Hillcats vs. Dash - Game Notes - June 12, 2013
Published on June 12, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
THE HILLCATS: Lost to the Winston-Salem Dash 7-2 last night...LHP Blaine Sims showed his knuckle ball to Advanced-A batters for the first time...He gave up three run in four innings and took the loss...All three runs scored against him in the third inning, and the Dash took a 3-0 lead...The Hillcats went scoreless until the seventh frame, at which point they trailed 4-0...3B Kyle Kubitza homered to break up the shutout in the seventh...The Dash added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh and the 'Cats collected a final run in the ninth but fell by five, evening the series 1-1...The 'Cats are four games out of first place with just six games to play...The first place Potomac Nationals have a magic number of three...
VS. WINSTON-SALEM: The Hillcats are 7-3 against the Dash this year...They have won both four-game series 3-1 so far...Seven of the nine games have been decided by three runs or fewer...In the regular season last year, the two clubs split the season-series 10-10...The Hillcats went 4-6 at BB&T Ballpark, losing both three-game sets 2-1, and splitting the four-game series...That's exactly how the series played out in Lynchburg as well...
HERE COMES THE KNUCK: LHP Blaine Sims redefined himself as a knuckle-baller this past offseason...He threw your typical fastball, curveball, and changeup in his first three seasons as a pro...This year, he began in Extended Spring Training, spent five days working with Hall of Fame knuckler Phil Niekro in Gwinnett (home of the Braves Triple-A affiliate), and eventually made his regular season debut with Low-A Rome May 27...After four appearances with Rome, he was 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA...He struck out nine and walked eight in 10 innings...Last night was his Advanced-A debut with the knuckler...He struck out a season-high seven and walked five while giving up three runs in four innings...
NEW STREAKING CHAMP: SS Elmer Reyes extended his Carolina League best hitting streak to 14 games last night...Currently batting .420 (21-for-50) during the streak with eight doubles, a home run, four RBI, and seven runs scored...Has raised his batting average from .261 to .300, which currently ranks fifth in the league...His average is back at .300 or better since he was hitting .302 on May 15...Three players in the league this season have compiled hitting streaks of 12 games or more...The other two are teammates of Reyes, OF Robby Hefflinger (12 games) and David Rohm (12 games)...
OKAY K.K.: 3B Kyle Kubitza hit his second home run in as many games last night...He now has six on the season...He is red hot in the month of June batting .400 14-for-35) since the end of May...He was batting .253 when the month started and has now lifted his season clip to .280, his highest mark since he was batting .289 on April 18...Has four doubles, three home runs, five RBI, and 10 runs scored in June...
COMING DOWN THE STRETCH: Lynchburg is in the midst of playing 12 games in nine days to end the first half...They played back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday, and have another twin bill scheduled for Thursday in Salem...
SHORT REST FOR ROSS: RHP Greg Ross last pitched on Saturday in game two of the Hillcats doubleheader against the Salem Red Sox...The 'Cats already had to bring up LHP Blaine Sims from Low-A Rome to throw last night due to back-to-back doubleheaders using up the starting staff over the weekend...Ross was held to a pitch count of just 70 pitches on Saturday so that he would be ready to go on three days rest instead of four tonight...He was pitching in relief for Low-A Rome earlier this season...He threw threw three innings on April 6 and came back to throw four innings three day later on April 9 earlier this season...
PROSPECT WATCH: Winston-Salem Dash OF Courtney Hawkins is the number one rated prospect in the White Sox organization...After missing almost all of May, he came back June 2 of the DL...He went 11-for-30 in his first eight games back with four home runs...He is 1-for-12 in his last three games, but his one hit is a home run...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Chris Beck was selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by the White Sox out of Georgia Southern University...Was named Most Outstanding Player of the Southern Conference Tournament during his sophomore season at GSU...Was originally selected in the 35th round of the 2009 draft by the Indians but went to college...Made his professional debut with Short-season Great Falls in 2012...Went 4-3 with a 4.69 ERA in 15 appearances, 6 starts...Struck out 36 and walked 12 in 40.1 innings...Entered 2013 as the 10th-rated prospect in the White Sox organization...Throws a low 90s fastball, mid-80s slider/cutter, and a changeup...Projects as a number two or three starter in the big leagues....
Carolina League Stories from June 12, 2013
- Mudcats Fall Short to Potomac in Marathon - Carolina Mudcats
- Zimmer Earns First Win as Rocks Avoid Sweep - Salem RidgeYaks
- Homer Happy Skinner and Kubitza Lead 'Cats Past Dash - Hill City Howlers
- Dash Drop Rubber Match, Fall Two Games Back - Winston-Salem Dash
- Jackson Wins Sixth Game to Help Pelicans Sweep Keys - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Sweep Leaves Keys at the Brink - Frederick Keys
- Wilmington Blue Rocks Game Notes - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Dash vs. Hillcats - Game Notes - June 12, 2013 - Winston-Salem Dash
- RHP Joe Dvorsky Promoted to Winston-Salem - Winston-Salem Dash
- Hillcats vs. Dash - Game Notes - June 12, 2013 - Hill City Howlers
- Dash RHP Bassitt Added to Carolina League All-Star Team - Winston-Salem Dash
- Salem Sox vs. Blue Rocks - Game Notes - June 12, 2013 - Salem RidgeYaks
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