Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
August 25, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (27-31, 56-71) vs MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (27-31, 67-59)
August 25th, 2011 -- 7:05 PM
BB&T Coastal Field
RHP David Hale (3-6, 4.50) vs RHP Justin Grimm (4-2, 3.84)
THE HILLCATS: Wednesday the 'Cats beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3-2...Lynchburg turned four 6-4-3 double plays in the game, three of which ended innings with multiple runners on base...LHP Chris Masters earned his ninth win of the season tossing five and one-third innings, allowing just one run...OF L.V. Ware had the only multi-hit game for the 'Cats who put up nine knocks as a unit...Ware went 2-for-4 with an RBI...The Hillcats are currently in third place in the Northern Division at 27-31, 8.5 games back of the Frederick Keys in first place...
VS. MYRTLE BEACH: The Hillcats are 9-10 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 Pelicans lost in the first half...In nine 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, but overall are 5-4 when visiting the beach...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...
WINNING WAYS: Lynchburg has won seven of their last eight games...Still hopeful of a playoff birth, the Hillcats are running short on time...With only 11 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)...
CARVING CARDENAS: RHP Eliecer Cardenas earned his sixth save of the season last night with two scoreless innings...It was his 28th game finished this year, which ranks fourth in the league...He lowered his ERA to a minuscule 0.85 (five earned runs in 53 innings pitched)...Among relievers he holds the lowest batting average against (.159) in the circuit and second-highest strikeout per nine innings pitched (11.89), despite not fanning a batter last night...It was just the sixth time in 37 appearances that he had failed to do so, and it was his first appearance of more than one inning without a strikeout...
YOU GO JOE: INF Joe Leonard went 1-for-3 last night with a walk and a strikeout, extending his current hit-streak to eight games...He failed to drive in any runs but Tuesday night he knocked in the tying and go ahead runs (three total) to push the 'Cats past the Pelicans in extras..He has driven in 26 runs in his last 24 games going back to July 28...He is hitting .319 (29-for-91) in that span...
PEN STREAKS: RHP Andrew Russell and RHP Jeremy Haynes both kept the Pelicans at bay Tuesday 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...
G-'HOT'ROD: OF Geraldo Rodriguez went 1-for-3 last night with a walk and two strikeouts...Over his last 13 games he is hitting .311 (14-for-45) with seven extra base hits, five doubles and two home runs...He has hit safely in 11 of those 13 games and is currently on a seven-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 Justin Grimm was selected in the fifth round of the 2010 draft by the Rangers out of the University of Georgia...Signed at the deadline on August 16...Did not play professionally in 2010...Was 7-12 with a 5.84 ERA in his final season with UGA...Struck out 172 batters in 186.1 innings pitched in three years at Georgia...Split time between Low-A Hickory and Myrtle Beach this season...2-1 with a 3.40 ERA in Hickory...Promoted to Myrtle Beach May 27...Made three starts against Lynchburg this season...Earned win June 3...Pitched six and two-third innings, giving up one run on six hits and striking out six...Took loss July 4, pitching seven innings and giving up four runs on nine hits while striking out eight...Pitched six shutout innings in win on July 27...Currently 4-2 with a 3.84 ERA in nine starts with Myrtle Beach...
Carolina League Stories from August 25, 2011
- 'Cats Lose on Three Straight Walks - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Bumbry, Machado Blast Keys Past K-Tribe - Frederick Keys
- Birds Put the Walk in Walk-Off, Win in 12 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash Take First Place with 14-0 Evisceration - Winston-Salem Dash
- Dash Demolish Red Sox 14-0 - Salem Red Sox
- K-Tribe Falls from First with 7-2 Loss - Kinston Indians
- Kyle Bellamy Joins Friday's TV Broadcast - Winston-Salem Dash
- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Local Band GB4 Added to Saturday's Festivities at Grainger Stadium - Kinston Indians
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes - Winston-Salem Dash
- Dash Announce Activities for "Fan Appreciation Week" - 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.
