Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
Published on May 12, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (18-15) vs. CAROLINA MUDCATS (13-22)
May 12th, 2013 -- 2:00 PM
Five County Stadium
RHP Greg Ross (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Shawn Morimando (1-4, 3.30)
THE HILLCATS: Beat the Carolina Mudcats 9-8 last night, surviving a bottom of the ninth three-run Mudcats rally...There was a 33-minute rain dealy after all of seven pitches in the top of the first inning...When play resumed the Hillcats took a 1-0 lead...The Mudcats batted around in the bottom of the first and took a 4-1 lead...The game ended up tied 5-5 in the fourth and stayed way until the eighth...The 'Cats added two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings, before stranding the tying and winning Mudcats runs in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth...OF Will Skinner led the Hillcats offense with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored...The 'Cats are now 18-15, jumping back into first place, a half game up on the Frederick Keys and Potomac Nationals in the Northern Division...
VS. CAROLINA: The Hillcats are 2-0 against the Carolina Mudcats this season...The Mudcats are the last team the Hillcats needed to face to complete their circuit of the Carolina League...Carolina currently owns the league-worst record at 13-22...Last year, the Mudcats took the season series 11-9...They won six of the first eight meetings with Lynchburg...
UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE: The Hillcats bullpen nearly committed its first blown save of the season last night but narrowly escaped with a 9-8 win, leaving two runners in scoring position in the ninth...The pen hasn't been as dominant recently, allowing runs in 13 of the last 16 games...The ERA for relievers was at 1.73 going into action April 24, before the 16-game stretch...It's now up to 2.98 after giving up four earned runs in eight innings last night...Still, the Hillcats are the only team in the league who are yet to lose when leading after five, six, seven, or eight innings this season...
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: With 18 more hits and nine more runs last night, the Hillcats have collected 28 hits and 19 runs in its first two games versus the Mudcats this weekend...That's the most hits and runs they put up on a team in their first two meetings with a team this season...The next most runs was 12 against Myrtle Beach April 9-10, and hits was 21 against Potomac April 5-6...The 18 hits were the most given up in a single game by Carolina this year and was one shy of matching the Hillcats best output this year...Meanwhile nine earned runs allowed by the Mudcats missed their season-high mark by one as well...
NEW SEASON-HIGHS: Individuals set some new season-best marks last night as well...OF Will Skinner scored three runs (season-high, matched career-high)...2B Ross Heffley had his first three-hit game of the year...And, C Luis De La Cruz drove in two runs, after having just one RBI in his first 15 games...
SIZZLING SKINNER: OF Will Skinner has two home runs in two games against the Mudcats this weekend...Has three in the month of May, while hitting .360 (9-for-25) as opposed .104 (5-for-48) in April...He has 10 RBI in eight May games and has scored eight times...Currently riding a season-best five-game hitting streak, batting .368 (7-for-19)...
LANDONI LIGHTING IT UP: INF Emerson Landoni has hit safely in five of his seven starts this season between Double-A Mississippi and Hi-A Lynchburg...He started the year on Lynchburg's DL but was activated and sent to Mississippi two weeks into the season...He hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in his first at-bat of the year April 23...Through 10 games, he batted .348 (8-for-23) for the M-Braves...Now back with the Hillcats, he is hitting .400 (4-for-10) in three games...Has appeared at second base, shortstop, and third base for both Mississippi and Lynchburg this season...
HYATT SNAPPED: RHP Nate Hyatt gave up three earned runs in one inning of work last night, watching his scoreless innings pitched streak snap at 13.1 innings...His ERA jumped from 0.69 to 2.57...He hadn't allowed a run since his first appearance April 6...He complete 10 straight outings an inning or more scoreless...Had finished every game he appeared in until last night, leading the league with 11 games finished on this year...Set new career-highs in earned runs allowed and walks (4) in a single outing...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Shawn Morimando was selected in the 19th round of the 2011 draft by the Indians out of Ocean Lakes High School (VA)...Born in Canandaigua, NY, but grew up in Virginia Beach where he still resides...Had committed to play at East Carolina University before deciding to accept a reported $350,000 signing bonus from the Indians...As a senior at Ocean Lakes, he set single-season records for strikeouts in a season (115) and in a game (15)...He also hold the school records for home runs (6) and RBI (31) in a season...Made his pro debut with the Rookie-level Arizona League Indians in 2011...Pitched in just three games (6ip, 5h, 3r, 2er, 2bb, 8k)...Spent 2012 with Low-A Lake County (7-6, 3.59)...Made 22 starts, one complete game...Struck out just 69 and walked 52 in 110.1 innings...This season, after allowing just four runs in his first four starts (20ip), he has surrendered seven runs in his last two starts (12ip)...Has suffered three straight losses...Lefties are hitting .304 against him...
Carolina League Stories from May 12, 2013
- Bats Stay Hot, Wilmington Earns Series Win - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Robinson's Go-Ahead Two-RBI Triple Sparks Pelicans - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Making Mom Proud, Hillcats Win Third Straight - Hill City Howlers
- Red Hot Pelicans Sneak Past Red Sox 4-3 - Salem RidgeYaks
- Hillcats Smash Way to Series Win over Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Keys Falter 8-2, Drop Fourth Straight Game - Frederick Keys
- P-Nats Sweep De Facto Mother's Day Doubleheader - Potomac Nationals
- Schwartz's One-Hit Gem Stifles Winston-Salem - Winston-Salem Dash
- Pelicans Game Notes vs. Salem - 3:05 p.m. EST - Game 3 of 4 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Potomac Pulls Away in Resumed Game - Winston-Salem Dash
- Salem Red Sox Game Notes - Salem RidgeYaks
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Hill City Howlers
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (May 12 at Potomac) - Winston-Salem Dash
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