CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on July 20, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (8-17, 38-57) vs POTOMAC NATIONALS (16-9, 45-49)

July 20th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

Pfitzer Stadium

RHP Zeke Spruill (7-8, 3.06) vs LHP Danny Rosenbaum (5-4, 2.64)

THE HILLCATS: Tuesday, the 'Cats lost to the Potomac Nationals 1-0...again...Starting pitcher David Hale went the distance for the Hillcats in the losing effort, tossing eight innings allowing just one run on nine hits...Meanwhile, the Nationals used four pitchers to complete the shutout, going to the bullpen mid-inning in the sixth, seventh, and eighth...The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 8-16, 8.0 games back of the Nationals and Frederick Keys, who are tied atop the division...

VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats are 8-7 against the Nationals this season...They last met in Lynchburg last weekend, where in the series finale the Nationals fell behind 8-1 after three innings but went on to win the ball game 11-10...Potomac nearly erased a five-run deficit in the last two innings Sunday night but the Hillcats were able to hang on, stranding the winning run at second in the ninth...The road team is 10-5 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...

THE DL CATS: Since the start of the season, Lynchburg has had to send a player to disabled list 14 times (11 different players)...OF Adam Milligan officially hit the DL for the third time this year today...He is out with a right knee strain, the same knee he required surgery on back in 2008...His previous two DL stints were due to hamstring pulls, also on the right leg...On a positive note, INF Joe Leonard, who was initially held back from the road trip with chest pains has been cleared to play, joining the team yesterday...

SCORELESS AGAIN: For the first time since August 2 and 3, 2001, the Hillcats have been shut out in consecutive games, losing the past two nights 1-0...In 2011, the 'Cats have now been held scoreless 11 times...They have been shut out more times than any other team in the league and hold a league-worst shutout record of 6-11...Through just 25 second half games the 'Cats have been held scoreless six times, already surpassing their first half total...At this rate, Lynchburg is on pace to be shut out 16 times in the second half...They've only given up 11 runs in their shutout losses this half, losing 2-0, 4-0, 1-0, 2-0, 1-0, and 1-0...

HARDER TO SWALLOW: Last night, the Hillcats stranded 10 runners on base, seven in scoring position...As a team, they went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and failed to plate a runner from third with less than two outs four times...

BEST OF THE BRAVOS: Eight members of the Hillcats are ranked amongst the top 30 prospects in the Atlanta 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)...

SIMMERING HOT JULY: After posting his worst statistics of the season in June, SS Andrelton Simmons has been on fire so far in July...He has hit safely in 16 of 17 July contests with eight multi-hit games and is currently on a 10-game hit-streak, his third double-digit streak of the season...He's hitting .369 with eight runs scored and three runs driven in this month after posting a season-worst .258 clip in the month of June...

CAREER DAY FOR HALE: RHP David Hale had his best start of his young career last night...He went eight innings, eclipsing his previous game-high of five innings pitched...The 'Cats lost 1-0, so eight innings was good for his first complete game as well...In his start prior he had matched a career-high in strikeouts with seven...Relishing his new starter role, Hale has posted a 2.45 ERA, tossing 22.0 innings in four starts, but still holds a starting record of 0-2...In 15 relief appearances, he has posted a 5.64 ERA in 22.1 innings...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Danny Rosenbaum was selected in the 22nd round of the 2009 draft by the Nationals out of Xavier...Entered the 2011 season rated as the 23rd best player in the Nationals system by Baseball America...Was a midseason South Atlantic League All-Star while pitching for Hagerstown in 2010...Won South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for week of May 10-16...Promoted to Potomac midway through 2010...Made seven starts for Potomac in 2010...Started first game of this season against Lynchburg on April 9...Took loss, pitching five innings and giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits...Pitched complete game shutout against Wilmington on June 4, his first complete game and shutout of his career...Currently 5-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 16 starts this season...

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Carolina League Stories from July 20, 2011


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