June 15 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (CHICAGO CUBS)
Friday, June 15, 2018 | 7:05 PM | Game 67, Away Game 33 | 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: 31-35; MB: 33-32
Streaks: CAR: W1; MB: L3
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, MB: 7-3
Home Record: CAR: 19-15; MB: 19-12
Road Record: CAR: 12-20; MB: 14-20
Division Record: CAR: 22-31; MB: 21-21
Current Series: CAR leads 1-0 (of 5)
Season Series: Tied 5-5 (of 20)
CAR v. OPP: 3-3 @CAR (8), 2-2 @OPP (12)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
FRI, 6/15, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Victor Diaz (2-4, 4.61) at Myrtle Beach RHP Tyson Miller (6-4, 3.38)
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 TBD at Myrtle Beach RHP Casey Bloomquist (1-0, 2.06)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue an eight game road trip tonight with game two of a five game series versus the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at TicketReturn.com Field. Carolina lost its most recent series at Buies Creek (1-2) and, after last night's victory, is now 2-2 in the current road trip.
ICYMI: Mario Feliciano broke up a perfect game with a one-out single in the eighth and sparked a four run and five hit frame as the Mudcats rallied late for a 4-1 victory versus the Pelicans at TicketReturn.com Field on Thursday night.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Keegan Thompson started for the Pelicans last night and pitched through 7.0 perfect innings before leaving the game before the eighth. Carolina then totaled five hits and four runs in the eighth against reliever Tyler Peyton while coming back to win last night's game 4-1. The Mudcats were also held without a hit through the sixth by starting pitcher Cristian Javier (6.0 IP, 0 H) of the Astros the night prior on June 13. Starter Brandon Bailey (5.1 IP, 2 H), meanwhile, no-hit Carolina through the fifth in game two (7-inning game) on June 12 at Buies Creek.
STARTING OFF: RHP Victor Diaz gets the start for the Mudcats tonight and enters at 2-4 with a 4.61 ERA over 12 games and one start this season. Diaz has also totaled 48 strikeouts, 25 walks and a .275 average against over 56.2 innings this season. He made his first start of the season his last time out on June 9 versus Winston-Salem and ended up taking the loss (his third straight overall) after allowing five runs on nine hits over 4.2 innings pitched. Three of those five runs where allowed in the first when he gave up a 3-run home run to Winston-Salem's Micker Adolfo. 
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 .194 in June. They also own a -9 run differential and have averaged just 3.77 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 (33) and is 2nd in caught stealing/stolen base efficiency (.559) for catchers with at least 30 attempts against in all of MiLB… McDowell also leads all MiLB catcher in most assists (59)... 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 .237 (.674 OPS) with runners on base. The Mudcats are also 9th in the CL when batting with runners in scoring position (.242, .712 OPS) and last in the CL when batting with RISP/2-outs (.216, .668 OPS) this season.
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 140 more strikeouts than hits (644 SO, 504 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 2nd most base runners in the CL (479).
... Averaged the 3rd fewest runs per game in the CL (4.11).
... Totaled the 3rd fewest runs (271) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 2nd fewest runs (258) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (26.4%).
... Converted 50% of save opp. (14 SV, 28 SVO); 10th in CL.
... Totaled a CL leading 39 caught steals (.438 - 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).