CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

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


FREDERICK KEYS (33-21, 74-49) vs LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (24-30, 54-70)

August 20th, 2011 -- 6:05 PM

Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium

LHP Nick Haughian (8-6, 3.53) vs RHP David Hale (3-5, 3.81)

THE HILLCATS: Friday, the 'Cats beat the Frederick Keys 4-2...LHP Matt Crim surrendered just two runs over five innings, both coming on a two-run home run for Bobby Stevens in the third inning, which tied the game...Joe Leonard put the Hillcats back on top in the bottom of third with an RBI double...Lynchburg led the rest of the way, but faced a scare in the eighth when with the tying runs on base and two outs, Marcus Lemon made a circus catch against the wall in left to end the late threat...The Hillcats are currently in third place in the Northern Division at 24-30, 9.0 games back of the Frederick Keys in first place...

VS. FREDERICK: The Hillcats are 10-8 against the Keys this season...So far, Frederick has won both previous series in Lynchburg 2-1, but with Lynchburg taking the first two of the current series, they will at least split this time around...The Hillcats took 6 of 10 games in Frederick this season...The road team is now 10-8 on the season series...

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Lynchburg snapped a three-game losing streak Tuesday night, and have now won four in a row and 13 of their last 20...They are still 4.5 games back of a playoff spot, chasing the Potomac Nationals in the Northern Division...The Hillcats have 15 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, August 30-September 2...

STRIVE FOR FIVE: Tonight the Hillcats try to extend a winning streak to five games for the first time this season...They beat the Potomac Nationals four times in a row, in back-to-back doubleheaders May 28-29...In their only other attempt at five straight back on May 30, the 'Cats lost on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in Salem...

FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS: The Frederick Keys own a league-best 74-49 record this season...Conversely, the Hillcats currently claim the worst record in the league at 54-70 overall...However, Lynchburg at 10-8 is the only team with a winning record against the Keys 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)...

EXTRA BASES: OF Geraldo Rodriguez went 2-for-4 last night with two doubles and two RBI...Over his last 10 games he is hitting .294 (10-for-34) with six extra base hits, five doubles and a home run...He has hit safely in eight of those 10 games and is currently on a four-game hitting streak, including a game he entered late Thursday night and went 1-for-1 in his only plate appearance...

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-4, and is now 8-for-16 during his current four-game hitting streak...

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...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: LHP Nick Haughian was selected in the ninth round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Washington...Spent all of 2010 with Delmarva...Finished second among Delmarva pitchers in strikeouts (90)...Was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 6-12...Faced the Hillcats three times this season...Pitched seven shutout innings to earn win on June 10, giving up only three hits and striking out nine...Pitched just as effectively in his second start against the cats on June 30...Pitched six shutout innings, giving up five hits and striking out five...Took loss on August 3, giving up five runs, three earned in seven innings pitched...Currently 8-6 with a 3.53 ERA...

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