
July 24 Game Information
July 24, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release
Following a rainout Tuesday, the Wood Ducks (18-13, 68-33) and Mudcats (16-16, 55-46) will begin their three-game series, with Camp Day at Grainger Stadium, presented by Lenoir Community College. Left-hander Sal Mendez (5-0, 2.17) will make the start for the Wood Ducks, opposed by Mudcats lefty Aaron Ashby (2-4, 4.12). First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and the broadcast will begin at 10:50 a.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: Sunday, the Woodies were unable to hold onto a 4-1 lead, as Craig Dedelow blasted two home runs, including a game-ty-ing shot in tenth inning, before JJ Muno lifted a walk-off sac fly in the 11th to lift the Dash to a 7-6 win. Bubba Thompson drove in three runs on a triple and a home run, while JP Martinez tallied a pair of hits, and stole a career-high three bases in the contest.
RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY: The Wood Ducks were canceled Monday in Winston-Salem and then postponed again on Tuesday against the Mudcats due to rain. The cancellation is the first of the season, while Tuesday's contest will be made up as a double-header on Thursday.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Wood Ducks loss to Winston-Salem Sunday was their first loss in 48 games when leading after seven innings of play.
BASHIN BUBBA: Since coming off the injured list, Bubba Thompson tripled, homered, and drove in a career-high three runs Sunday, and has hit safely in six consecutive games. He has gone 8-21 (.381) over that stretch with two home runs, six RBI and four stolen bases. Thompson hit eight home runs in 84 games played, stealing 32 bases for the Hickory Crawdads in 2018.
SUPER SAM: Sam Huff has now hit safely in ten straight games going 11-31 (.355), with four home runs, 5 RBI, 9 walks, 10 strikeouts dating back to July 9. Huff joins Curtis Terry and Yanio Perez as Wood Ducks to have hitting streaks of 10 games or more this season. All three streaks have come in the second half of play.
TERRY ON A TEAR: Curtis Terry has now hit safely in 23 of his last 26 games, including ten multi-hit games. He is now sporting a .959 OPS since joining Down East, June 21. Within that stretch was a 12-game hit streak (19-44, .432) which came to an end last 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 2.17 ERA, and as a starter that mark is just 1.67. Seven of Mendez' ten starts have been quality outings, and he has given up just three earned run in 20 innings (1.35 ERA) over three 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.
DEWD ON THE MOVE: Former Wood Duck right-hander Pete Fairbanks was traded by the Rangers to the Tampa Bay Rays last 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 So-lak, 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.
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 331-241 .579
2. TEXAS RANGERS 311-235 .570
3. Pittsburgh Pirates 311-254 .550
Carolina League Stories from July 24, 2019
- Pelicans Complete Comeback in Extras to Beat Keys - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Eighth Inning Miscues Plague Keys - Frederick Keys
- Homestand Preview 7/30-8/1 - Potomac Nationals
- Mudcats' Bats Quiet in 1-0 Loss in Kinston - Carolina Mudcats
- Rocks Split a Pair with Potomac - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Late Comeback Propels Dash to 8-6 Win at Salem - Winston-Salem Dash
- Small Ball Helps P-Nats Top Blue Rocks - Potomac Nationals
- Mendez Leads Woodies Past Carolina 1-0 - Down East Wood Ducks
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: July 24 at Frederick - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- July 24 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (July 24 at Salem) - Winston-Salem Dash
- July 24 Game Information - Down East Wood Ducks
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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