CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

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


POTOMAC NATIONALS (10-8, 39-48) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (6-11, 36-51)

July 11th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

RHP Paul Demny (6-7, 3.86) vs RHP Aaron Shafer (2-2, 2.34)

THE HILLCATS: Sunday, the Hillcats lost to the Potomac Nationals 2-0...The Nationals took advantage a wild pitch and pass ball in the third inning to go up 1-0...That was all LHP Sammy Solis needed and he tossed seven scoreless innings to improve to 2-0 in two starts with Potomac...Potomac added their second run on an RBI double in the sixth...LHP Blaine Sims went six strong innings for Lynchburg but took his fourth loss, despite the quality start...The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 6-11, 3.5 games back of the Nationals...

VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats are 7-4 against the Nationals this season...Last night snapped a streak of six straight wins against Potomac for the Hillcats...The road team is 8-3 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...

DAY AND NIGHT: After exploding for 15 hits and eight runs Saturday night to take the series opener, the Hillcats' bats went silent on Sunday as Potomac shutout the 'Cats 2-0...Lynchburg has now been shut out nine times, tied for most in the league with Kinston...They have the second worst record in shutout games at 6-9, better than only the Nationals who are now 5-8...Despite hitting .262 on the season, second-best in the league, and 13 points higher than any other team int he league except Myrtle Beach, the Hillcats have scored the third fewest runs in the league to date...

DOWNWARD TRENDS: With the current series tied 1-1, tonight's contest with be the sixth rubber match for the Hillcats this season....They have not fared will in deciding game threes, with just a 1-5 record so far...On top of that, Lynchburg is just 4-20 in series finales this season...Overall, the Hillcats are 3-11 in three-game series...

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)...

THE GOOSE IS LOOSE: INF Phil Gosselin has hit safely in 16 of his last 21 games going back to June 10...In that stretch he hitting .375 (27-for-72), with a home run, eight doubles, 12 RBI, and nine runs scored...He's lifted his batting average from .263 to .287 in that time, and now ranks fifth in the league batting behind his middle infield counter-part Andrelton Simmons at .302 (4th)...

BACK AGAIN: C Braeden Schlehuber went 0-4 in his return to catching last night after missing the last month on the disabled list...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...He played in the two games prior to last night at designated hitter, and is currently 0-for-10 since being activated...

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 17 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...

THIS JUST IN: OF Adam Milligan was activated from the DL today and will start in left field....He had been out since June 26 with a pulled hamstring...He is currently on a 10-game hitting streak...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Paul Demny was selected in the sixth round of the 2008 draft by the Nationals out of Blinn (TX) Junior College...Pitched solely in relief in college, but converted to a starter for the GCL Nationals...Had a 2.3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2009...Faced the Hillcats twice this season...Gave up six runs, five earned, on seven hits in two and two-thirds innings pitched in loss on May 22...Gave up six runs, all earned, on six hits, in four innings pitched in loss on May 28...Currently 6-7 with a 3.86 ERA...

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