July 4 - Mudcats Game Notes

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FREDERICK KEYS (BALTIMORE ORIOLES) at CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS)
Wednesday, July 4, 2018 | 7:00 PM | Game 83, Home Game 39 | at Five County Stadium | Zebulon, NC
RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO: www.carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 41-41; FRE: 38-44
Streaks: CAR: W2; FRE: L6
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, FRE: 2-8
Home Record: CAR: 22-16; FRE: 22-21
Road Record: CAR: 19-25; FRE: 15-23
Division Record: CAR: 29-36; FRE: 25-31
Current Series: First game (of 5)
Season Series: CAR leads 2-1 (of 11)
CAR v. OPP: 2-1 @CAR (8), 0-0 @OPP (3)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
WED, 7/4, 7:00 PM: Frederick RHP Matthias Dietz (-, -.--) at Carolina RHP Victor Diaz (3-5, 4.38)
THU, 7/5, 7:00 PM: Frederick RHP Lucas Humpal (2-7, 4.11) at Carolina LHP Cam Roegner (7-4, 2.05)
FRI, 7/6, 7:00 PM: Frederick LHP Zac Lowther (3-1, 1.67) at Carolina RHP Devin Williams (0-2, 4.63)
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a seven game home stand tonight with game one of a five game series with the Frederick Keys at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. Tonight's game is the 4th of 11 total meetings between the two teams this season. Carolina won two of three games versus the Keys earlier this season in Zebulon (4/9-4/11) and lead the season series 2-1.
ICYMI: Weston Wilson hit a run scoring double with two outs in the first and later crushed a three-run home run with two outs in the third while leading the Mudcats to a 4-2 home win versus the Astros in front of a crowd of 5,678 on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. 
STARTING OFF: RHP Victor Diaz has tonight's July 4th start for the Mudcats. Diaz is currently 3-5 with a 4.38 ERA over 15 games total games (74.0 IP, 36 ER, 9 HR, 31 BB, 63 SO) this season. He is also 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA over four starts (22.0 IP, 12 ER, 8 BB, 19 SO). Diaz last started on June 29 in Salem and turned in his best performance of the season while working through seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. He also scattered two hits, walked one and pitched to an 83 game score while reaching 92 pitches (62 strikes).
STREAKING:Joantgel Segovia has hit safely in 10 straight games (.350/.422/.425, 14-for-40, 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 3 SO); setting a new team high for consecutive games with a hit this season. Segovia also hit safely in 14 straight games earlier this season while with Wisconsin between April 24 and May 11 (.444 AVG, .478 OBP, 28 H, 6 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 8 RBI, 3 BB).
WHERE THEY RANK: LHP Cam Roegner is currently 2nd in the Carolina League in earned run average (2.05), 2nd innings pitched (87.2), tied for 2nd in wins (7) and 6th in WHIP (1.14)… RHP Braden Webb is currently tied for 4th in the CL in most strikeouts (77), tied for 3rd in walks (43), 5th among CL starters in lowest batting average against (.221) and 4th in highest SO/9ip ratio (9.63)… INF Tucker Neuhaus (104) leads CL hitters in most strikeouts and is tied for 4th in extra-base hits (30)… RHP Luke Barker currently leads the CL in games (28), tied for 1st in games finished (20) and 3rd in saves (10). Barker is also 3rd among CL relievers in lowest batting average (.171), 5th in highest strikeouts/9ip (9.52), 3rd in lowest BB-IBB/9ip ratio (1.99) and 1st in fewest baserunners/9ip ratio (7.52).
MUDDIES ON THE POND: Carolina is currently last in the Carolina League when batting with runners on base (.239 / .675 OPS), 9th when batting with runners in scoring position (.239 / .700 OPS) and last when batting with runners in scoring position with 2-outs in an inning (.219 / .676 OPS).
HITS AND Ks: The Carolina offense has totaled 149 more strikeouts than hits (770 SO, 621 H) so far this season. Carolina's difference in strikeouts over hits is currently the 5th largest in MiLB. Since 1991, only the 2017 and 2007 Mudcats have finished a season with more strikeouts than hits. Carolina totaled 164 more strikeouts than hits in 2017 (1,245 SO [franchise record], 1,081 H) and 70 more strikeouts than hits in 2007 (1,219 SO, 1,149 H).
ALL THE Ks: The Mudcats offense has combined to total a Carolina League high 770 strikeouts this season (on pace for 1,315 SO). The Carolina offense struck out a Carolina League and franchise record 1,245 times last season. The previous league record (per the 2017 CL Media Guide) was 1,198 strikeouts and was set in 1990 by the Lynchburg Hillcats.
LATE LOSSES: Carolina has a league high 10 losses when leading after six innings this season. They have also totaled a league worst seven losses when leading after seven innings.
INTRA-DIV: The Mudcats are currently just 29-36 in games against Southern Division opponents and own the Carolina League's second lowest in division winning percentage (.438) this season. Carolina is, however, currently 12-5 in games versus the Northern Division this season... CAR vs. FRE: 2-1, vs. LYN: 2-1, .vs WIL: 5-2, vs. SAL: 3-1.
JUNE GLOOM: Carolina's offense finished the month of June batting a Carolina League worst .212. They also went 12-14 in June with a -8 run differential while averaging 3.69 runs per game since. (Keston Hiura was promoted to Double-A on 6/1).
ON THE LISTS: The Mudcats roster currently features several of the Brewers top 30 prospects as ranked by Baseball America; including RHP Phil Bickford (No. 17), C Mario Feliciano (No. 20) and LHP Nathan Kirby (No. 27)... Mario Feliciano is also currently rated as the No. 14 prospect in the Brewers system by MLBPipeline.com.
THE MUDCATS HAVE…
... Averaged the 3rd fewest runs per game in the CL (3.98).
... Totaled the 3rd fewest runs (326) in the CL this season.
... Allowed the 2nd fewest runs (311) in the CL this season.
... Totaled the worst K% in the CL this season (25.6%).
... Converted 59% of save opp. (23 SV, 39 SVO); 10th in CL.
... Totaled a CL leading 47 caught steals (.412 - 2nd in CL).
... Averaged the longest 9-inn. game times in the CL; 3:01 (h:mm)
... Not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.
... Not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.
... Been in Zebulon, NC since 1991 (28th season).
... Been in the Carolina League since 2012 (7th season).