CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on August 24, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (26-31, 56-71) vs MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (27-30, 67-59)

August 24th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

BB&T Coastal Field

LHP Chris Masters (8-5, 3.25) vs RHP Kennil Gomez (2-4, 3.83)

THE HILLCATS: Tuesday the 'Cats beat the Myrtle Beach Pelican 8-4 in extra innings...Lynchburg did not lead in the ball game until the 11th inning...INF Joe Leonard hit a bases loaded ground rule double in the 11th inning to put the Hillcats up 6-4...C Christian Bethancourt then singled home two more...LHP Ryan Buchter go t the final two outs in the ninth and pitched, blanked the Pelicans through the 11th to earn the win...The Hillcats are currently in third place in the Northern Division at 26-31, 8.5 games back of the Frederick Keys in first place...

VS. MYRTLE BEACH: The Hillcats are 8-10 against the Pelicans this season...This is the last series between the two this year...Lynchburg won the first series in Myrtle Beach 2-1 (May 13-15), it was the only home series the Pelican lost in the first half...In eight prior match-ups at BB&T Coastal Field this year, the 'Cats have been blanked three times, including both ends of a doubleheader July 27...The Hillcats are now affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Pelicans 2010 affiliation...Four active players on the Lynchburg roster spent time with Myrtle Beach a year ago...

FREE BASEBALL: For only the sixth time this season, the Hillcats went to extra innings last night...Winning 8-4 in the 11 innings, the 'Cats improved their extra inning record to 3-3 on the season...Lynchburg hadn't won an extra inning game since beating the Salem Red Sox 9-7 in 11 on June 1...LHP Ryan Buchter earned the win in that game as he did last night...The 'Cats have played in the second fewest extended contests this year...Only the Red Sox have gone to extra fewer times (5)...On the other hand, Myrtle Beach has now needed extra time for 18th time, they are 8-10 in those games...

WINNING WAYS: Lynchburg has won six of their last seven...Still hopeful of a playoff birth, the Hillcats are running short on time...With only 12 games left, the 'Cats are five games back of the Potomac Nationals for a date against the Frederick Keys in the postseason...Potomac will travel to Lynchburg next week for four games...

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 GO JOE: INF Joe Leonard not only tied the game in the ninth inning last night to keep the Hillcats alive, but delivered the go-head hit in the 11th inning as well...He finished the night 2-for-5, with two doubles and three RBI...He has now driven in 26 runs in his last 23 games going back to July 28...He is hitting .318 (28-for-88) in that span...Currently on a seven-game hit streak...

CLOSING DISTANCE: LHP Ryan Buchter went a season-high two and two-thirds innings last night...He held the Pelicans scoreless in a 4-4 tie from the ninth to the 11th and earned his second win of the season, both of which have come in extra inning games...He has now thrown over two innings just twice this year, and again both were out of necessity in tied extra inning ball games...His five strike out in last night win was also a season best...

PEN STREAKS: RHP Andrew Russell and RHP Jeremy Haynes both kept the Pelicans at bay last night while the offense mounted their come back...Both sport inflated ERAs, Russell (4.89) and Haynes (6.23), but they have figured something out recently...Russell is on a 10 inning scoreless streak...That includes two extended outings, last night's three inning performance, and a season-high four inning scoreless outing August 7, after starter Blaine Sims went down with injury in the third...Haynes' scoreless streak sits at nine and two-thirds innings over his last six plus outings...

EXTRA BASES: OF Geraldo Rodriguez went 2-for-5 last night with two RBI...Over his last 12 games he is hitting .310 (13-for-42) with seven extra base hits, five doubles and two home runs...He has hit safely in 10 of those 12 games and is currently on a six-game hitting streak, including a game he entered late Thursday night and went 1-for-1 in his only plate appearance...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Kennil Gomez was signed as a free agent by the Rangers on June 1, 2006 out of Bani, Dominican Republic...Spent all of 2009 and 2010 with High-A Bakersfield...Started all 26 games he played in 2009, and split time between the bullpen and rotation in 2010...Has made eight starts in 2011, and 24 relief appearances...Has made six relief appearances against Lynchburg this year...Pitched three and two-thirds innings in relief on July 28, giving up one run...0-0 with a 2.13 ERA against the Hillcats this season...Overall 2-4 with a 3.83 ERA...

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