Game Notes - 5/30
Published on May 30, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (31-16) vs. POTOMAC NATONALS (25-20)
May 30th, 2009 -- 6:05 PM
Calvin Falwell Field @ Lynchburg City Stadium
RHP Ronald Uviedo (2-2, 3.69) vs. LHP Will Atwood (0-4, 6.99)
THE HILLCATS: Lynchburg blanked Potomac 1-0 in the opening game of a three-game series against the Nationals...The Hillcats have now won four in a row, six out of seven and they now have a season-high five-game lead over Potomac for first place in the Northern Division and the best record in the league...They have also established a new high water mark by moving 15 games over .500...Tonight is the middle-game of a three-game set against Potomac and the fifth contest of a six-game homestand...
VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats and Nationals are meeting for the third series this season...Lynchburg won both series including a set last weekend at Pfitzner Stadium...Last season the two teams split the season series 10-10 and the P-Nats were just one of two teams the Cats had a .500 record or better against last year...Lynchburg won the final five games against each other last season...In the all-time series Lynchburg has the edge 149-138 and they are 81-68 at City Stadium...After a 6-2 start this season against the P-Nats, the Hillcats have now won 11 of the last 13 games between these two teams...
LlFE AT THE TOP: With their 31-16 mark, the Hillcats have the best record in the Carolina League, are tied for the fifth most wins in minor league baseball and are tied for sixth with their .660 winning percentage amongst full-season minor league teams...
CATCHING THE WORM: The game one win last night for Lynchburg moved them to an incredible 14-1 in series openers this season...They have now won 13 in a row after losing game one in the second set of the season...
FRIENDLY FALWELL: Last night's win moved the Hillcats to 18-6 at home this season...They are now 4-0 on this six-game homestand that comes right after and right before a stretch of 13 out of 16 on the road...Lynchburg is in the middle of 26 out of 38 games away from Calvin Falwell Field...Last season the Cats were just 32-36 at City Stadium...
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: The previous series against Salem was a series against a Southern Division opponent sandwiched between seven series against the Northern Division...The Hillcats are in the midst of playing 23 of 26 against the North...This series is the first of three series in a row against Northern Division foes...
NO RALLY REQUIRED: In all four games on this homestand Lynchburg has jumped out to an early lead...They were up 3-0 at one point in all three games against Salem and scored the lone run in last nights game in the second inning...The Hillcats are outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 20-3 during this current homestand and have not trailed yet...
IN A PINCH: 1B Kent Sakamoto became the first Hillcat to pinch-hit this season when he batted for Ray Chang one on and two outs in the seventh inning...He struck out to end the frame...
BOUNCE BACK OUTING: LHP Justin Wilson tossed five scoreless innings last night to earn his first victory since April 21st (third start)...In his first three starts he was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA, but in his six starts since then previous to last night he had gone 0-3 with a 9.30 earned run average...The win last night was his second against the Nationals...His first professional start was a win versus the P-Nats as well...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Will Atwood was selected by Washington in the 12th round of the 2008 amateur entry draft out of the University of South Carolina...In his junior season and his final year with the Gamecocks he went 5-4 with a 5.25 ERA in 16 games (12 starts)...He made his professional debut with Short-Season Low-A Vermont last year and went 2-1 with a 2.41 earned run average in 12 starts with the Lake Monsters...He skipped full season Low-A to begin this season with Potomac...He has posted an 0-4 record with a 6.99 ERA in eight starts with the P-Nats...He made his High-A debut against Lynchburg this season and allowed seven runs in two and 2/3 innings pitched in taking the loss in his first start of the season...His last start was also against the Hillcats and he went five innings, allowed two earned runs and took a no-decision in a game the Cats came back and won 8-5.
Carolina League Stories from May 30, 2009
- Espinosa's homer sinks Hillcats - Hill City Howlers
- Rocks Score Seven in the First to Beat the Pelicans - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Dash Down K-Tribe, Move Back Into First Place - Winston-Salem Dash
- Jeff Locke lasts just two-thirds of an inning in losing effort - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash Downs Kinston 8-3 - Kinston Indians
- Atwood Shines in First Carolina League Victory - Potomac Nationals
- Sloppy Defense Spoils Kelly's Salem Debut - Salem RidgeYaks
- Offense Breaks Through In Salem - Frederick Keys
- Game Notes - 5/30 - Hill City Howlers
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