July 12: Mudcats at Keys Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at FREDERICK KEYS (BALTIMORE ORIOLES)
Friday, July 12, 2019 | 5:00 PM/TBD | Doubleheader | Game 91/92, Away Game 43/44 | Nymeo Field (5,400) | Frederick, MD
RADIO: WDWG, 98.5 FM (Game 2)
STREAMING AUDIO:carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: N/A
Overall Record: CAR: 51-39; FRE: 35-55
Streaks: CAR: L1; FRE: W1
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, FRE: 1-9
Home Record: CAR: 29-19; FRE: 22-21
Road Record: CAR: 22-20; FRE: 13-34
Division Record: CAR: 19-22; FRE: 24-27
Current Series: FRE leads 1-0 (of 3)
Season Series: CAR leads 8-2 (of 12)
CAR v. OPP: 6-0 @CAR (6), 2-2 @OPP (6)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS...
FRI, 7/12 at FRE, 5:00 PM: Carolina LHP Aaron Ashby (2-2, 2.32) at Frederick TBA
FRI, 7/12 at FRE, TBD: Carolina RHP Matt Smith (3-7, 3.56) at Frederick RHP Blaine Knight (0-6, 6.39) 
SAT, 7/13 at WIL, 6:05 PM: Carolina RHP Nelson Hernandez (9-6, 4.65) at Wilmington TBA
TONIGHT: After snapping a season best six game win streak two nights ago, the Mudcats continue a six game road trip tonight with a doubleheader and games two and three of a three game series versus the Northern Division's Frederick Keys at Nymeo Field in Frederick, MD. Tonight's twin bill accounts for the final two games of the series and final two games this season between the two teams. Carolina is down 0-1 in the current series, but leads 8-2 in the overall season series between the two teams.
ICYMI: Last night's game between the Mudcats and Keys at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, MD was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tonight with two seven-inning games beginning at 5:00 p.m. in Frederick.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Wednesday's series opening loss in Frederick snapped Carolina's season high six game winning streak. It was also Carolina's second loss when leading after the seventh (42-2), their first when tied after the eighth (9-1) and first when playing in extra-innings this season (5-1)... Pat McInerney's 3-run homer in the fourth on Wednesday night was his second such home run in as many games as he also hit a 3-run big fly on 7/9 vs. LYN.
TONIGHT'S STARTING PITCHERS...
GM:1 - Aaron Ashby (CAR): 2-2, 2.32 ERA, 5 GS, 31.0 IP, 15 BB, 26 SO, 1.03 WHIP
Last start, 7/6 vs. FRE: W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO, 95 pitches
Rated as No. 9 prospect in Brewers farm system per MLBpipeline.com
GM:2 - Matt Smith (CAR): 3-7, 3.56 ERA, 18 G, 12 GS, 68.1 IP, 20 BB, 52 SO
Last start, 7/5 vs. FRE: W, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 72 pitches (50 strikes)
Is 2-0 with 0.00 ERA over 3 GS vs. FRE (14.2 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO)
WHERE THEY RANK: Mario Feliciano is currently 1st in the CL in home runs (14), 2nd in RBI (63), tied for 1st in slugging (.462), 8th in OPS (.782), 9th in hits (85), tied for 2nd in extra-base hits (32) and 2nd in total bases (147)... Ryan Aguilar is currently 8th in the CL in average (.290), 2nd in OPS (.833), 3rd in OBP (.416), 8th in hits (87), 2nd in walks (57), tied for 6th in doubles (20) and 1st in runs (63)... Payton Henry is tied for 3rd in the CL in home runs (10) and 5th in RBI (51)... Matt Hardy is currently 5th in the CL in wins (7) and tied for 5th in games (27)... Rodrigo Benoit is currently tied for 6th in the CL in wins (6), tied for 2nd in games (29) and 2nd in the CL in saves (12)... Noah Zavolas is currently 2nd in the CL in ERA (2.87), 1st in innings pitched (103.1) and 2nd in WHIP (1.17). Zavolas is also 1st in the CL in FIP (3.08), 2nd in xFIP (3.34), 1st in BB/9 (1.48) and 1st in K/BB (4.47).
GIDP GROWTH: The Mudcats have hit into 18 double plays over their last 17 games, 22 in their last 21 games and hit into a CL high 35 GIDPs in June... The Mudcats lead the CL in most GIDPs this season having hit into 72 double plays in 2019... Payton Henry leads the CL with 15 GIDPs overall (eight in June). Devin Hairston totaled seven GIDPs last month.
LET'S PLAY TWO: The Mudcats will play their second doubleheader of July and their sixth doubleheader overall this season when they face off against the Keys in tonight's series concluding doubleheader. Carolina last played a doubleheader on 7/5 at home were they swept the Keys while improving to 2-2 in twin-bills at home this season. They are also 4-2 in doubleheaders played on the road this season... Frederick is 9-13 and has played a CL high 11 doubleheaders this season... Carolina was 6-4 in doubleheaders last season, 8-8 in 2017; 10-18 in 2016, 8-6 in 2015, 6-8 in 2014, 7-10 in 2013 and 7-10 in 2012. 
KINGS OF THE NORTH: The Mudcats are currently 32-17 versus the Carolina League Northern Division teams this season. They have also gone 14-4 versus Northern Division teams since 6/11 (at FRE).. The Mudcats are just 4-14 vs. Southern Division teams since 5/24 (vs. DE, 3.5 GB before 5/24) and have suffered seven straight losses in games versus Southern Division teams (6/16 vs. WS - 7/3 at MB).
RUNS ON RUNS: The Mudcats are 6-1 over their last seven games and have outscored opponents by 26 runs over that same span... Carolina currently leads the CL in runs scored overall this year (413); up from 6th in the CL in runs on 7/4. 
BEANBALLS: The Carolina offense is currently 2nd in professional baseball (MLB & MiLB) with 74 hit-by-pitches this season. The Mudcats also totaled a Carolina League high 24 HBP in June.
AG DEPARTMENT: Ryan Aguilar has hit safely in seven straight games (.478/.613/.783, 1.396 OPS, 11-for-23, 9 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI) and has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games (.426/.518/.617, 1.135 OPS, 20-for-47, 12 R, 6 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 8 BB, 12 SO). He also reached safely in all five of his AB on 7/6 vs. FRE after going 2-for-2 with 3 R, 3 BB, 2 2B and 3 RBI.
HAIR ON FIRE: Devin Hairston finished a double shy of the cycle on 7/9 vs. LYN after going 3-for-3 with a solo home run, a 2-run triple and a single (attempted a hustle double, but was caught at second). His solo home run came in back-to-back fashion as it followed Pat McInerney (3-run HR) in the third on 7/9 vs. LYN and was his first of the season. Hairston has hit safely in six straight games and is batting .550/.571/.900 with a 1.471 OPS during the streak (11-for-20, 7 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 3 SO).
POWER-UP: Mario Feliciano has hit safely in seven of his last nine games and is batting .353/.410/.529 with a .940 OPS since 7/2 (12-for-34, 4 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 8 SO)... Feliciano is slugging .529 over his last nine games; he had slugged just .203 (12 1B, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR) over 18 games between 6/8 and 6/30 before his recent hot stretch... Feliciano currently leads the CL in home runs (14), but has not hit a home run over his last 28 games (since 6/7 vs. SAL).
YOU RANG: The Brewers promoted SS Brice Turang to the Mudcats on 7/8 from Low-A Wisconsin where he slashed .287/.384/.376 with a .760 OPS, 21 stolen bases and 31 RBI over 82 games with the Timber Rattlers. Turang was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2018 Draft, and at just 19 years old, is currently the youngest player in the Carolina League. Turang is currently rated as the No.2 prospect in the Milwaukee farm system.
LIGHTS OUT: Carolina's starting rotation is 8-5 with a 2.83 ERA over their last 18 starts (98.2 IP, 25 BB, 77 SO) and since Noah Zavolas pitched through a nine inning, complete-game shutout on 6/23 in Potomac (75.1 IP, 19 BB, 62 SO, 1.04 WHIP). The starters have also combined for two complete-game shutouts since 6/23 (Zavolas 6/23 at POT & Taugner 7/5 vs. FRE). Matt Smith has also turned in two 5.0 IP scoreless efforts on 6/30 vs. POT and 7/5 vs. FRE since 6/23.
BACK STOP SPLITS: Payton Henry and Mario Feliciano have split catching duties this season with Henry totaling 46 games behind the plate and Feliciano catching 43 games. Henry, meanwhile, has caught back-to-back games three times this season (4/14 & 4/15, 6/3 & 6/4, 6/26 & 6/27); Feliciano has caught back-to-back games once (6/14 & 6/15) and has caught three straight games once(7/6-7/9).... The Carolina pitching staff is 28-18 and has totaled a 3.47 ERA (2.9 BB/9, 8.9 SO/9) in games caught by Henry... Carolina's pitchers are 22-21 with a 4.35 ERA (3.1 BB/9, 7.9 SO/9) in games caught by Feliciano. 
ALL THE Ks: Carolina batters have combined to total a Carolina League high 914 strikeouts this season (5th most in MiLB). The Mudcats are on pace to set a league and franchise record for strikeouts for the third straight season as they are on pace for over 1,400 strikeouts this season. Carolina batters combined to total a CL and franchise record 1,311 strikeouts last season; breaking the previous CL and franchise record of 1,245 SO set by Carolina in 2017.
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).
... not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.
... operated under the ownership of the Brewers since Oct. 2017.