Hillcats game notes
Published on July 31, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (17-22, 46-63) @ MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (24-13, 69-38)
July 31st, 2008 -- 7:05 PM
@ BB&T Coastal Field
RHP Jared Hughes (3-9, 4.44) vs. RHP Jeff Lyman (2-5, 4.63)
THE HILLCATS: Lynchburg fell 5-3 in walk-off fashion in yesterday's series finale at Winston-Salem...The Hillcats have now lost a season-high six games in a row...The Hillcats remain a half a game behind Wilmington for the final playoff spot in the Northern Division thanks to a fourth straight Blue Rocks loss...The Cats have now dropped the first six games of 10 in a row on the road, which will complete a stretch of 18 out of 22 away from City Stadium...
VS. MYRTLE BEACH: The Hillcats are tied 6-6 with the Pelicans in their series this season and are 3-3 and BB&T Coastal Field...Last season the Hillcats won the series against the Pelicans 12-8...Myrtle Beach holds the all-time advantage 101-88 and are 54-41 against the Cats on the Grand Strand...
HARD TIMES: Since July 10th, Lynchburg has gone just 5-15...Prior to that stretch they had won eight out of nine to move a season-best five games over .500 (12-7)...They are in the midst of 18 out of 22 on the road, and during that time they are 5-13 with the next four games on the road...The Hillcats will then finish the season with 18 of the final 27 games at home...
SERIES SLIDE: With the sweep by the Warthogs the Hillcats have now gone winless in seven consecutive series (0-5-2)...This after they won five straight series...Lynchburg was swept in back-to-back series for the first time all season yesterday and the three-game sweep by the Hogs marked the fourth time this season the Cats have been swept...
FAREWELL TO ERNIE SHORE: Yesterday was the last game of the season for the Hillcats at Winston-Salem, and therefore it was the last game Lynchburg will ever play at Historic Ernie Shore Field...Next season Winston-Salem will move to a brand new stadium downtown and be given a new nickname...The Wake Forest baseball team is moving into the old stadium next season...The Cats went just 2-8 in the Triad this year...
HOMESICK: Lynchburg has lost the first six games of ten in a row on the road with four more remaining at Myrtle Beach...They have also dropped nine of their last ten road games to fall to 21-37 on the road...
LOSING THE LEAD: During this current six-game losing skid the Hillcats have led in all six games...Last night they took a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning...Winston-Salem answered back though with a run in the bottom of the frame and Lynchburg never led again...
STRUGGLING TO SCORE: Over the last six games the Hillcats are averaging just three runs a game...LHP Tony Watson, who has gotten the least amount of run support of any Cats starter (four runs a game), did not get a win yesterday despite allowing just one run in six innings of work...It marked the fifth time this season he has gone at least five innings, allowed one run or less and not earned a victory for his effort...
ALL FOR NAUGHT: In yesterday's day game against Winston-Salem, Lynchburg came from behind in the ninth inning for just the third time all season in 57 attempts...1B Kent Sakamoto hit a game-tying solo home run in the top of the ninth inning with the Cats down to their final two outs...In the bottom of the ninth though Freddie Thon hit a walk-off two run home run to give the Warthogs the 5-3 win...
CRUSHING CATCHER: C Kris Watts went 2-for-4 yesterday in the Hillcats 5-3 defeat...In his last 17 games the catcher has gone 22-for-57 (.386) with six doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI and eight runs scored...During his current five-game hitting streak he is 9-for-17 with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Jeff Lyman was a 2005 second round selection of the Atlanta Braves...This season he has gone 2-5 with a 4.63 ERA in 27 games (six starts)...Last season the righthander went 0-5 with an 8.90 ERA in eight games (two starts) for the Pelicans after starting the year with Low-A Rome and going 5-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 20 starts...In 2006 he spent the majority of his time in Rome and went 6-6 with a 4.49 ERA in 22 games (18 starts) and in his first professional season in 2005 he went 0-3 with a 4.24 ERA...As a reliever this year (21 of his first 22 appearances) he posted a 3.68 ERA...In his six starts Lyman in 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA...He made his first start of the season against Lynchburg on June 21st and tossed four scoreless innings in a game the Hillcats won 5-4...He has made three appearances against the Cats this year and has not recorded a decision and has posted a 5.63 ERA...
Carolina League Stories from July 31, 2008
- Nats cap off amazing comeback with - Potomac Nationals
- Potomac Rallies for Dramatic Win in Marathon Contest - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wilmington Scores Eight in Eighth, Breaks Five-Game Road Skid - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Jones' 31-Game On-Base Streak Snapped in Loss - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Eight-Run Eighth Inning Dooms Frederick, Drop Opener 9-1 - Frederick Keys
- K-Tribe Piles on Salem With 7-2 Win - Kinston Indians
- Five-run eighth dooms Salem - Salem RidgeYaks
- Suspended Game to Continue Friday at 6:05 PM - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- 48th Start with Frederick Most in Keys History - Frederick Keys
- Future Hall Of Famer Tom Glavine To Pitch For Pelicans - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Hillcats game notes - Hill City Howlers
- Pelicans Plan Assault On Attendance Record - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Potomac Nationals Game Notes - Potomac Nationals
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.
