Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
August 19, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
FREDERICK KEYS (33-20, 74-48) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (23-30, 53-70)
August 19th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM
Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium
LHP Rick Zagone (3-1, 2.21) vs LHP Matt Crim (1-8, 5.80)
THE HILLCATS: Thursday, the 'Cats beat the Frederick Keys 5-2...Lynchburg took advantage of five Frederick errors, including three from shortstop Manny Machado, scoring four unearned runs...The Keys out-hit the Hillcats 10-9 but couldn't overcome the defenses miscues...LHP Chris Masters struck out seven in six and two-thirds innings on his way to his eighth win of the season...The Hillcats are currently in third place in the Northern Division at 23-30, 10.0 games back of the Frederick Keys in first place...
VS. FREDERICK: The Hillcats are 9-8 against the Keys this season...This will be the final series between the two teams this season...So far, Frederick has won both previous series in Lynchburg 2-1, but the Hillcats took 6 of 10 games in Frederick this season...The road team is now 10-7 on the season series...
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Lynchburg snapped a three-game losing streak Tuesday night, and have now won three in a row and 12 of their last 19...They are still five games back of a playoff spot, chasing the Potomac Nationals in the Northern Division...The Hillcats have 16 games left this season to the Nationals 17 games...The 'Cats had a game canceled last weekend, so barring any more weather, there will be no tie...The two teams still have four head-to-head match-ups left...
FOUR ONCE MORE: Tonight the Hillcats try to extend a winning streak to four games for what would be just the second time this season...They beat the Potomac Nationals four times in a row, in back-to-back doubleheaders May 28-29...They've never won four straight nine-inning games this season...
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)...
I REMEMBER MY FIRST BOMB: SS Andrelton Simmons went 3-for-5 Wednesday night with an RBI and two runs scored...He was a double short of the cycle...It was the first time a Hillcat had tripled and homered in the same game all season...The homer was his first this year, and came on his 450th at-bat of the season...His last blast came August 17, 2010, exactly one year prior, with the Danville Braves against the Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League...He went 468 at-bats without a homer, and now has three in his career (all solo)...Last night, he went 1-for-2, and is now 7-for-12 over his last three games...
CLOSING TIME: RHP Mark Lamm converted his first save of his professional career last night sitting down three of four batters he faced in the ninth inning, securing the 5-2 win for the Hillcats...It was the first save opportunity for Lamm who was making just his 13th professional appearance (11th with Lynchburg)...A sixth round pick out of Vanderbilt this year, Lamm is the only 2011 draftee at the Advanced-A level for the Braves...While at Vanderbilt he saved just one game in three seasons...
GET'EM ON: OF L.V. Ware went 0-for-4 Wednesday night, and did not reach base, snapping a 14-game on-base streak...During the streak he hit ..326 (15-for-46) with three doubles, two triples, and two home runs...He's also been walked five times and hit twice...He raised his average from .242 to .254 and on-base percentage from .309 to .325...He's currently hitting .297 in August with eight RBI, just three shy of his best monthly total this season with 14 days left...
PUT HIM ON THE BOARD....YES: OF Keenan Wiley was called up from Low-A Rome on April 25th...He played in his 88th game with the Hillcats Wednesday night, going 1-for-3 with a walk...With those four plate appearances he finally caught up to the minimum necessary to qualify among the league leaders...He is hitting .288 after going 1-for-4 last night...Ranks third behind teammate Andrelton Simmons and former Winston-Salem Dash outfielder Jose Martinez who is now in AA and will no longer qualify after tonight...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER:LHP Rick Zagone was selected by the Orioles in the sixth round of the 2008 Draft out of the University of Missouri...Pitched his first career complete game in 2010 for Frederick...He was promoted to Bowie in June, 2010...Named to South Atlantic League North Division All-Star Team in 2009...Split time between Bowie and Frederick this season...Started the season with Bowie before joining Frederick for two games in mid-May...Sent back up to Bowie and stayed there until August 5 when he was transferred back to Frederick...Pitched against the Hillcats on May 12...Earned the win after allowing just one hit and striking out six in six innings...3-1 with a 2.21 ERA with Frederick this season...Overall 7-7 with a 4.38 ERA...
Carolina League Stories from August 19, 2011
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- Dash and Nationals Rained Out - Winston-Salem Dash
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