
August 6 Game Information
August 6, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release
The Wood Ducks continue their home stand tonight against the Carolina Mudcats at 7 p.m. Left-hander Sal Mendez (6-0, 2.03) will take the mound for the Woodies, who will play as the Patos Joyujos, while righty Nelson Hernandez (10-8, 4.33) It's Food Lion BOGO night at Grainger Stadium, where fans can purchase buy-one, get-one tickets when presenting their Food Lion MVP card. The broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172. Complete game notes are attached.
LAST TIME OUT: The Wood Ducks were unable to hold an early 2-0 lead against the Keys on Sunday, and despite a pair of late rallies, Down East fell 5-4. Bubba Thompson had the lone two-hit game for the Woodies, while Yanio Perez drove in a pair of runs. Noah Bremer gave up two runs over five innings, striking out six, but did not factor in the decision.
CLUTCH GENE: Yohel Pozo's walk-off home run, Saturday, was the Woodies 7th walk-off victory this season, and third walk-off homer. This season when the Wood Ducks are tied after eight innings, they have a 12-5 record, in addition to going 9-4 in extra innings and 28-13 in one-run contests.
STRIKING FIRST: The Wood Ducks have outscored opponents 66-30 in first innings this season, and have struck first in 72 of their 113 games this season, going 58-14 (.806) when scoring first on the year. Down East has also scored first in 11 of their last 13 contests.
SUPER SAM: Sam Huff saw his 19-game hitting streak come to a close Friday, but he has now reached base in 22 straight contests. Over the stretch he has gone 24-75 (.320), with four home runs, and 9 RBI dating back to July 9. Huff's 19 game hitting streak was the second longest in the Carolina League this year, trailing only Wilbis Santiago (LYN) with 21.
TERRY ON A TEAR: Curtis Terry hit his sixth home run for the Woodies Wednesday against Carolina, and has now hit safely in 34 of his last 38 games, including 14 multi-hit games. He is now sporting a .956 OPS since joining Down East, June 21. Within that stretch was a 12-game hit streak (19-44, .432) which came to an end last Saturday, Terry now has 21 home runs on the season combined with his time in Hickory. Terry was also named the Carolina League Player of the Month for the Month of July.
MAGNIFICENT MENDEZ: Sal Mendez has been excellent for the Wood Ducks this season, especially since joining the starting rotation. Mendez leads the Carolina League with a 2.03 ERA, and as a starter that mark is just 1.54. Seven of Mendez' 12 starts have been quality outings, and he has given up just four earned run in 30.2 innings (1.17 ERA) over five starts in July.
NO RUNS FOR YOU!: The Wood Ducks 1-0 win over the Mudcats, last Thursday, was their 17th shutout win of the season, and sixth 1-0 victory. Down East boasts a 2.71 team ERA this season which leads all of Minor League Baseball, while their 17 shutouts are second only to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League. Since team ERA records began being kept in 2005, no MiLB team has finished a season with an ERA below 2.65.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH: It hasn't just been the Wood Ducks who have performed well this season, the Rangers organization as a whole has been among the best
1. TEXAS RANGERS 365-280 .566
2. Tampa Bay Rays 383-299 .562
3. Arizona Diamondbacks 390-305 .551
COLE CRUISING: Cole Uvila struck out a career-high five batters in 2.2 perfect innings in relief, Tuesday against Carolina, and followed it up with another scoreless frame against the Keys, Saturday. This season Uvila boasts a 12.59 K/9 (62 K/44.1 IP), and has struck out three or more batters in 11 of his 28 appearances this season.
CUP OF JOE: Joe Kuzia has been tremendous out of the bullpen for the Wood Ducks since joining the club May 9. He has converted 17 of 18 save opportunities in addition to picking up a trio of wins in relief. Kuzia put together a 19-inning scoreless streak from 5/19-6/26. Overall this season he boasts an ERA of 0.92 and a WHIP of 1.04. Kuzia now ranks second in the Carolina League in saves, with all 17 coming since May 26. Kuzia has not allowed a run in 23 of his 27 appearances this season.
THE FUTURE IS HERE: Sam Huff clubbed a game-tying home run in the seventh inning of the SiriusXM Futures Game on Sunday to take home MVP honors. Huff becomes the second Ranger all-time to take home the award, joining Joey Gallo (2014). Huff followed it up by hitting a home run his first game back in Myrtle Beach, and clubbed another against Lynchburg, and one more against Winston-Salem two homestands ago. He has hit 25 home run overall on the year.
A HALF FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS: The Down East Wood Ducks became just the sixth team in Carolina League history to finish a half with a winning percentage of .700 or better, while their 50 wins are the second most in any half in league history:
1. 1980 Peninsula (1st) 51-19 .729
2. 2019 DOWN EAST (1st) 50-20 .714
T3. 1982 Peninsula (2nd) 49-20 .710
T3. 1983 Lynchburg (1st) 49-20 .710
5. 1994 Wilmington (1st) 48-20 .706
6. 1980 Peninsula (2nd) 49-21 .700
SHOWTIME: Former Wood Duck Emmanuel Clase was called up to the Rangers, Friday, and looks to become the ninth Down East player to make his Major League debut. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez ('17), C.D. Pel-ham ('18) and Peter Fairbanks ('19) to go from Advanced-A to the Majors in a single season. Clase struck out 11 and did not allow an earned run over seven innings with the Woodies.
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.
Carolina League Stories from August 6, 2019
- Hillcats Claw Back for 8-4 Win over Sox - Salem Red Sox
- Terry and Wood Ducks Walk-Off Mudcats 6-4 in Kinston - Carolina Mudcats
- Four-Run Sixth Leads Lynchburg to Win over Sox - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Torres Makes History, Woodpeckers Fall in Extras - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Terry Blasts Walk-Off Home Run To Take Down Carolina - Down East Wood Ducks
- Pelicans Dominate Winston-Salem in Series Opener - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Wilmington Wins Despite Letting Late Lead Slip Away - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Dash Fall in Series Opener 10-1 on Tuesday - Winston-Salem Dash
- Keys and Nationals Rained Out - Frederick Keys
- P-Nats, Keys Rained out in Frederick - Potomac Nationals
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: August 6 vs. Winston-Salem - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (August 6 at Myrtle Beach) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Former Mudcat Isan Diaz Makes Major League Debut - Carolina Mudcats
- August 6 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- August 6 Game Information - Down East Wood Ducks
- Chicago Cub Ben Zobrist to Rehab with Pelicans - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash to Host Food Truck Festival on Thursday, August 29 - Winston-Salem Dash
- Terry Named Uncle Ray's Carolina League Player of the Month - Down East Wood Ducks
- Woodpeckers Aim to Strike out Alzheimer's - Raise over $8k During Paint the Park Purple Night - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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