CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on May 11, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


FREDERICK KEYS (16-14) @ LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (11-18)

May 11th, 2011 -- 6:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

LHP Nathan Moreau (2-2, 3.33) vs. RHP Zeke Spruill (1-2, 3.44)

THE HILLCATS: Tuesday the Hillcats beat to the Frederick Keys 8-3...With the win the 'Cats are still just 4-8 at home this season and are 5-5 in series openers...Lynchburg took sole possession of third place in the Carolina League Northern Division after the win and Potomac's loss yesterday to Winston-Salem, now 11-18 and 5.5 games back the first place Wilmington Blue Rocks...

VS. FREDERICK: The Hillcats are 4-1 this season against the Keys...Lynchburg nearly swept Frederick in their last series, a four-game set in Frederick 4/21-24, but lost the series finale 2-1...In 2010, Lynchburg lost the season series 8-12...However, the Hillcats have switched affiliations since last season...The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (2010 Braves Advance-A affiliate) split the season series with the Keys 10-10...

PLEASE BE CAREFUL: Saturday night in Winston-Salem, OF Adam Milligan left the game with a tight hamstring and INF Andrelton Simmons left with a sore back...It was found out after the game was over the INF Matt Weaver had broken his thumb...All three players were unavailable for Sunday's series finale, forcing new catcher Jace Whitmer to play as the designated hitter, and warm-up pitcher's in the bullpen, since there were no healthy position players available on the bench...Yesterday, Milligan and Weaver were placed on the disable list, Simmons didn't play as he is still day-to-day, and in case that wasn't enough, INF Joe Leonard was at home sick...

HITTIN' THE ROAD: The Hillcats' bats caught fire during their recent road trip hitting .323 (81-for-251) as a team over seven games...Lynchburg collected 9 or more hits in all seven games and scored 38 runs, averaging 5.43 per game, well over their 3.14 runs per game average entering the trip...Last Tuesday's 11-run effort set a season high for the Green & Gold...Included in that 11-run showcase, was a six-run eighth frame on six-hits which each set season highs for a single inning...All nine batters came to the plate in that eighth inning, marking the first time the 'Cats had batted around the order all season...As a team now hitting .255 on the year, the Hillcats boast the third best clip in the Carolina League...Individually, OF Adam Milligan was the first Hillcat this season to have four hits in a single game as he homered, doubled, and singled twice in five chances last Tuesday...OF Todd Cunningham, just a day later, matched the four-hit effort, going 4-for-4 Wednesday night in Wilmington...

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...

REMEMBER ME': INF/OF Geraldo Rodriguez played part of the 2009 season and all of 2010 in the Carolina League, with the previous Advanced-A Braves affiliate, Myrtle Beach Pelicans...Through 60 games in 2009, Rodriguez hit .281 with the Pelicans...Last season, he hit.253, with 13 home runs, and 53 RBI through 85 games, earning a promotion in 2011, as he started the year with AA-Mississippi...Hitting just .224 for Mississippi this season, Rodriguez has been sent to Lynchburg to help a Hillcats team plagued by injury...He made his 2011 Carolina League debut last night against Frederick, after arriving earlier that afternoon and went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a runs scored...He hit just .204 (10-for-49) in 13 games against the Keys last season...

ENTER TODD CUNNINGHAM: OF Todd Cunningham has batted leadoff the past six games for the Hillcats, welcoming the roll Simmons seems to be happy to relinquish, posting a .625 clip (15-for-24) during the stretch...The Hillcats record hasn't reflected Cunningham's success as they are just 2-4 over the last six...Cunningham began the season as the everyday three-hole hitter, a spot in which he hit just .231 (15-for-65) in 17 games...He has also his second five times, batting .176 (3-for-17)...L.V. Ware acted as leadoff for the 12 games between Simmons' tenure and the recent stretch for Cunningham...Ware has hit .302 (16-for-53) while batting first, so the revolving door at the top of the order may still be spinning...

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: C Braeden Schlehuber was named the Carolina League's Offensive Player of the Week, for May 2-8...He batted .455 (10-for-22) with two home runs, four doubles, six RBI, and six runs scored during the week to earn the honor...He was the first Hillcat to receive a Player of the Week award this season...Schlehuber has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games now...He snapped a six-game hitting streak Sunday in Winston-Salem (0-for-3)...He is 14-for-34 (.412) in his last 10 games with two three-hit games...He has driven in six including the go-ahead run Wednesday night in Wilmington in the seventh inning and two ninth inning RBI, one Friday and one Saturday in Winston-Salem...He homered on Friday and Saturday as well, his first two of the season...Defensively, he has thrown out 36.4% of base stealers (12 of 33), and he has yet to allow a pass ball in 20 games this season...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER : LHP Nathan Moreau was selected in the 11th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Georgia...Was named the Orioles Organizational Pitcher of Month in May, 2010 while pitching for Delmarva...Pitched a nine-inning no-hitter for the Keys on June 30, 2010 against Salem...Currently 2-2 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts...

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Carolina League Stories from May 11, 2011


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