CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on July 28, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (11-21, 41-61) vs MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (17-16, 57-45)

July 28th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

BB&T Coastal Field

RHP Aaron Shafer (3-3, 3.05) vs RHP Barret Loux (8-5, 3.33)

THE HILLCATS: Tuesday, the 'Cats dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 5-0 and 4-0..The Hillcats only had four hits all night, and never had a runner reach third base while getting shutout in back-to-back games for the second time this road trip...RHP Zeke Spruill threw his fifth complete game of the season, tossing six innings and taking the loss in game one...LHP Blaine Sims only lasted three and two-thirds innings in game two, giving up four earned runs...The Hillcats are currently tied for third place in the Northern Division at 11-21 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, 10.0 games back of the Frederick Keys in first place...

VS. MYRTLE BEACH: The Hillcats are 7-9 against the Pelicans this season...Last time the Hillcats were in Myrtle Beach, they became the first club to take a series from the Pelicans on the road this season,and they remain one of just two to do so this year...The Pelicans currently boast the league's best home record at 35-14...After being swept in the twinbill last night, the Hillcats are 3-3 at Myrtle Beach...Lynchburg is currently affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, Myrtle Beach's 2010 affiliate...Six active members of the Hillcats roster spent some time in Myrtle Beach last year, while five other players on the disabled list donned a Pelican uniform as well in 2010...

SCORING ISSUES: Lynchburg was held scoreless in both games of last night's doubleheader against Myrtle Beach, marking the second time in just over a week the 'Cats have been shutout in consecutive games...Before this past week, the last time the Hillcats had suffered back-to-back shutouts was August 2 and 3, 2001...In 2011, the 'Cats have now been held scoreless 13 times...They have been shut out more times than any other team in the league and hold a league-worst shutout record of 6-13...Through just 32 second half games the 'Cats have been held scoreless eight times, already surpassing their first half total...They've been held to three or less runs 18 times since the All-Star break and 1-17 in those games (3-1 @ POT, 7/20)...Currently averaging 3.06 runs per game (98runs/32 games) in the second half...

DOUBLE TROUBLE: The Pelicans served the Hillcats their second doubleheader sweep of the season last night, and second since the All-Star break...In the first half the 'Cats swept three doublheaders and split another, but in the second half they are 0-4 in doubleheader contests, scoring just one run on 12 hits through those 28 innings...

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)...

YOU CAN PUT THIS ONE IN THE BUCHS: LHP Ryan Buchter has been perfect in the closing role this season for the Hillcats since being acquired from the Cubs in a minor league trade for Rodrigo Lopez...He is 10-for-10 in save chances but has fallen on the rough times recently..Through his first 13 appearances, he tossed 16.2 innings, allowed just four runs, three earned, never allowing multiple runs in any one outing...He has surrendered two earned runs in three of six appearances since...His ERA in that span has more than doubled from 1.62 to 3.47, however, he is still 3-for-3 in save chances during the stretch...

HILLCATS HISTORY: RHP Zeke Spruill threw his fifth complete game of the season in game one last night...He now holds the record for most complete games in a season since Lynchburg adopted the Hillcats moniker in 1995...Spruill only needed to throw six innings for the complete game last night as the Hillcats lost 5-0 in a seven-inning game...He's 3-2 when going the distance, and the distance has been different almost each time...He has two nine-innings complete game, an eight-inning, seven-inning and now a six-inning as well...None have been weather shortened but two were doubleheader games...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER:RHP Barret Loux was the sixth overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2010 draft out of Texas A&M...Loux was not signed by the Diamondbacks after the team discovered he had a torn labrum, and was granted free agency by the commissioner...He signed with the Rangers on November 19...Named Louisville Slugger Third-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big 12 in 2010...Went 11-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 136 Ks for the Aggies in 2010...Pitched five innings, giving up two runs while striking out four, in a win against the Hillcats on April 16...On May 13, gave up six runs in four and two-thirds innings pitched against Lynchburg in Myrtle Beach...Gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings on June 4...Earned win on July 5, giving up two runs on nine hits in five innings pitched...Currently 8-5 with a 3.33 ERA...

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