CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

July 17 Transactions and Game Information

Published on July 17, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Today the Texas Rangers announced the following transactions affecting the Down East Wood Ducks

+ INF Sherten Apostel promoted to Down East from Single-A Hickory. He will wear number 38.

- C Isaias Quiroz placed on 7-day IL

Today the Wood Ducks (16-10, 66-30) open up a six game road trip with a three game set against the Red Sox (17-8, 42-50). Lefty Sal Mendez (5-0, 2.14) will take the mound for Down East, opposed by Salem left-hander Jhonathan Diaz (4-6, 4.71). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and the pregame show will get you set beginning 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.

LAST TIME OUT: The Wood Ducks were shut out for just the third time this season, falling 3-0 to the Dash in the finale of a three-game set. The loss snapped the Woodies five-game winning streak. John King delivered a quality start, allowing two earned runs over six in-ning, but suffered the tough luck loss. Yohel Pozo had three hits while Tyler Depreta-Johnson tallied two in the defeat.

TAKE FIVE: The Wood Ducks won five straight games from July 10-14, their sixth winning streak this season of five or more games. Down East won a franchise best 10 straight April 26-May 5, also the longest streak in the Carolina League this year.

MONEY IN THE BANK: Alex Eubanks delivered a quality start for the Wood Ducks Saturday, retiring the final 15 batters he faced. Eubanks, who was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week July 1-7, be-came the seventh Wood Duck this season to garner a weekly award. Since joining the starting rotation Eubanks is 4-1 with a 1.42 ERA and has allowed just 28 base runners in 38 innings, while striking out 27.

TERRY ON A TEAR: Curtis Terry has now hit safely in 20 of his last 22 games, including ten multi-hit games. He is now sporting a 1.020 OPS since joining Down East, June 21. Within that stretch was a 12-game hit streak (19-44, .432) which came to an end on Saturday, Terry now has 19 home runs on the season combined with his time in Hickory.

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 2.14 ERA, and as a starter that mark is just 1.55. Six of Mendez' nine starts have been quality outings, and he has given up just one earned run in 13 innings over two starts in July.

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

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 Friday against Lynchburg, and one more Sunday against Winston-Salem.

NO RUNS FOR YOU!: The Wood Ducks 2-0 shutout win over the Pelicans, last Sunday was their 15th on the season, which is tied for the most in all of minor league baseball. Down East's team ERA of 2.66 is also the best in MiLB, with only five teams sporting a mark below 3.00.

CLUTCH TIME!: The walk-off home run from Yanio Perez Thursday was the Wood Ducks fifth walk-off win this season, and second walk-off home run of the year. It was Perez' first home run since April 27 against Fayetteville. The Wood Ducks have now won three times this season when trailing after eight innings. Down East was being no-hit through five innings and won 6-2 in 10 innings, July 6 at Salem, while being one-hit through eight innings July 11 vs Lynchburg.

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 all 13 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 0.56 and a WHIP of 1.00. Kuzia now ranks second in the Carolina League in saves, with all 13 coming since May 26.

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. Tampa Bay Rays 312-220 .586

2. TEXAS RANGERS 289-220 .568

3. Pittsburgh Pirates 292-236 .553

DEWD ON THE MOVE: Former Wood Duck right-hander Pete Fairbanks was traded by the Rangers to the Tampa Bay Rays Friday. Fairbanks made his MLB debut for Texas June 9, appearing in eight games at the big league level. In return the Rangers received second baseman Nick Solak, who is now the 10th ranked prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline.

SHOWTIME: Former Wood Duck Pedro Payano made his Major League debut for the Rangers, June 6, becoming the eighth Wood Ducks to make it to The Show. Payano delivered a scoreless sixth inning against the Twins. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez, Jeffrey Springs, C.D. Pelham, and Brett Martin, Joe Palumbo, Pete Fairbanks, and Locke St. John. Down East has also had a player go from Adv.-A to the majors in one year in each of the three seasons (Rodriguez-'17, Pelham-'18, Fairbanks-'19).

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.

Check out the Down East Wood Ducks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 17, 2019


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