Tucker Neuhaus homered for the Mudcats in last night's loss and has now totaled three home runs at Grainger Stadium this season. Overall, the Mudcats have hit seven home runs in Kinston this season.
VS. DEWD: Tonight's game is the series finale of a three game series and the 9th of 23 total games between the Mudcats and Wood Ducks this season. The Wood Ducks won last night's game 4-2 and now lead the series 2-0. They also lead the overall season series 6-2. 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 .245 with eight home runs and 4.13 r/g against the Wood Ducks the year. Carolina pitchers have worked to a 5.32 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and .280 average against versus the Wood Ducks this season… Keston Hiura is batting a team best .412/.459/.588 (14-for-34, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) versus Down East this season. Luis Aviles Jr. Jr. is batting .379/.387/.448 (11-for-29, 5 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) versus the Wood Ducks this season.
MUDCATS STARTER: LHP Nathan Kirby has tonight's series finale start for the Mudcats at Grainger Stadium. Kirby is currently 0-2 and has pitched to a 7.36 ERA with 13 runs (12 earned) allowed over seven starts and 14.2 innings pitched this season. He has also walked 11, struck out 15 and totaled a .246 average against so far this season. Kirby last pitched on May 11 against the Blue Rocks where he ended up allowing three runs (two earned) on a season high five hits over 2.0 innings pitched. He also walked one and struck out three his last time out while reaching a season high 46 pitches (29 strikes).
OPP STARTER: RHP Michael Matuella goes for the Wood Ducks in tonight's series finale and comes in at 1-3 with a 8.20 ERA on the season. Matuella has started six times and in 26.1 innings pitched has totaled 22 strikeouts against 13 walks this season. He has also allowed 37 hits and a .325 average against so far this year. He last pitched on May 10 versus Winston-Salem where he earned his first win after holding the Dash to three runs (two earned) on five hits over 7.2 innings pitched. He also struck out a season high eight and walked two.
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 88 more strikeouts than hits (393 SO, 305 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 and 2007 Mudcats have 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: The Carolina pitching staff matched a season high for walks in a game after walking 11 on May 1 in Myrtle Beach. Since then (May 2), Carolina's pitching staff has combined to average just 2.58 BB/9 and a 2.95 ERA (last 14 games). The Mudcats are additionally 7-7 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 tied for 5th in innings pitched (40.1)… Trey Supak leads the CL in innings (45.0) and is 2nd in lowest earned run average (2.00). Supak is also tied for 3rd in WHIP (1.07), 6th in average against (.214) and 3rd in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (10.20)…  Luis Aviles Jr. is tied for 2nd in the CL in stolen bases (12)... Tucker Neuhaus and Ronnie Gideon are tied for CL lead in most strikeouts (49).
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. McDowell and the Mudcats later allowed six stolen bases on 4/19 vs. Buies Creek.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Stranded the 3rd most base runners in the CL (296).
... Averaged the fewest runs per game in the CL (3.82).
... Totaled the fewest runs (149) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (27.3%).
... Converted 50% of save opp. (11 SV, 22 SVO); 2nd worst in CL.
... Totaled a CL leading 26 caught steals (.426 - 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).