May 4 - Mudcats at Blue Rocks - Game Notes

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CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at WILMINGTON BLUE ROCKS (KANSAS CITY ROYALS)
Saturday, May 4, 2019 | 6:05 PM | Game 30, Away Game 20 | Frawley Stadium | Wilmington, DE
RADIO: WDWG, 98.5 FM - The Big Dawg 98.5 FM
STREAMING AUDIO:carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: N/A
Overall Record: CAR: 17-12; WIL: 17-12
Streaks: CAR: L1; WIL: W2
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, WIL: 6-4
Home Record: CAR: 5-5; WIL: 7-8
Road Record: CAR: 12-7; WIL: 10-4
Division Record: CAR: 8-6; WIL: 7-4
Current Series: WIL leads 1-0 (of 3)
Season Series: WIL leads 4-1 (of 13)
CAR v. OPP: 1-3 @CAR (7), 0-1 @OPP (6)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
SAT, 5/2 at WIL, 6:05 PM: Carolina RHP Noah Zavolas (1-1, 2.67) at Wilmington RHP Jackson Kowar (1-1, 3.08)
SUN, 5/3 at WIL, 1:35 PM: Carolina RHP Dylan File (1-3, 3.90) at Wilmington LHP Marcelo Martinez (1-0, 3.14)
MON, 5/4: OFF
TONIGHT: The Mudcats continue a seven game road trip tonight with game two of a three game series versus the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, DE. The Blue Rocks won last night's opener 4-3 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Following last night's loss the Mudcats are now just 1-4 versus Wilmington this season having also lost three of four to the Blue Rocks at home between 4/11 and 4/14... Carolina is currently 3-2 through four games in the current road trip having recently won three of four versus the Red Sox in Salem.
ICYMI: Tristen Lutz had a RBI triple in the first, Drew Rasmussen started and struck out three over two and 2/3 scoreless innings and Christian Meister tossed two scoreless frames in relief, but the Blue Rocks scored four in the fourth against reliever Matt Smith while taking game one of a three game series 4-3 in Wilmington on Friday night at Frawley Stadium. Carolina scored first in the game after getting two runs and two hits in the opening inning against Wilmington starter Brady Singer. The Blue Rocks later answered with a four run fourth that ended up being enough as Carolina managed just one other run the rest of the way.
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Carolina's two run first in last night's loss included a RBI triple from Tristen Lutz. The triple was Carolina's first of the season and game in club's 29th game of the season. The Mudcats were the last affiliated Minor League Baseball team to record a triple in 2019 (29th game)... Matt Smith allowed four runs on three hits in the first inning of his relief appearance last night, snapping a streak of 24.0 consecutive innings where the Carolina bullpen had not allowed an earned run...The Carolina bullpen has additionally gone 3-1-3 with a 1.42 ERA and 28 SO against 7 BB since 4/28 (25.1 IP, 15 H, 4 ER, 0.87 WHIP, .169 AVG).
TONIGHT'S CAROLINA MUDCATS STARTER...
Noah Zavolas: 1-1, 2.67 ERA, 5 GS, 27.0 IP, 26 H, 5 BB, 26 SO
- Last outing - 4/29 at SAL: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 77 pitches
- Currently 2nd in the CL in FIP (2.81) and 4th xFIP (3.12).
- Acquired via trade from Seattle Mariners with OF Ben Gamel for OF Domingo Santana on 12/21/18.
AN APRIL TO REMEMBER: Carolina's 16-10 record in April was the club's best since 2008 when the then-Southern League and Florida Marlins affiliated Mudcats opened the year with a record of 17-10. Just three years earlier, the 2005 Marlins affiliated Mudcats opened the season going 18-4 in April. The 2005 and 2008 Mudcats both went on to reach the Southern League playoffs in their respective seasons... Carolina's 25 home runs hit in April were a new franchise high for most home runs hit by a Mudcats team in April since the 2004 squad hit 24 homers in the first month of their season. Historical data unavailable for the '91-'03 seasons.
CLUTCH GENE: Payton Henry is batting .279 (12-for-43) with a .869 OPS and a Carolina League best 15 RBI when batting with two outs in an inning this season... Rob Henry is batting .300 (6-for-20) with a 1.133 OPS and 10 RBI when batting with two outs in an inning this season... Both Henrys have hit three home runs with two outs in an inning and are both currently tied for the CL lead in home runs hit with two outs this season.
ON THE EIGHTS: The Carolina offense is currently 8th in the Carolina League in batting (.221), 8th in slugging (.348), 8th in OPS (.655), 8th in hits (203) and 8th in walks (94) this season.
ALL THAT POWER: The Mudcats enter tonight's game tied with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers for most home runs hit in the Carolina League with 25 so far this season... The Mudcats began the season without a home run over their first three games, and with just five homers over their first 11, but have now totaled 20 homers over their last 17 games.
STREAKING: Ryan Aguilar has reached base safely in a team best 18 straight games (4/14-Present) and is batting .274/.416/.371 with a .787 OPS during the streak (17-for-62, 11 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 12 BB, 3 HBP, 21 SO). 
WHERE THEY RANK: Joantgel Segovia is currently 10th in the CL in on-base (.393), 10th in slugging (.451), tied for 10th in OPS (.844), tied for 10th in hits (31), tied for 7th in runs (18) and tied for 9th in stolen bases (6)... Ryan Aguilar is currently 6th in the CL in OBP (.414), tied for 7th in runs (18) and 2nd in walks (19)... Rob Henry is currently tied for 3rd in the CL in homers (6)... Payton Henry is currently tied for 4th in the CL in homers (5) and tied for 4th in RBI (23)... Matt Hardy and Nelson Hernandez are currently tied for the CL lead in wins (4)... Hardy is also 1st in the CL in games (12)... Hernandez is also 6th in the CL in ERA (3.94), tied for 10th in SO (29) and 5th in WHIP (1.41)... Rodrigo Benoit currently leads the CL in saves (7) and is 2nd in games (11)... Dylan File is currently tied for 6th in the CL in strikeouts (31).
THE SKIPPER: Manager Joe Ayrault is back for his third season as Manager of the Mudcats and his eighth season overall as Manager of Milwaukee's High-A affiliate. Ayrault is currently second on Carolina's all-time managerial wins list and second all-time in games managed in Carolina...
MANAGER W L PCT G SEASONS
David Bell 176 239 .424 415 2009-11 (3)
Joe Ayrault 155 150 .508 305 2017-Present (3)
Ron Gideon 126 151 .455 277 2000-01 (2)
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.