Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
July 8, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (5-8, 35-48) vs. KINSTON INDIANS (9-4, 47-35)
July 8, 2011 -- 4:00 PM
Historic Grainger Stadium
LHP Chris Masters (5-3, 3.42) vs. RHP Brett Brach (5-5, 2.80)
RHP David Hale (1-2, 5.13) vs T.J. House (5-7, 4.19)
THE HILLCATS: The Hillcats and Indians were rained out Thursday night...Wednesday night, the Hillcats lost to the Kinston Indians 3-1...LHP Drew Pomeranz allowed three hits to the Hillcats in the first two innings but escaped without surrendering a run, not allowing a hit for the next five frames...The 'Cats only run came off an eighth inning home run from L.V. Ware, his fifth of the season...The Hillcats currently sit in third place in the Northern Division at 5-8, 3.0 games back of the Potomac Nationals...
VS. KINSTON: The Hillcats are 3-9 against the Indians this season...Five of the 12 match-ups have seen one of the two clubs get shutout, while another three games the losing squad scored only one run...The Hillcats' three wins have all come from shutouts...Two of those three games started by RHP Zeke Spruill who will not appear in this series...Last year, Lynchburg, as an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, took the season series 14-6 over Kinston...
LET'S PLAY TWO: Today's doubleheader will be the fifth that the Hillcats have played this year...They hold the best record in the Carolina League in doubleheader games, at 7-1...In addition, they're 8-1 in seven innings games this season...Their only loss came June 14 against Wilmington...
WIN WITH PITCHING OR OFFENSE': The Hillcats came into the series opener against the Indians with the league's best team batting average (.264), while Kinston boasted the second best ERA (3.22)...The Indians were also throwing their ace starter, Drew Pomeranz...Pitching proved to be the winner, as Pomeranz tossed seven scoreless, lowering his individual ERA to 1.87 (still the league best), and helping his team's ERA drop to 3.19 to edge out Myrtle Beach (3.21) for the best in the league...The Hillcats' four-hit effort dropped their batting average to .262, and they fell behind the Pelicans (.264) into second...
ARE YOU IN GOOD HANDS: Lynchburg's primary middle infield pair this season has been SS Andrelton Simmons and 2B Phil Gosselin...Simmons, who was thought to be one of the best, if not the best defensive player in the 2010 draft, but also highly sought after for his 98 mph heater...And Gosselin, who was primarily an outfielder in college...The duo got off to a rocky start on the field committing a combined 23 errors in April and May...Things have turned around dramatically with just six miscues between the pair since the start of June, and none have been fielding (five throws and one missed catch)...
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 C Christian Bethancourt (12), 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)...
MR. 300 AGAIN: SS Andrelton Simmons went 1-for-4 Wednesday night, extending his current hitting streak to seven games...He is 11-for-26 with three RBI and four runs scored in that span...After posting a .211 clip through April 20, Simmons had raised his average to .311 by May 1 and didn't let it slip below .300 until June 14...After an 0-for-4 game June 29, his average dropped below .290 (.288) for the first time since April but a seven-game hitting streak that started June 30 has brought him back to an even .300...
GOING THE DISTANCE: RHP Zeke Spruill did it again Tuesday night...The bullpen got their fourth night off of the season, and each time it has been thanks to Spruill...His four complete games lead the Carolina League and match a Hillcats franchise record last reached in 1999 by LHP Sam McConnell...He currently ranks first in games started (17) and innings pitched (110) in the Carolina League...Of his 17 starts he has gone seven or more innings nine times, and he has eight quality starts on the season...
SECOND HALF SURGE: C Shawn McGill went into the All-Star break on an 0-for-18 slide...Since the three days off, he's been red hot...He's started seven of the Hillcats first 13 games in the second half at catcher, including all six games in July so far...In his seven opportunities, McGill is 10-for-26 with two doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored...Currently on a season-high seven game hitting streak...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER GAME 1: RHP Brett Brach was selected in the tenth round of the 2009 draft by the Indians out of Monmouth University...Spent most of 2010 in Low-A Lake County...Ranked fourth in the Midwest League in lowest walks per inning pitched (2.03)...His older brother, Brad, is currently pitching for AA San Antonio in the Padres system...Made spot-start for AA Akron on April 19...Pitched six innings and only gave up two hits...Earned win against Lynchburg on April 29, pitching five and one-third shutout innings...Took loss on May 16 at home against Lynchburg, giving up eight runs on six hits in four and two-thirds innings pitched...Pitched against Lynchburg on June 17, giving up two runs on seven hits in four innings, and took the loss...Currently 6-5 with a 2.61 ERA for Kinston...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER GAME 2:LHP TJ House was selected in the 16th round of the 2008 draft out of Picayune (MS) Memorial High School...Spent all of 2010 with Kinston...Tied for third in the Carolina League in starts (26), Fifth in innings pitched (135.2) and eighth in ERA (3.91)...In 2009 while playing for Lake County, ranked fourth among qualifying Indians minor league pitchers with a 3.15 ERA...Faced Lynchburg on May 17...Earned a win, giving up three runs on eight hits in six innings pitched...Earned win against Lynchburg on June 18, pitching six shutout inning...Currently 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA...
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Carolina League Stories from July 8, 2011
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- K-Tribe Sweeps Lynchburg 6-1, 1-0 - Kinston Indians
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- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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