CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on July 10, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


POTOMAC NATIONALS (9-8, 38-48) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (6-10, 36-50)

July 10th, 2011 -- 6:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

LHP Sammy Solis (1-0, 4.50) vs LHP Blaine Sims (2-3, 3.25)

THE HILLCATS: Saturday, the Hillcats beat the Potomac Nationals 8-3 in game one of their current seven-game homestand...Lynchburg scored six runs in the first two innings, and tallied 15 hits though the night (one shy of a season-high)...RHP Zeke Spruill earned his team-leading seventh win of the season, tossing his 10th quality start of the year (6.1 ip, 4 h, 3 r, 2 er, 2 bb, 5 k)..The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 6-10, 3. games back of the Frederick Keys...

VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats are 7-3 against the Nationals this season...Lynchburg has taken the last six match-ups in a row, sweeping a four-game (two doubleheaders) series in Potomac 5/28-5/29 in the last meeting, and winning their last two contests at City Stadium...The road team is 7-3 in the season series...Last year, Potomac took the season series 11-8 from Lynchburg...The former Braves Advanced-A affiliate, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, fared even worse dropping 14 of 20 to the Nationals a season ago...

SOMETHING HAD TO GIVE: The Hillcats went into the series opener against the Indians Wednesday with the league's best team batting average (.264), while Kinston boasted the second best ERA (3.22)...Great pitching ruled supreme over great offense, as the Indians' staff limited the Hillcats to just two runs and 12 hits over 23 innings during the three-game series...Kinston's Ace Drew Pomeranz highlighted the outstanding pitching, tossing seven scoreless in the opener, dropping his league-low ERA to 1.87...It would be Pomeranz' last start with Kinston as he was just promoted AA Akron yesterday...

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 seven miscues between the pair since the start of June, and none have been fielding (six 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)...

BACK AGAIN: C Braeden Schlehuber makes his return to catching tonight after missing the last month on the disabled list (he played the past two nights at designated hitter)...While trying to put down a sacrifice bunt on June 9, Schelhuber's right middle finger was struck by the pitch and squashed up against his bat... He was removed from the game as the impact caused his finger to burst, creating a laceration that would need 18 stitches...It was Schlehuber's second stint on the DL this season...He was on the shelf for nearly two weeks back in May with a sprained knee after Kinston's Justin Toole dove into his leg at home plate back on May 17...

QUALITY VS QUANTITY: RHP Zeke Spruill added six and one-third innings to his league leading total of 116.1 innings pitched this season last night...He's also started a league-most 18 games, and leads the league in complete games with four...The sheer quantity of work he is giving the Hillcats is staggering, but the quality makes it even better...Last night, he delivered his 10th quality start of the season, on his way to his seventh win of the year...Through 116.1 innings, he has only walked 18 and struck out 87 for a K/BB ratio of 4.83...His four complete games 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...

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 eight of the Hillcats first 15 games in the second half at catcher, including eight of the last nine (did not play in game one of the doubleheader Friday)...In his nine opportunities, McGill is 13-for-33 with two doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored...Currently on a season-high nine-game hitting streak...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Sammy Solis was selected in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Nationals out of the University of San Diego...First team All-West Coast Conference...Was 9-2 with a 3.42 ERA in his final collegiate season...Made two short starts for Hagerstown in 2010 after signing, pitching a total of four scoreless innings...Enters 2011 as the sixth best prospect in the Nationals organization according to Baseball America...Started the season with Low-A Hagerstown...Went 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA in seven starts for Hagerstown...Missed the first two months of the season with a groin injury...Made his first start May 30...Got the call up to Potomac July 5...Pitched six innings, giving up three runs, in his first start, July 5 against Wilmington...

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