July 3: Mudcats at Pelicans Game Notes

DOWNLOAD / VIEW THE FULL GAME NOTES PACKET
CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (CHICAGO CUBS)
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 | 7:05 PM | Game 83, Away Game 41 | TicketReturn.com Field | Myrtle Beach, SC
RADIO: WDWG 98.5 FM, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO:carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 45-37; MB: 28-52
Streaks: CAR: L3; MB: W2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 4-6, MB: 7-3
Home Record: CAR: 23-19; MB: 15-27
Road Record: CAR: 22-18; MB: 13-25
Division Record: CAR: 19-21; MB: 15-30
Current Series: MB leads 2-0 (of 3)
Season Series: CAR leads 5-3 (of 15)
CAR v. OPP: 3-0 @CAR (6), 2-3 @OPP (9)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS...
WED, 7/3 at MB, 7:05 PM: Carolina RHP Noah Zavolas (4-3, 3.07) at Myrtle Beach RHP Erich Uelmen (2-2, 4.05)
THU, 7/4 vs. FRE, 7:00 PM: Frederick RHP David Lebron (2-3, 3.88) at Carolina RHP Christian Taugner (3-5, 5.84)
FRI, 7/5 vs. FRE, 7:00 PM: Frederick TBA at Carolina RHP Matt Smith (2-7, 3.84)
TONIGHT: Mired in a three game losing streak, the Mudcats conclude a brief three game road trip tonight with the finale of a three game series versus the Pelicans at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach. Tonight's game is the finale game of three in the series and ninth of 15 total meetings between the two teams this season. It is also the third of nine second half meetings between the two Southern Division rivals. 
ICYMI: Carolina's offense was stifled again as the Pelicans pitched their way to a series clinching 1-0 victory versus the Mudcats on Tuesday night at TicketReturn.Com Field in Myrtle Beach. The loss was Carolina's third straight overall and second straight in Myrtle Beach. Nelson Hernandez started for the Mudcats (6-7, 45-37) and ended up taking a tough luck loss after allowing just the one Myrtle Beach run over six quality innings pitched. For the Pelicans, it was starter Ryan Kellogg who earned the win as he worked through five scoreless innings before relievers Enrique De Los Rios and Jesus Camargo followed and combined on four scoreless innings to finish the shutout victory.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Mudcats were shutout for the fourth time this season with last night's 1-0 loss to the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach. The blanking also dropped Carolina to 5-4 in shutouts this season. It was also their first shutout loss since 5/19 in Fayetteville.
TONIGHT'S CAROLINA MUDCATS STARTING PITCHER...
Noah Zavolas: 4-3, 3.07 ERA, 15 GS, 91.0 IP, 13 BB, 67 SO, 1.18 WHIP
Last start, 6/28 vs. POT: ND, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 96 pitches
Is 1-0 with 1.20 ERA in 2 GS vs. MB (15.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 SO)
CL Ranks: 3rd in ERA (3.07), 2nd in BB/9 (1.29) & 2nd in K/BB (5.15).
POWER OUTAGE: The Mudcats have totaled just six home runs over their last 22 games while going 11-11 over that span and since 6/8. Carolina has additionally averaged 3.7 runs/game over those same 22 games and 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.
GIDP GROWTH: The Mudcats have hit into 12 double plays over their last nine games, 16 in their last 13 games and a CL high 33 GIDPs last month... The Mudcats lead the CL in most GIDPs this season having hit into 66 double plays in 2019... Payton Henry leads the CL with 13 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 (54), 3rd in slugging (.451), tied for 5th in extra-base hits (27) and 2nd in total bases (130)... Ryan Aguilar is currently 9th in the CL in batting (.278), 4th in OBP (.402), 6th in OPS (.794), tied for 9th in hits (76), 2nd in walks (50) and 1st in runs (53)... Payton Henry is tied for 4th in the CL in home runs (9) and 6th in the CL in RBI (45)... Matt Hardy is currently tied for 2nd in the CL in wins (7) and tied for 3rd in the CL in games (25)... Rodrigo Benoit is currently tied for 3rd in the CL in wins (6), tied for 2nd in games (26) and 2nd in the CL in saves (12)... Noah Zavolas is currently 3rd in the CL in ERA (3.07), 2nd in the CL in innings pitched (91.0) and 2nd in WHIP (1.18). Zavolas is also 2nd in the CL in FIP (3.10), 2nd in xFIP (3.30), 2nd in BB/9 (1.29) and 2nd in K/BB (5.15) per Fangraphs.com... Nelson Hernandez is 8th in the CL in average against (.250), 1st in innings (93.2) and 1st in games started (17).
BEANBALLS: The Carolina offense is currently 2nd in professional baseball (MLB & MiLB) with 70 hit-by-pitches this season. The Mudcats also totaled a Carolina League high 24 HBP in June.
JUNE BATS: Carolina went 16-11 in June and finished tied for 2nd in most wins in the CL last month behind Down East (18-8). The Mudcats offense also finished June ranked 1st in the CL in runs (124), 3rd in team average (.257), 3rd in home runs (18), 1st in OBP (.343), 4th in SLG (.384) and 2nd in OPS (.728). Carolina's offense averaged 9.07 SO per game in June; down from 10.81 SO/G in April and 11.37 SO/G in May.
ALL THE Ks: Carolina batters have combined to total a Carolina League high 852 (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 1,444 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.
AG DEPARTMENT: Ryan Aguilar has hit safely in five straight games (.450/.476/.550, 1.026 OPS, 9-for-20, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and is batting .400/.447/.600 with a 1.047 OPS over his last nine games (14-for-35, 6 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 10 SO)... Aguilar started in center field for the second straight game on 7/1 in Myrtle Beach and has made six starts in center this season. Aguilar has, however, been Carolina's primary first baseman this season and leads CL first baseman in fielding this year (72 G, .995 PCT, 3 E). Aguilar started in center 55 times last season (.993 PCT, 6 A, 1 E).
TALE OF TWO HALVES: Mario Feliciano began the first half of June batting .429/.489/.905 with a 1.394 OPS (18-for-42, 3 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 13 RBI) over 12 games between 6/1 and 6/12. He then finished the month hitting just .151/.182/.151 with a .333 OPS (8-for-53, 3 R, 0 XBH, 6 RBI, 17 SO) over the final 13 games last month between 6/13 and 6/30.
TRENDING: Payton Henry has hit safely in 13 of his last 17 games while batting .286/.343/.444 with a .787 OPS since 6/13 (18-for-63, 4 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 5 RBI)... Rob Henry is batting .318/.438/.379 with a .816 OPS over 19 games in June (21-for-66, 14 R, 4 2B, 9 RBI, 12 BB)... Michael Petersen is 0-0 with a 0.87 ERA over his last nine appearances (10.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 BB, 17 SO, 14.8 SO/9)... Rodrigo Benoit is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 3 SV since 6/13 (5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 8.4 SO/9).
BACK STOP SPLITS: Payton Henry and Mario Feliciano have split catching duties this season with Henry totaling 42 games behind the plate and Feliciano catching 39 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.... The Carolina pitching staff is 26-16 and has totaled a 3.46 ERA (3.0 BB/9, 9.0 SO/9) in games caught by Henry... Carolina's pitchers are 18-21 with a 4.47 ERA (3.2 BB/9, 8.0 SO/9) in games caught by Feliciano. 
THE SKIPPER: Manager Joe Ayrault became the winningest manager in Carolina Mudcats team history after collecting his 177th victory as skipper in Carolina on 6/15/19 vs. Winston-Salem. Ayrault is in his 3rd season as Manager of the Mudcats and his 8th season overall as Manager of Milwaukee's High-A affiliate...
MANAGER W L PCT G SEASONS
Joe Ayrault 183 175 .511 358 2017-Present (3)
David Bell 176 239 .424 415 2009-11 (3)
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. 2017.
... not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.