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CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

August 8 Game Information

August 8, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Following a rainout Wednesday, the Wood Ducks (28-16, 78-36) and Mudcats (18-27, 57-57) will face off in a double header, beginning at 4:40 p.m. It's Thirsty Thursday at Grainger Stadium, featuring $1 Natural Light and Busch Light cans, presented by Budweiser. Today will also conclude Copa de la Diversion with the Wood Ducks playing as the Patos Joyuyos and the Mudcats playing as Los Pescados de Carolina. The broadcast will begin at 4:20 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.

LAST TIME OUT: Down the final out, Tuesday, Curtis Terry blasted a walk-off three-run home run to lift the Wood Ducks over the Mudcats, 6-4. Terry enjoyed a three hit ballgame, while Sam Huff also hit a home run as part of a two-hit night. Sal Mendez lowered his ERA to 2.00 with six innings of one run ball, striking out seven. Cole Uvila earned the win out of the bullpen, picking up four strikeouts in two innings.

CLUTCH GENE: Curtis Terry's walk-off home run, Tuesday, was the Woodies 8th walk-off victory this season, and fourth walk-off homer. Down East has now won four times when trailing after eight innings, in addition to going 9-4 in extra innings and 28-13 in one-run contests.

STRIKING FIRST: The Wood Ducks have outscored opponents 69-30 in first innings this season, and have struck first in 73 of their 114 games this season, going 59-14 (.808) when scoring first on the year. Down East has also scored first in 12 of their last 14 contests.

SUPER SAM: Sam Huff saw his 19-game hitting streak come to a close Friday, but he has now reached base in 23 straight contests. Over the stretch he has gone 26-79 (.329), with five home runs, and 10 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 seventh home run for the Woodies Tuesday against Carolina, and has now hit safely in 35 of his last 39 games, including 15 multi-hit games. He is now sporting a .999 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 22 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 2.00 ERA, and as a starter that mark is just 1.54. Eight of Mendez' 13 starts have been quality outings, and he has given up just five earned run in 36.2 innings (1.23 ERA) in six starts since the beginning of 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 2.72 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, and the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Midwest 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 373-282 .569

2. Tampa Bay Rays 395-305 .564

3. Arizona Diamondbacks 396-309 .562

COLE CRUISING: Cole Uvila struck out a career-high five batters in 2.2 perfect innings in relief, last Tuesday against Carolina. Exactly one week later he fanned four more Mudcats to pick up the victory in relief This season Uvila boasts a 12.82 K/9 (66 K/46.1 IP), and has struck out three or more batters in 12 of his 29 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 has now hit 11 home runs for the Wood Ducks and 26 overall on the season.

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 made his MLB debut Sunday, working 1.2 scoreless innings in a win over Detroit. Clase becomes the ninth Down East player to make it to The Show. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez ('17), C.D. Pelham ('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.

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Carolina League Stories from August 8, 2019


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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