CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on July 14, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


WINSTON-SALEM DASH (9-10, 41-48) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (6-13, 36-53)

July 14th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

LHP Matt Wickswat (1-1, 2.73) vs RHP David Hale (1-3, 4.60)

THE HILLCATS: Tuesday, the 'Cats lost to the Winston-Salem Dash 4-2...LHP Chris Masters turned in a quality start, allowing just one run over six innings, but would take a no decision...Dash designated hitter Ian Gac was the difference maker...His three-run blast in the seventh was his league leading 22nd home run of the season, and it put the Dash up 4-1...The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 6-13, 5.0 games back of the Nationals...

VS. WINSTON-SALEM: The Hillcats are 3-7 against the Dash this season...The home team is 7-3 this year...Lynchburg has lost the last four meetings in a row...Winston-Salem took the season series 16-4 against the Hillcats in 2010...However, the Hill-City has welcomed a new affiliate in the Atlanta Braves this year...Last season the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (2010 Braves Advance-A affiliate) nearly split the season series with the Dash taking nine games of 20...

SINKING FAST: Over the last eight games, the Hillcats have scored 26 runs, not terrible...However, 18 of those 26 runs came in just two of those games, and the 'Cats lost on of those two 11-10...They are 1-7 over their last eight after a respectable 5-6 start to the second half...Still yet to reach the .500 mark in the second...Since the break, Lynchburg has been held to three or less runs in 10 of 19 contests...They have been shut out four times...Yet, they still rank second (.263) in team batting average only behind Myrtle Beach (.264) and lead the league in slugging (.404)...

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Lynchburg had compiled eight runs on eight hits, four of which left the yard, in the first three innings Monday night...With an 8-1 lead it appeared the Hillcats were going to cruise to an easy finale win over Potomac...However, the Nationals outscored the 'Cats 10-2 from the fourth inning on...Two crucial errors helped five unearned runs score for Potomac during that 10-2 run...The seven-run lead was the biggest blown lead of the season, eclipsing the Hillcats' previous mark of three by more than double, which they had done three times...On the series, Lynchburg scored 18 runs on 36 hits and lost the set 2-1...They were also shut out in the second game...

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 went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored last night...He has hit safely in 18 of his last 23 games going back to June 10...In that stretch he hitting .380 (30-for-79), with a three home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored...He's lifted his batting average from .263 to .290 in that time, and now ranks fourth in the league in batting behind his middle infield counter-part Andrelton Simmons at .303 (3rd)...This is the first time Gosselin has had his batting average at .290 or higher all season long...Currently on a four-game hitting streak...

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 nine of the Hillcats first 19 games in the second half at catcher...In his nine opportunities, McGill is 13-for-33 with two doubles, four RBI, and four runs scored...Currently on a season-high nine-game hitting streak...

THIS JUST IN: RHP Mark Lamm joined the Hillcats from Rookie-level Danville yesterday...Lamm is the first 2011 draftee to reach the Advanced-A level for the Braves...Drafted in the sixth round this season out of Vanderbilt, Lamm made two appearances with Danville, hitting one batter and striking out four while allowing no hits, no walks, and no runs through two single inning outings...In his Carolina League debut last night, Lamm struck out the side in order, including the top two home run hitters in the league, All-Stars Ian Gac and Andy Wilkins...Lamm takes the roster spot of C Braeden Schlehuber, who was just called up to AA Mississippi...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Matt Wickswat was signed by the White Sox as a non-drafted free agent July 9, 2008 after attending Santa Clara University...In 2010, ranked fifth among all White Sox minor leaguers with 116 strikeouts split between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem...In 2009, led the Pioneer League in ERA (3.84) and strikeouts (91)...Made three appearances for AA Birmingham this season...Spent most of season in bullpen, but has made two starts in July...Won Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 4-10...Has made two relief appearances against Lynchburg...Has pitched a combined five and one-third shutout innings, giving up five hits while striking out four...Currently 1-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 total games...

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Carolina League Stories from July 14, 2011


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