July 9: Mudcats vs. Hillcats Game Notes

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LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (CLEVELAND INDIANS) at CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS)
Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | 12:00 PM | Game 89, Home Game 48 | Five County Stadium (6,500) | Zebulon, NC
RADIO: WZAX 99.3 FM
STREAMING AUDIO:carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 50-38; LYN: 43-41
Streaks: CAR: W5; LYN: L2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, LYN: 7-3
Home Record: CAR: 28-19; LYN: 19-25
Road Record: CAR: 22-19; LYN: 24-16
Division Record: CAR: 19-22; LYN: 15-18
Current Series: CAR leads 2-0 (of 3)
Season Series: CAR leads 6-4 (of 17)
CAR v. OPP: 4-2 @CAR (10), 2-2 @OPP (7)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS...
TUE, 7/9 vs. LYN, 12:00 PM: Lynchburg LHP Juan Hillman (3-8, 3.21) at Carolina RHP Matt Hardy (7-1, 4.12)
WED, 7/10 at FRE, 7:00 PM: Carolina LHP Gio Gonzalez (MLB Rehab) at Frederick TBA
THU, 7/11 at FRE, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Matt Smith (3-7, 3.56) at Frederick TBA
TODAY: Winners of a season high five straight games, the Mudcats conclude a six game home stand today with the finale of a three game series versus the Northern Division's Lynchburg Hillcats at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. Today's game is the final game of the three game series and 11th of 17 total meetings between the two teams this season. It is also the third of nine second half meetings between the two teams. Carolina clinched a series victory after taking a 2-0 lead with last night's victory and is now 6-4 versus the Hillcats this season.
ICYMI: Mario Feliciano went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBI, Wes Rogers scored four runs while going 2-for-3, Ryan Aguilar went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the eighth and Noah Zavolas earned the win as Carolina held on to win its fifth straight game 6-5 on Monday night versus Lynchburg. Carolina led from start to finish the game, but nearly lost a five run lead in the ninth after the Hillcats pulled within one with a four run final frame.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Mudcats won their season best fifth straight game last night. They had previously won a season high four straight between 4/9-4/11 & 4/27-4/30... Carolina scored a run in the first inning in last night's victory and have now scored at least one run in the opening frame in five straight games. Carolina has also combined to score 11 runs in the first inning over their last five games... Wes Rogers set a new career with four runs scored while leading off for the Mudcats in last night's victory. Rogers has scored at least one run in the first inning in four of Carolina's last five games.
AG DEPARTMENT: Ryan Aguilar has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and is batting .436/.522/.667 with a 1.188 OPS over his last 11 games (17-for-39, 10 R, 6 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 7 BB, 11 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... Aguilar started in center field for the seventh time this season in game one of a doubleheader on 7/5 vs. FRE. He has, however, been Carolina's primary first baseman this season and leads CL first baseman in fielding this year (77 G, .994 PCT, 4 E). Aguilar started in center 55 times last season (.993 PCT, 6 A, 1 E).
POWER OUTAGE: The Mudcats have totaled just eight home runs over their last 28 games while going 16-12 over that span and since 6/8. Carolina has additionally averaged 4.21 runs/game over those same 28 games (since 6/8). Before 6/8, the Mudcats totaled 54 home runs over their first 60 games and had averaged 4.63 runs/game in that same span.
WELCOME ABOARD: 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. Each of Milwaukee's last six first round selections have played with Carolina since the 2017 season (Player/Draft: Turang/2018, Keston Hiura/2017, Corey Ray/2016, Trent Grisham/2015, Kodi Medeiros/2014, Clint Coulter/2013).
BY SWEEPS: Carolina is 4-3 in sweeps this season after finishing off a three game sweep against the Keys earlier in the current home stand. The sweep was Carolina's third at home this season; it was also their second home sweep of the season versus Frederick as Carolina finished the year a perfect 6-0 against the Keys in Zebulon.
BEANBALLS: The Carolina offense is currently 2nd in professional baseball (MLB & MiLB) with 71 hit-by-pitches this season. The Mudcats also totaled a Carolina League high 24 HBP in June.
GIDP GROWTH: The Mudcats have hit into 16 double plays over their last 15 games, 20 in their last 19 games and a CL high 35 GIDPs last month... The Mudcats lead the CL in most GIDPs this season having hit into 70 double plays in 2019... Payton Henry leads the CL with 14 GIDPs overall (eight in June). Devin Hairston totaled seven GIDPs last month.
WHERE THEY RANK: Mario Feliciano is currently 1st in the CL in home runs (14), 2nd in RBI (62), 1st in slugging (.468), 7th in OPS (.786), tied for 8th in hits (84), tied for 2nd in extra-base hits (32) and 2nd in total bases (146)... Ryan Aguilar is currently 8th in the CL in average (.288), 2nd in OPS (.831), 3rd in OBP (.413) 10th in SLG (.418), tied for 8th in hits (84), 2nd in walks (56), tied for 4th in doubles (20) and 1st in runs (61)... Payton Henry is tied for 7th in the CL in home runs (9) and tied for 6th in the CL in RBI (47)... Matt Hardy is currently 3rd in the CL in wins (7) and tied for 6th in games (26)... Rodrigo Benoit is currently tied for 4th in the CL in wins (6), 2nd in games (28) and 2nd in the CL in saves (12)... Noah Zavolas is currently 2nd in the CL in ERA (2.87), 3rd in the CL in innings pitched (103.1) and 2nd in WHIP (1.16). Zavolas is also 2nd in the CL in FIP (3.08), 2nd in xFIP (3.35), 1st in BB/9 (1.48) and 1st in K/BB (4.47) per Fangraphs.com... Nelson Hernandez is tied for 7th in the CL in WHIP (1.30) and 2nd in innings (98.2).
ALL THE Ks: Carolina batters have combined to total a Carolina League high 903 (4th most in MiLB) strikeouts this season. 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.
LIGHTS OUT: Carolina's starting rotation is 8-5 with a 2.62 ERA over their last 16 starts (92.2 IP, 25 BB, 71 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 44 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 27-17 and has totaled a 3.49 ERA (3.0 BB/9, 9.0 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. 
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.