April 8 - Mudcats Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at POTOMAC NATIONALS (WASHINGTON NATIONALS)
Monday, April 8, 2019 | 7:05 PM | Game 5, Away Game 5 | Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium | Woodbridge, VA
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App
STREAMING VIDEO: N/A
Overall Record: CAR: 2-2; POT: 3-1
Streaks: CAR: L1; POT: W3
Last 10 Games: CAR: 2-2, POT: 3-1
Home Record: CAR: 0-0; POT: 3-1
Road Record: CAR: 2-2; POT: 0-0
Division Record: CAR: 2-2; POT: 0-0
Current Series: First game (of 3)
Season Series: First game (of 14)
CAR v. OPP: 0-0 @CAR (7), 0-0 @OPP (7)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TONIGHT, 4/8 at Potomac, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Christian Taugner (0-0, -.--) at Potomac RHP Malvin Pena (0-0, -.--)
TUE, 4/9 at Potomac, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Bowden Francis (0-0, 4.50) at Potomac RHP Luis Reyes (0-0, -.--)
WED, 4/10 at Potomac, 7:05 PM: RHP Nelson Hernandez (1-0, 1.80) at Potomac RHP Kyle Johnston (0-1, 15.43)
TONIGHT: After going 2-2 and splitting their season opening four game series at Down East, the Mudcats now open a three game series tonight versus the Potomac Nationals at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium at Woodbridge, VA. Tonight's game the first of three between the two teams and the first of 14 overall this season. Tonight's game is also the fifth of Carolina's season opening seven game road trip.
ICYMI: Carolina's starter Dylan File retired nine straight and had six strikeouts over the first three innings on Sunday, but ended up allowing four runs and four hits in the fourth while taking the loss as the Wood Ducks defeated the Mudcats 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at Grainger Stadium. Carolina's only run of the game came in the ninth on a home run by Rob Henry. The loss dropped the Mudcats into a 2-2, series split with the Wood Ducks and came after Carolina had won two straight in the series.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Starter Dylan File struck out eight, and relievers Christian Meister and J.T. Hintzen struck out three and two respectively as Mudcats' pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts in yesterday's loss to the Wood Ducks in Kinston. Carolina pitchers have combined to total a Carolina League best 53 strikeouts this season. The Mudcats' pitching staff is currently fourth in all of Minor League Baseball in total strikeouts in 2019; the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Oklahoma City Dodgers lead the minors in staff strikeouts so far this season with 68.
TONIGHT'S STARTER: Christian Taugner gets the start for the Mudcats in tonight's series opener in Potomac versus the Nationals. Taugner finished the 2018 season in the Carolina starting rotation, but began the year with Low-A Wisconsin. While with the Timber Rattlers, Taugner went 7-7 with a 3.49 ERA over 22 starts and 123.2 IP. He also totaled 19 walks and 90 strikeouts while pitching to a 1.25 WHIP with Wisconsin last season. He ranked 10th in Midwest League in ERA (3.49), second in innings (123.2), first in lowest BB% (3.7%) and second in K/BB (4.74) before his transfer to Carolina. Taugner went on to go 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA over five starts with the Mudcats to finish the season (25.2 IP, 7 BB, 19 SO).
AT THE PFITZ: The Mudcats traveled to Potomac once last season and were swept in a three-game series by the Nationals from 7/27 through 7/29... Carolina is just 13-41 all-time when playing the P-Nats at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, VA... The Carolina League's new re-balanced season schedule will have the Mudcats traveling to Potomac twice overall in 2019, including the current series in Carolina's season opening road trip and a second half opening four game series 6/20 through 6/23. The P-Nats will additionally travel to Five County Stadium to play the Mudcats in Zebulon once in the first half (April 26-April 28) and once in the second half (June 27-June 30).
FIRST: Relievers Matt Smith and Chris Dula both appeared in an affiliated MiLB game for the first time since the 2016 season after pitching for the Mudcats on April 4 and April 5 respectively... Smith missed the last two seasons due to injury and had last pitched for a Brewers affiliate in 2016 after pitching for the AZL Brewers, Helena and Wisconsin in his first professional season. Smith most recently pitched, however, with the Road Warriors of the Atlantic League in 2018... Dula pitched for the Utica Unicorns of the United Shore Professional Baseball League in 2017 and 2018. He also pitched with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League and the Frontier League's Gateway Grizzlies in 2017. He had last pitched for an affiliated team in 2016 when he split time between High Desert, Spokane and Hickory in the Rangers' system.
HOW THEY'RE BUILT: The Mudcats open the 2019 season with 11 returning players from last season... The 2019 squad features three of the Brewers' Top 30 prospects (as rated by MLBPipeline.com) including OF Tristen Lutz (No. 5), C Payton Henry (No. 10) and C Mario Feliciano (No. 22). 
BIG LEAGUE CAMP:Devin Hairston played in 13 MLB Spring Training games for the Brewers in 2019 (2-for-8, 3 R, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 6 SO). Hairston also traveled with Milwaukee to Montreal for an exhibition game versus Toronto on 3/25 and scored a run... Tristen Lutz played in 17 MLB Spring Training games (1-for-18, 4 R, 3 BB, 10 SO)... Rodrigo Benoit appeared in five MLB Spring Training games (5 G, 3.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 4 SO)... Matt Hardy appeared in one MLB Spring Training game and earned a victory on 3/24 vs. ARI (1-0, 0.2 IP, 1 BB)... Additional MLB Spring Training appearances: Mario Feliciano (2 G, 0-for-4, R, RBI, BB, SO), Payton Henry (11 G, 1-for-12, R, 2B, RBI, BB, 3 SO), Ryan Aguilar (1 G, 1 PA, 1 HBP), Julio Garcia (1 G, 0-for-1), Zach Clark (1 G, 0-for-2, 2 SO), Rob Henry (2 G, 0-for-1, SO), Joantgel Segovia (1 G, 1-for-1, R).
PLAYOFF DROUGHT: The Mudcats failed to reach the playoffs again in 2018, stretching their current playoff drought to seven consecutive Carolina League seasons. Carolina has additionally failed to reach the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons overall between their time in the Carolina League (2012-Present) and Southern League (1991-2011). The Mudcats last reached the playoffs in 2008 when they lost to the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League Championship Series… Current post-season droughts in MiLB (full-season teams): Buffalo (AAA)/Delmarva: 13 seasons, New Orleans (AAA): 11 seasons, Iowa (AAA): 10 seasons, Hartford (AA): 9 seasons, Louisville (AAA): 8 seasons.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... played in Zebulon, NC since 1991 (29th season).
... played in the Carolina League since 2012 (8th season).
... been an affiliate of the Brewers since 2017 (3rd season).
... operated under the ownership of the Brewers since Oct. '17.
... not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.