CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcasts Game Notes

Published on April 30, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


THE HILLCATS: Friday night the Hillcats lost their series opener against the Kinston Indians 2-0...Three pitchers combined to shut out the Hillcats, it was just the second time this season the ‘Cats had been held scoreless...Lynchburg continues to look up from fourth place in the Carolina League Northern Division, now 6-13...

VS. KINSTON: Last night Kinston took the victory giving them the season advantage 1-0...Lynchburg took the 2010 season series 14-6...However, the Hillcats have switched affiliations since last season...The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (2010 Braves Advance-A affiliate) lost the season series 8-12 against the Indians a season ago...

BEATEN BY THE BEST: After taking two from Wilmington Wednesday night, the Hillcats are still just 2-10 against teams with winning records this season...The Salem Red Sox, who currently hold the best record in the Carolina League at 13-5, are 6-0 against Lynchburg...Myrtle Beach, currently at 13-6, swept the ‘Cats in three games in Lynchburg...On the other hand, the Hillcats are 4-3 against team's with a .500 record or worse (3-1 vs. Frederick, 1-1 vs. Potomac, and 0-1 vs. Kinston)...

WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: The Hillcats stranded eight runners last night against Kinston as they went scoreless through nine frames...In addition to stranding eight runners, Lynchburg hit into three double plays giving them 13 on the season now, good for second-most in the league behind only Kinston (18)...Five of the eight runners were stranded in scoring position...The ‘Cats were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and are now hitting just .168 as a team in those situations...Their .168 clip is the worst in the league trailing the Frederick Keys with the second-lowest mark by .64 points (.232)...

WELCOME TO LYNCHBURG: The Hillcats called up two pitchers, LHP Blaine Sims and RHP Ryan Weber, from Class-A Rome Thursday 4/21 after RHP Yeliar Castro was promoted to Class- AA Mississippi and RHP Cory Rasmus was placed on the disabled list...Neither Sims, nor Weber had prior experience at the Advanced-A level...Sims' debut could not have been better as he pitched four perfect innings of relief Sunday in Frederick, while striking out five...Weber made his debut last night, it wasn't perfect but still very good as he delivered four innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out one...Neither factored into the decisions as the Hillcats trailed throughout each of their outings...Another call up from Rome, RHP Dan Jurik, joined the club Wednesday and made his debut last night, allowing three hits but no runs in his one inning of relief as he was helped by a 6-4-3 double play and a back pick at second base courtesy of his catcher Braeden Schlehuber...

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Hillcats played mistake-free baseball last night but still lost 2-0 as the offense was unable to come through in key situations...On the season, the Hillcats have committed 25 errors through their first 19 games, tied for the most in the league with Winston-Salem...The past three flawless games however raised the team fielding percentage back above .960 (.965) however, it is still worst in the league...The errors have not gone unpunished, as the Hillcats staff has surrendered 21 unearned runs, also most in CL and seven more than Wilmington with second most...17 of the errors have come up the middle of the infield...Andrelton Simmons is responsible for eight miscues at shortstop in 18 games, and Matt Weaver in his one game at short added another error to the position as well as one at second base...The other seven errors up the middle have come at the expense of Phil Gosselin at second base...

BEST OF THE BRAVOS: Eight members of the Hillcats are ranked amongst the top 30 prospects in the Braves organization according to Baseball America...That list includes RHP Arodys Vizcaino (7), SS Andrelton Simmons (15), RHP David Hale (17), RHP Dimasther Delgado (18), OF Todd Cunningham (20), OF Adam Milligan (22), INF Joe Leonard (23) and 2B Phil Gosselin (25)...Vizcaino was tabbed the 93rd best prospect in all of baseball by BA as well...

NOT JUST A GLOVE: C Braeden Schlehuber has not allowed a pass ball all season and has thrown out seven of 19 stealing baserunners...However, heading into last night's game, he was only hitting .143 (5-for-35)...Last night, he delivered his first multi-hit game, going 3-for-3 improving his average by .68 points (.211)...He has played in six of the Hillcats last 10 games and is hitting .300 (6-for-)20 in that span...

CAREFUL, THE GOOSE IS HOT: INF Phil Gosselin went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles last night...He is now 10-for-21 over his last six games...Somehow, he has only driven in one run and scored one run in that span...The Hillcats continue to squander scoring opportunities as a unit but ‘Goose' is hitting .294 individually with runners in scoring position, however was not up in a situation to drive in runs Friday...He did double with Todd Cunningham on first and nobody out but Cunningham was held up at third...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER : RHP Toru Murata was signed by the Indians in December, 2010 as a minor-league free agent from the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Eastern League, a Japanese Minor League...He was a first round pick in the 2007 Japan Draft...He did not start a game for the Giants, but compiled a 2-10 record with a 4.56 ERA over three seasons...He is making his first start for the Indians today, though he has made two relief appearances and is 0-1 with one save and has a 9.00 ERA...

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Carolina League Stories from April 30, 2011


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