June 22 - Mudcats Game Notes

DOWNLOAD the full game notes packet.
CAROLINA MUDCATS (MIL) at POTOMAC NATIONALS (WAS)
Thursday, June 22, 2017 | 7:05 PM
Game 69, Away Game 31
at Pfitzner Stadium (6,000)
RADIO: The Big Dawg 98.5 FM, WDWG 
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: -
Overall Record: CAR: 36-32; POT: 33-27
Streaks: CAR: W1; POT: L2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, POT: 6-4
Home Record: CAR: 21-17; POT: 18-16
Road Record: CAR: 15-15; POT: 15-21
Division Record: CAR: 22-17; POT: 22-31
Current Series: First game (of 4)
Season Series: Tied 2-2 (of 8)
CAR vs. OPP: 2-2 @CAR (4), 0-0 @OPP (4) 

UPCOMING PROBABLES:
THU, 6/22, 7:05: Carolina RHP Jordan Yamamoto (1-0, 2.03) at Potomac LHP Grant Borne (2-2, 1.16)
FRI, 6/23, 7:05: Carolina RHP Trey Supak (1-2, 6.20) at Potomac LHP Hector Silvestre (6-2, 4.34)
SAT, 6/24, 6:35: Carolina RHP Cody Ponce (5-5, 3.67) at Potomac TBD
SUN, 6/25, 2:00: Carolina TBD at Potomac TBD
ICYMI: Brandon Diaz hit a three-run home run in the second, Troy Stokes Jr. led off the third with a solo home run and Weston Wilson had a three-run homer in the sixth while driving in a career high five RBIs as the Mudcats slugged their way to an 11-10 first half finale victory against the Nationals at Five County Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Brandon Diaz, Troy Stokes Jr. and Weston Wilson each hit home runs in last Sunday's first half finale against the visiting P-Nats at Five County Stadium. For Stokes, his solo home run in the third was his team leading 11th of the season. Diaz and Wilson, meanwhile, both tallied their first big flies (both 3-run HRs) of the season during Carolina's last game. It was the second time this season that the Mudcats homered three times in a game. They also hit three home runs in a game on 5/18 vs. Down East.
STARTING OFF: Jordan Yamamoto has the second half opening start for the Mudcats tonight in Potomac. Yamamoto is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA over eight games and five starts this season. He has also struck out 30, walked 12 and hit five batters over 31.0 innings so far in 2017. Yamamoto last pitched on 6/15 vs. Potomac and worked through 4.1 scoreless frames in relief of Kodi Medeiros. He did, however, allow two inherited runners to score while also walking a season high four batters and allowing five hits his last time out.
KING OF THE BIG FLY: Jake Gatewood won the 2017 Carolina League All-Star Classic Hitting Challenge on June 20 at Haley Toyota Field in Salem, Va. Gatewood homered 13 times in both the first and second rounds before winning the All-Star Game Home Run Derby with a final round total of 15 home runs. A 17-year-old Gatewood also won the 2013 Junior Home Run Derby at the Major League Baseball All-Star festivities at Citi Field in New York and the 2013 Baseball Factory Home Run Derby at the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
CLOSING TIME: Nate Griep has successfully converted 12 straight save opportunities and has pitched to a 1.74 ERA during the streak (10.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 8 SO, .206). Griep currently leads the Carolina League and is tied for 4th in MiLB in saves this season (14). Griep has held left-handed hitters to a .071 average (2-for-28) this season and is 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA over nine road appearances (11.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 13 SO).
TWO-OUT RIBEYES: Troy Stokes Jr. has totaled a team high 41 RBIs, with 20 of the 41 RBIs coming in 2-out situations this year. Stokes currently leads the Mudcats with 20, 2-out RBIs this season. Jake Gatewood is 2nd with 16, 2-out RBIs and Lucas Erceg is 3rd on the Mudcats with 14, 2-out RBIs this year.
WALK THIS WAY: Trent Clark has reached base via base on balls 15 times over his last 16 games and is batting .149 with a .359 OBP since 5/31. Clark is currently 2nd in the Carolina League and 7th in MiLB in walks this season (45).
THIEVERY: The Mudcats have totaled a Carolina League high 88 stolen bases this season. They are also tied for 4th most steals in MILB this season. Corey Ray (15 SB, 5 CS) and Luis Aviles (15 SB, 4 CS) lead the Mudcats in steals and are both currently tied for 4th in the league in stolen bases this season. Both Trent Clark (14 SB, 2 CS) and Troy Stokes Jr. (14 SB, 4 CS) are tied for 5th in stolen bases in the CL this year.
DOUBLE DOUBLE: Troy Stokes Jr. finished the first half of the season with a team high 11 home runs and 14 stolen bases. Stokes is the first Mudcats player to collect at least 10 HR and 10 SB before the All-Star break since Chris Heisey totaled 13 HR and 13 SB before the break in 2009. Heisey did not play for the Mudcats after the All-Star break and finished the half hitting .347/.426/.572 with 13 HR and 13 SB. Cameron Maybin also reached the 10/10 club before the break after hitting 12 HR and totaling 17 SB in 2008. Maybin finished his 2008 season with the Mudcats with 13 HR and 21 SB. Jeremy Hermida hit 14 HR and had 19 SB before the break for the Mudcats in 2005 and finished the year with 18 HR and 23 SB. Chad Ambres of the 2004 Mudcats (20 HR/26 SB) is the only 20/20 player in franchise history.
WHERE THEY RANK: Jake Gatewood is currently tied for the Carolina League lead in games (67) and is 5th in the CL in runs (44), tied for 6th in hits (70), 2nd in doubles (22), 4th in XBH (31) and tied for 6th in HR (9)… Isan Diaz is currently tied for 6th in the CL in home runs (9) and tied for 3rd in games (66)… Troy Stokes Jr. is currently tied for 4th in the CL in home runs (11) and tied for 6th in the CL in RBIs (41), 7th in runs (41), tied for 7th in extra-base hits (25), tied for 5th steals (14) and tied for the league led in games (67)… Nate Griep leads the CL in saves (14) and games finished (21)… Cody Ponce is currently 4th in the CL in innings pitched (73.0) and 2nd in lowest BB-IBB/9ip ratio (1.22)… Trent Clark is 2nd in the CL in walks (45) and tied for 5th in steals (14). Clark also leads the league in outfield assists (10).
HEATING UP: Lucas Erceg is batting .378/.423/.556 over his last 13 games (17-for-45, 7 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBI)… Troy Stokes Jr. is batting .360/.467/.800 with a 1.267 OPS over his last seven games (9-for-25, 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 2 SB).
THE HAVES:
- The Mudcats have combined to hit just .229 and are 11-11 since 5/25 (4.1 R/G, -5 DIFF).
- The Mudcats have totaled a league high 88 stolen bases this season.
- The Mudcats have been intentionally walked a Carolina League and MiLB high 14 times this season.
- The Mudcats have hit a Carolina League high 56 batters this season (t2nd most in MiLB).