CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

April 7 Game Information

Published on April 7, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Today the Wood Ducks will play as the Patos Joyuyos as they look to earn a split in their four game series with the Mudcats to open the season. They send righty Reid Anderson (0-0, -.--) to the mound for his Carolina League debut, opposed by fellow right-hander Dylan File (0-0, -.--) for Carolina. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the broadcast can be heard beginning at 12:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online on 960thebull.com and on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172.

LAST TIME OUT: The Wood Ducks held the Mudcats to two hits, but fell 2-1 in a pitcher's duel. Carolina scored two runs in the first off of A.J. Alexy on three walks and a HBP. Down East responded in the home first on an RBI single from Anderson Tejeda, to plate Leody Taveras, who had singled and stole second, accounting for all of the scoring in the game. Francisco Villegas fanned five in three innings out of the bullpen, while Demarcus Evans struck out the side in the ninth on 12 pitches.

COPA ESTA AQUI!: Today the Wood Ducks begin their participation in MiLB's Copa de la Diversion. They will play as the Patos Joyuyos, which is Spanish for Wood Ducks. The Wood Ducks will play as the Patos Joyu-yos every Sunday home game in the first half, and again for a second half series against Carolina, Aug. 6-8.

D-TRAIN DOMINATES: In his first appearance in the Carolina League Demarcus Evans picked up right where he left off a season ago. Evans struck out the side in the ninth, all swinging strikeouts. He threw 12 pitches, 3 balls, 3 called strikes and 6 swinging strikes in the frame. Last season he led all MiLB relievers (min. 50 IP) with a SO/9 of 16.88.

POWER OUTAGE: Neither the Wood Ducks nor the Mudcats have hit a home run through three games in the series, marking the only matchup in the Carolina League this season without a long ball. There was also a literal power outage yesterday that resulted in a 15-minute delay for the lights to come back on at Grainger Stadium.

STRIKEOUTS: The Wood Ducks struck out 13 times in the ballgame yesterday and now lead the league, going down on strikes 40 times this season. Last year the Mudcats set a Carolina League record with 1,311 strikeouts in a season. The Woodies are on pace for 1,867.

TAVERAS' TERRIFIC START: Leody Taveras opened the season by going 4-4, with a double, a triple, and four runs driven in. The four hits are a career-high, while the four RBIs match a career-best. He has tallied two-hit games each day since, and leads the league in AVG (.667) and OPB (.667), while ranking second in hits (8), SLG (.917), and OPS (1.583).

SWITCH IT UP: After leading the Rangers organization with 74 RBI last season, Anderson Tejeda returns to the Wood Ducks, but this time as a switch hitter. Signed by the Rangers in 2014, Tejeda hit from the left side of the plate exclusively for the first four season in pro ball.

RAGS AT THE HELM: Corey Ragsdale takes over as skipper for the Wood Ducks in 2019. Ragsdale will remain the Rangers Minor League Field Coordinator, while assuming a managerial seat for the first time since 2015, when he led the Hickory Crawdads to a South Atlantic League Championship, the second of his career.

YEAR CLUB LEAGUE W-L FINISH

2012 AZL Rangers AZL/R 34-22 League Champs

2013 Hickory South Atlantic (A) 76-63 5th Place

2014 Hickory South Atlantic/A 41-28 5th Place

2015 Hickory South Atlantic/A 44-24 League Champs

TOTALS 237-179 (.570)

AND THE AWARD GOES TO: The 2019 Wood Ducks are a heavily decorated bunch. Tyler Phillips was recognized as the Rangers Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year after posting an 11-5 record and a 2.67 ERA in Single-A Hickory. He struck out 124 while walking just 14 in 128.0 innings. Demarcus Evans was named the organization's Reliever of the Year. In 35 appearances out of the Crawdads bullpen, Evans pitched to a 1.77 ERA and struck out 103 batters while walking just 27. He also converted all nine save opportunities. Infielder Ryan Dorow earned the Rangers defensive player of the year honors. He started games at all four infield positions, in addition to a game in the outfield, committing just 9 errors in 418 chances for a fielding percentage of .978.

YOUTH MOVEMENT: Five players on the Wood Ducks opening day roster are just 20 years of age. The handful includes RHP A.J. Alexy, INF Yonny Hernandez, INF Anderson Tejeda, OF Leody Taveras, and OF Bubba Thompson.

NEED FOR SPEED: The 2019 Wood Ducks will possess a lot of speed, especially in the outfield. Last season Leody Taveras, Eric Jenkins, and Bubba Thompson combined to steal 86 bases and hit 21 triples. Infielder Yonny Hernandez also ranked second the South Atlantic League with 44 stolen bases, and his 46 overall led the Rangers organization.

TOP-30 in Kinston: The Wood Ducks open the 2019 season with sev-en players on the MLB Pipeline Rangers Top-30 list on their roster:

4. Anderson Tejeda, 5. Bubba Thompson, 6. Leody Taveras, 14. Tyler Phillips, 19. Diosbel Arias, 20. A.J. Alexy, and 24. Demarcus Evans

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Carolina League Stories from April 7, 2019


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