
July 2 Transactions and Game Information
July 2, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release
Today the Texas Rangers announced the following transactions affecting the Down East Wood Ducks
+ RHP Scott Williams returned from rehab and reinstated from 7-day IL. He will wear number 19. (LHP Jake Latz is no longer assigned a number)
- RHP Wes Robertson placed on 7-day IL
The Wood Ducks (7-5, 57-25) and Dash (4-8, 42-34) play the middle game of their three game series tonight at 7 p.m., when Down East sends lefty John King (2-0, 1.07) to the mound to face off with Dash right-hander Zach Lewis (4-3, 6.50). It's a special Thirsty Tuesdday at Grainger Stadium, with $1 Busch Light and Natty Light, presented by Budweiser. The broadcast will begin 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. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172. Complete game notes are attached.
LAST TIME OUT: The Wood Ducks recorded a 2-0 shutout over the Winston-Salem Dash. Alex Eubanks delivered five scoreless innings, while Jairo Beras worked 2.1 scoreless in relief. Joe Kuzia recorded the final five outs to earn his 9th save of the season. Diosbel Arias scored twice on two hits, while Yanio Perez and JP Martinez also tallied two-hit games.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Wood Ducks 57-25 (.695) record is the second best in all of Minor League baseball. Their +118 run differential is sec-ond, while their 33 road wins are the most in MiLB.
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
GOING STREAKING: DIOSBEL ARIAS has now reached base safely in 30 consecutive games, becoming the fifth Wood Duck this year to tally a streak of 15 or more. Over that stretch Arias is batting .340 with an OBP of .466, including 23 walks. His streak is the longest by a Wood Duck this season, and longest active in the Carolina League. Only Nolan Jones (LYN, 34) and Zach Remillard (WS, 31) have had longer on-base streaks this year.
KING OF THE HILL: John King has been outstanding for the Wood Ducks since being promoted on May 10. King picked up his second win for the Woodies this season downing the Mudcats on Wednesday. In the pro-cess, the lefty lowered his ERA to 1.07. He has only allowed more than one earned run in one appearance this year. He also boasts a K/BB ratio of 8.0 (8 BB/40 K). That mark leads the Carolina League (min. 40 IP).
WALK THIS WAY: The Wood Ducks have been increasingly patient at the plate as the year has worn on. They walked 89 times in 26 games in the month of April and 94 times in 29 games in May. However, since the month of June began the Woodies have walked 116 times in just 27 games, including a season high nine walks worked last Sunday against Salem.
TERRY ON A TEAR: Curtis Terry turned it on offensively, going 11-for-25, with a home run, four doubles, and five RBI on the road trip, and hitting safely in all seven games. Four of his last six games have been multi-hit efforts. After starting 0-for-10 in the Carolina League, Terry has raised his average to .316 and now boasts an OPS of .886.
NO RUNS FOR YOU!: The Wood Ducks 2-0 shutout win over the Dash Monday was their 14th on the season, which is tied for the most in all of minor league baseball along with the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League. Down East's team ERA of 2.65 is also the best in MiLB with only five teams sporting a mark below 3.00.
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 nine 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 0.66 and a WHIP of 0.99.
FANTASTIC FIRSTS: The Wood Ducks have jumped out in front early and often this year, outscoring opponents 51-19 in the first inning of play. The Wood Ducks have scored first in 55 of their 82 game this season, go-ing 45-10 (.818). Down East has scored first in 24 of their last 31 games.
JP's JUNE: JP Martinez has picked it up at the plate in the month of June, slashing .307/.402/.480 in 22 games played. In the process he has raised his batting average from .163 to .214. The outfielder has now hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games.
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 237-178 .571
2. TEXAS RANGERS 231-174 .570
3. Pittsburgh Pirates 230-181 .560
SHOWTIME: Former Wood Duck Locke St. John made his MLB debut for the Rangers Tuesday getting a groundout and a flyout to retire the only two batters he faced. St. John becomes the seventh Wood Duck in three years to make it to the show. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez, Jeffrey Springs, C.D. Pelham, and Brett Martin, Joe Palumbo, and Pete Fairbanks. 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.
HI, NICE TO MEET YOU: Between promotions and injuries there has been a lot of turnover in the Wood Ducks roster this season. With Josh Altmann and Franklin Rollin playing their first game for the Woodies on Wednesday there have now been 43 different players to suit up for Down East this year.
Carolina League Stories from July 2, 2019
- Carolina Stifled Again in 1-0 Loss to Pelicans - Carolina Mudcats
- Red Sox Pummel Woodpeckers in Rain Shortened Contest - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Dedelow's Big Night Carries Dash over Wood Ducks - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wood Ducks Rally Falls Short Aginst Dash - Down East Wood Ducks
- Pelicans Blank Mudcats, Go for Sweep Wednesday - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- P-Nats, Blue Rocks Suspended in Wilmington - Potomac Nationals
- Hillcats and Keys Postponed on Tuesday - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Keys and Hillcats Postponed - Frederick Keys
- LHP Clayton Andrews assigned to Double-A Biloxi from Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- July 2 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (July 2 at Down East) - Winston-Salem Dash
- July 2 Transactions and Game Information - Down East Wood Ducks
- Wood Ducks to Wear Patriotic Caps July 4th Week with Proceeds Benefitting Military and Veterans - Down East Wood Ducks
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: July 2 vs. Carolina - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Madrigal, McClure and Walker Earn White Sox MiLB Player of the Month Honors - Winston-Salem Dash
- INF Wladimir Galindo activated from the 7-day Injured List - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Woodpeckers to Join MiLB in Celebrating Independence Day with Specialty Jersey and Cap - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
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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