May 8 - Mudcats vs. Woodpeckers - Game Notes

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FAYETTEVILLE WOODPECKERS (HOUSTON ASTROS) at CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS)
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 | 11:00 AM | Game 32, Home Game 12 | Five County Stadium | Zebulon, NC
RADIO: WZAX, 99.3 FM
STREAMING AUDIO:carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio
STREAMING VIDEO: MiLB.tv
Overall Record: CAR: 18-13; FAY: 15-17
Streaks: CAR: W1; FAY: L4
Last 10 Games: CAR: 6-4, FAY: 2-8
Home Record: CAR: 6-5; FAY: 7-7
Road Record: CAR: 12-8; FAY: 8-10
Division Record: CAR: 9-6; FAY: 6-12
Current Series: CAR leads 1-0 (of 3)
Season Series: CAR leads 5-3 (of 20)
CAR v. OPP: 3-1 @CAR (10), 2-2 @OPP (10)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:
TODAY, 5/8 vs. FAY, 11:00 AM: Fayetteville RHP Shawn Dubin (0-1, 8.22) at Carolina RHP Nelson Hernandez (4-0, 3.94)
THU, 5/9 vs. FAY, 7:00 PM: Fayetteville RHP Enoli Paredes (1-1, 2.70) at Carolina RHP Matt Smith (1-2, 3.68)
FRI, 5/10 vs. MB, 7:00 PM: Myrtle Beach TBA at Carolina RHP Noah Zavolas (1-2, 2.65)
TODAY: Following last night's series opening victory, the Mudcats continue a six game home stand today with game two of a three game series versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC. The Mudcats won last night's game 5-1 and lead the current series 1-0. Carolina is also 5-3 overall versus Fayetteville this season, having won a three game home series (2-1) versus the Woodpeckers from 4/15 through 4/17 and splitting a four game road series (2-2) in Fayetteville (first home games in Segra Stadium history) between 4/18 and 4/21. Today's game is also the 9th of 13 first half games and 20 overall this season between the two teams.
ICYMI: Dylan File struck out six while pitching through another six-inning gem, Devin Hairston went 2-for-4 with a two-run double and Eddie Silva scored twice while going 2-for-3 as the Mudcats picked up a 5-1 series opening victory versus Fayetteville on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium. The Woodpeckers scored first in the game after getting a solo home run from Seth Beer in the first, but Carolina came back with two runs in the second and three more in the sixth while taking a 5-1 lead and eventually winning by that same score in the series opening game.
STREAKING: Ryan Aguilar has reached base safely in a team best 20 straight games (4/14-Present) and is batting .286/.412/.371 with a .783 OPS during the streak (20-for-70, 11 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 12 BB, 3 HBP, 22 SO). 
NIGHTMEN: The Mudcats are 3-4 in day games this season and have combined as a team to hit just .172/.270/.293 with a .564 team OPS in day time starts in 2019. The Carolina pitching staff has also pitched to a 4.66 ERA, a .235 average against and 1.22 WHIP in day games this season... Payton Henry is batting a team best .286 with a .310 OBP, .500 SLG and .810 OPS (8-for-28, 2 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI) in day games this season... Rob Henry is batting .273/.360/.591 with a .951 OPS (6-for-22, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI) in day games... Eddie Silva has a home run in day games this season, but that homer is his only hit in 20 daytime at bats this season (1-for-20, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SO).
LIGHTS OUT: Matt Smith allowed four runs on three hits in the first inning of a relief appearance on 5/3 in Wilmington, snapping a streak of 24.0 consecutive innings where the Carolina bullpen had not allowed an earned run...The Carolina bullpen has additionally gone 2-1-4 with a 1.27 ERA and 30 SO against 9 BB since 4/28 (28.1 IP, 17 H, 4 ER, 0.92 WHIP, .173 AVG).
BACK STOP SPLITS: Payton Henry and Mario Feliciano have split catching duties this season with Henry totaling 16 games behind the plate and Feliciano catching 15 games... The Carolina pitching staff is 8-8 and has totaled a 3.38 ERA (140 SO, 49 BB) in games caught by Henry and 10-5 with a 4.50 ERA (122 SO, 41 BB) in games caught by Feliciano.
ON THE EIGHTS: The Carolina offense is currently 8th in the Carolina League in batting (.222), 8th in slugging (.342), 8th in OPS (.648) and 8th in hits (219) this season.
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. *Some historical data unavailable for the '91-'03 seasons.
WHERE THEY RANK: Ryan Aguilar is currently 7th in the CL in OBP (.411) and 3rd in walks (19)... Rob Henry is currently tied for 3rd in the CL in homers (6)... Payton Henry is currently tied for 5th 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 9th in the CL in ERA (3.94), tied for 8th in average against (.264) and 9th in WHIP (1.41)... Rodrigo Benoit is 2nd the CL in saves (7) and is tied with Hardy for the CL lead in games (12)... Noah Zavolas is currently 4th in the CL in ERA (2.65), 3rd in innings (34.0), tied for 8th in average against (.264) and 6th in WHIP (1.18)... Dylan File is currently 8th in the CL in ERA (3.48), 4th in strikeouts (37) and leads the CL in FIP (2.60) and xFIP (2.68) per fangraphs.com.
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 156 151 .508 307 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.