CarL1 Carolina Mudcats

April 4 - Opening Night - Carolina Mudcats Game Information

Published on April 4, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


CAROLINA MUDCATS (MILWAUKEE BREWERS) at DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS (TEXAS RANGERS)

Thursday, April 4, 2019 | 7:00 PM | Game 1, Away Game 1 | at Grainger Stadium | Kinston, NC

RADIO: WDWG, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM

STREAMING AUDIO: carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App

STREAMING VIDEO: N/A

Overall Record: CAR: 0-0; DE: 0-0

Streaks: CAR: --; DE: --

Last 10 Games: CAR: 0-0, DE: 0-0

Home Record: CAR: 0-0; DE: 0-0

Road Record: CAR: 0-0; DE: 0-0

Division Record: CAR: 0-0; DE: 0-0

Current Series: First game (of 4)

Season Series: First game (of 20)

CAR v. OPP: 0-0 @CAR (10), 0-0 @OPP (10)

UPCOMING PROBABLE STARTERS:

THU, 4/4, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Bowden Francis (0-0, -.--) at Down East RHP Tyler Phillips (0-0, -.--)

FRI, 4/5, 7:00 PM: Carolina RHP Nelson Hernandez (0-0, -.--) at Down East LHP Tyler Thomas (0-0, -.--)

SAT, 4/6, 6:00 PM: Carolina RHP Noah Zavolas (0-0, -.--) at Down East RHP A.J. Alexy (0-0, -.--)

TONIGHT: The Mudcats officially begin the 2019 season tonight with game one of a four game series versus the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC... Tonight's game is also the first of a season opening seven game road trip; featuring four games at Down East and three games at Potomac (4/8-4/10).

ICYMI: The Mudcats went 65-73 last season, finishing third in the overall Southern Division standings and 7th overall in the Carolina League. The Mudcats additionally went 34-36 in the first half and 31-37 in the second half while finishing tied for fourth and third in respectively in the Southern Division.

OPENING NIGHT: The Mudcats are 16-12 all-time on opening night, including an 8-3 record at home and 8-10 record on the road... The Mudcats additionally went 11-10 on opening night during the club's Southern League era (1991-2011). The Mudcats are currently 5-2 in opening night games during the club's Carolina League era (2012-present)... The Mudcats won last year's opener 6-5 versus Winston-Salem at Five County Stadium... The Mudcats are 2-2 on opening night since 2015.

TONIGHT'S STARTER: Bowden Francis has tonight's Opening Night start for the Mudcats in Kinston. Francis started the 2018 season with Low-A Wisconsin before earning a promotion to High-A Carolina last August. Francis went 5-8 with a 4.41 ERA over 22 G and 19 GS (104.0 IP, 29 BB, 95 SO) last season with Wisconsin. Francis then went on to go 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA over 4 G and 4 GS (24.0 IP, 9 BB, 11 SO) after arriving with the Mudcats. His Carolina debut came on 8/14 at Down East versus the Wood Ducks where he took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits over 4.1 innings (3 BB, 2 SO).

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 Class A Advanced affiliate. Ayrault has led the Mudcats to a 138-138 record and is currently second on Carolina's all-time managerial wins list. He trails only David Bell who totaled 176 managerial victories while managing the then-Cincinnati Reds affiliated Mudcats from 2009 through 2011; posting a record of 176-239 (.424). Ayrault is also third in most games managed in team history (276) trailing both Bell (415 games) and Ron Gideon (277 games, 2000-2001).

HOW THEY'RE BUILT: The Mudcats open the 2019 season with 11 returning players from last season... The 2019 squad features three of the Brewers' Top 30 prospects (as rated by MLBPipeline.com) including OF Tristen Lutz (No. 5), C Payton Henry (No. 10) and C Mario Feliciano (No. 22).

MUDDIES v. WOODIES: The Mudcats went 12-11 versus the Wood Ducks last season; 11-3 at home and 1-8 away... The Mudcats closed out last year's season series vs. Down East with a four game home sweep between 8/27 and 8/30. They additionally avoided a season long sweep in Kinston with a 2-1 victory on 8/16/18 (both Carolina runs were scored in the 8th on a 2-run 2B from Weston Wilson)... The Mudcats are 23-21 all-time versus Down East.

BIG LEAGUE CAMP: Devin Hairston played in 13 MLB Spring Training games for the Brewers in 2019 (2-for-8, 3 R, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 6 SO). Hairston also traveled with Milwaukee to Montreal for an exhibition game versus Toronto on 3/25 and scored a run... Tristen Lutz played in 17 MLB Spring Training games (1-for-18, 4 R, 3 BB, 10 SO)... Rodrigo Benoit appeared in five MLB Spring Training games (5 G, 3.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 4 SO)... Matt Hardy appeared in one MLB Spring Training game and earned a victory on 3/24 vs. ARI (1-0, 0.2 IP, 1 BB)... Additional MLB Spring Training appearances: Mario Feliciano (2 G, 0-for-4, R, RBI, BB, SO), Payton Henry (11 G, 1-for-12, R, 2B, RBI, BB, 3 SO), Ryan Aguilar (1 G, 1 PA, 1 HBP), Julio Garcia (1 G, 0-for-1), Zach Clark (1 G, 0-for-2, 2 SO), Rob Henry (2 G, 0-for-1, SO), Joantgel Segovia (1 G, 1-for-1, R).

PLAYOFF DROUGHT: The Mudcats failed to reach the playoffs again in 2018, stretching their current playoff drought to seven consecutive Carolina League seasons. Carolina has additionally failed to reach the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons overall between their time in the Carolina League (2012-Present) and Southern League (1991-2011). The Mudcats last reached the playoffs in 2008 when they lost to the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League Championship Series... Current post-season droughts in MiLB (full-season teams): Buffalo (AAA)/Delmarva: 13 seasons, New Orleans (AAA): 11 seasons, Iowa (AAA): 10 seasons, Hartford (AA): 9 seasons, Louisville (AAA): 8 seasons.

K RECORDS: Carolina batters combined to total a Carolina League and franchise record 1,311 strikeouts during the 2018 season; breaking the previous Carolina League and franchise record of 1,245 SO set by the Mudcats during the 2017 season. Carolina's 1,311 total strikeouts in 2018 were the 7th most in MiLB...The Carolina offense totaled 262 more strikeouts than hits (1,311 SO, 1,049 H) last season. That difference in strikeouts over hits was the 5th largest in MiLB. The 2018 Mudcats joined the 2017 Mudcats (1,245 SO, 1,081 H) and 2007 Mudcats (1,219 SO, 1,149 H) as the three teams in franchise history to finish a season with more strikeouts than hits.

ALUMNI REPORT: Former 2017 Mudcat Freddy Peralta struck out 11 over 8.0 scoreless innings in Cincinnati yesterday while leading the Brewers to a 1-0, sweep clinching victory versus the Reds. Peralta scattered two hits and faced just two over the minimum while turning in his 8.0 inning gem and earning his first win of the season.

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. '17.

... not made the playoffs since the 2008 season.

... not made the playoffs during their Carolina League era.

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