Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
Published on July 21, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (9-17, 39-57) vs SALEM RED SOX (11-15, 42-53)
July 21st, 2011 -- 7:05 PM
LewisGale Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark
LHP Blaine Sims (3-4, 3.07) vs LHP Chris Hernandez (8-5, 2.87)
THE HILLCATS: Wednesday, the 'Cats beat the Potomac Nationals 3-1...LHP Dimasther Delgado made a spot start for RHP Zeke Spruill, his first start since June 27...He earned the win tossing six scoreless frames...Phil Gosselin hit his fifth home run of the season and fourth off the Nationals in the first inning putting the 'Cats up 2-0...Gosselin finished 1-for-3 with all three RBI for Lynchburg...The Hillcats currently sit in fourth place in the Northern Division at 9-16, 7.0 games back of the Nationals and Frederick Keys, who are tied atop the division...
VS. SALEM: The Hillcats are 4-10 against the Red Sox this season...This will be the last trip for Lynchburg to Salem Memorial Ballpark this year...The Red Sox have won five of seven so far when hosting the Hillcats...Last season, the Red Sox took the season series 11-8 over Lynchburg...Myrtle Beach (2010 Braves Advanced-A affiliate) fared worse against Salem, winning just five of the 20 match-ups...
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 Wednesday...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 current road trip with chest pains has been cleared to play, joining the team Tuesday and making his return to the lineup Wednesday going 0-for-3 with a strikeout...
SCORING ISSUES: For the first time since August 2 and 3, 2001, the Hillcats were shut out in consecutive games, losing Monday and Tuesday 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 26 second half games the 'Cats have been held scoreless six times, already surpassing their first half tota...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...Last night, a two-run homer for Phil Gosselin in the top of the frist snapped a streak of 20 innings without a run for the 'Cats...Besides the shut outs the Hillcats have been held three or less runs 15 times since the All-Star break and are averaging just 3.23 runs per game...
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 17 of 18 July contests with eight multi-hit games and is currently on a 11-game hit-streak, his third double-digit streak of the season...He's hitting .368 with 10 runs scored and three runs driven in this month after posting a season-worst .258 clip in the month of June...He leads the league in hits with 106, and ranks third in average at .306...
CAREER DAY FOR HALE: RHP David Hale had his best start of his young career Tuesday...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...
SAVE THOSE ARMS: RHP Zeke Spruill was skipped in the rotation yesterday due to how many innings he's thrown this season...It was the first start he's missed all year...Leading the league with 123.2 innings pitched, Spruill has nearly doubled his innings count from last season already...He missed two months with a broken hand in 2010...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Chris Hernandez was selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft by the Red Sox out of the University of Miami...Went 10-3 with a 2.64 ERA in his final season with the Hurricanes...Led the ACC in ERA, and was third in strikeouts (110)...Was named to the All-ACC First Team twice (2008, 2010) and All-ACC Second Team once (2009)...Appeared in one professional game in 2010, allowing one run in a two-inning outing for Lowell...Named to 2011 Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star Team...Has faced the Hillcats three times this season...Gave up one unearned run on one hit in five innings in win on April 14...On April 19, gave up one unearned run on three hits in win...Gave up one earned run on four hits in no-decision on June 9...Currently 8-5 with a 2.87 ERA...
Carolina League Stories from July 21, 2011
- Pelicans Rally Past Blue Rocks - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Offensive Woes Continue for 'Cats, Fall 7-1 - Hill City Howlers
- Wild Seventh Inning Gives Birds Series Win - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Salem Pounds 12 Hits in 7-1 Victory - Salem RidgeYaks
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Hill City Howlers
- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash Announce Friday's T.V. Commentator - Winston-Salem Dash
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
