Carolina's Record Holders

Even in the earliest days of the club's history, the Mudcats have had a knack for setting records. Some of those marks, including league bests, or record setting attendance or merchandise sales are certainly records to celebrate. Others, meanwhile, have been a bit more on the forgettable side of things.

For example the 1992 team struggled to an overall record of 52-92 and in the process set the Southern League record for most losses in a single season. Those 92 losses remain both a Southern League and franchise record to this day.

In 1992, however, pitcher Mike Zimmerman was one of the first Carolina players to reach the record books as he and reliever Dennis Tafoya combined on the first no-hitter in Carolina Mudcats franchise history on May 8, 1992 (W, 1-0 vs. Chattanooga). Zimmerman also went on to lose a then-Southern League record 12 straight games shortly after the no-hitter that same season.

Zimmerman's record setting streak was later broken the following season by Huntsville's Curtis Shaw in 1993. Shaw lost 13 straight decisions before defeating Tim Wakefield and the Mudcats on July 18, 1993 at Five County Stadium. Over 8,000 were on-hand in Zebulon that day for what was Wakefield's first start back with the Mudcats following his stellar MLB debut season in 1992. Wakefield originally pitched for the Mudcats in 1991 where he went 15-8 with a 2.90 ERA, 51 walks and 120 strikeouts over 26 games, 25 starts and 183.0 innings pitched. Wakefield still owns franchise records for wins (15, tied with Elmer Dessens), innings (183.0) and complete games (8).

<a href="http://www.milb.com/documents/2/8/4/305615284/2019Carolina_Mudcats_Media_Guide.pdf" target="blank" >Refer to pages 189 through 199 of the 2019 Mudcats Media Guide for a deeper look into Carolina's franchise records. The 2020 media guide, with added franchise career records, will be available soon.

The early days also saw Carolina pitcher Bobby Hunter set a then-Southern League record for consecutive scoreless innings after pitching through 42 and 1/3 innings without allowing a run in 1993 (May 20 - September 5). That record, however, has since been broken as former St. Louis Cardinals farmhand and Tennessee Smokies pitcher Brad Thompson pitched through a Southern League record 49.0 consecutive scoreless innings between April 14 and May 19 in 2004.

While those records have since been broken, several other Mudcats do still own Southern League records. One other, meanwhile, has found his way into the Carolina League record books. The following includes records set by the Mudcats across both the Southern and Carolina Leagues since the club's inaugural 1991 season.

Southern League Record:

Lowest ERA: 1.21; Travis Wood, 2009

Travis Wood owns the Southern League record for lowest earned run average in a single season after pitching to a razor thin 1.21 ERA in 2009. The former Mudcat southpaw also led the Southern League in ERA (1.21), WHIP (0.97), average against (.189) and highest SO/9 (7.79) while being named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher that year. Overall, Wood went 9-3 over 19 starts in 2009 and totaled 103 strikeouts against 37 walks over 119.0 innings pitched.

Southern League Record:

Highest OBP: .457; Jeremy Hermida, 2005

Jeremy Hermida set the Southern League record for on-base percentage after reaching base at a staggering .457 clip during the 2005 season. That number of course led the Southern League in 2005 and coincided with a league leading 111 walks. Hermida, the MVP of the 2005 SL All-Star game, slashed .293/.457/.518 with a .975 OPS over 118 games with the Mudcats that season. He also totaled 113 hits, including 29 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs. Hermida additionally owns the Mudcats' franchise record for on-base (.457), walks (111) and is tied for the team record for stolen bases in a game with four on June 19, 2005 in Tennessee.

Southern League Record:

Most Extra-Base Hits, Game: 5; Mike Brown, April 16, 1994

In 1994, Mike Brown set the Southern League record for most-extra base hits in a single game - a record that still stands to this day - with five on April 16, 1994 vs. Birmingham. The 6'7" first baseman went 5-for-5 that day with four doubles, a triple and six RBI. His four doubles in that game are also tied for the most doubles in a single game in Southern League history.

Southern League Record:

Most Hit Batters, Inning: 4; Ricky Cercy, July 28, 2002

In 2002, pitcher Ricky Cercy broke a 26-year-old Southern League record with four hit batters in an inning during a 16-4 loss to Greenville on July 28. He started that frame by committing an error, allowing the first batter of the inning to reach, before then hitting the second batter. After the third hitter of the inning reached on an error and the fourth hit a sacrifice fly, Cercy then plunked three consecutive batters. The four hit batters in one inning broke a Southern League record that was established in 1976. For the game, Cercy did not allow a hit, allowed seven unearned runs, walked and struck out two, threw three wild pitches and hit four batters in just two innings pitched. In all, the Mudcats committed seven errors, threw five wild pitches and allowed 16 runs in the loss.

Southern League Record:

Most Consecutive Strikeouts: 8 (tied); Dan Miceli, May 6, 1996

Reliever Dan Miceli matched a Southern League record with eight consecutive strikeouts in a 3-2 Carolina victory vs. Memphis on May 6, 1996. With the game tied 2-2, Miceli entered in the ninth and got a foul-ball pop up before fanning eight straight Chicks. The Mudcats later won the game in the eleventh on a walkoff single from pinch-hitter Jon Farrell.

Carolina League Record:

Most Home Runs in One Inning: 2 (tied); Joseph Odom, June 6, 2016 at Frederick

Most recently, former Mudcats' catcher Joseph Odom tied a Carolina League record for home runs in a single inning after homering twice in the fourth in an 11-3 Carolina victory in Frederick on June 6, 2016. Odom went 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and five RBI that night against the Keys. He also became the eleventh player in Carolina League history to homer twice in a single inning.

Carolina League Record:

Most strikeouts by a team in a single season: 1,412; Carolina, 2019

Carolina batters combined to total both a Carolina League and franchise record 1,412 strikeouts during the 2019 season; marking the third straight season that the Carolina offense set a Carolina League and franchise record for strikeouts in a season. The 2018 Carolina offense totaled a then-record breaking 1,311 strikeouts, while the 2017 team totaled a then-record 1,245 strikeouts two season ago.