Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
Published on July 9, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (9-9, 43-45) vs. CAROLINA MUDCATS (10-9, 39-47)
Wednesday, July 9, 2014 -- 7:05 PM
Calvin Falwell Field at City Stadium
RHP Jarett Miller (4-6, 4.25) vs. RHP Michael Peoples (5-7, 4.66)
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: In the bottom of the sixth inning last night a transformer was struck by lightning and the majority of the stadium lights went out...The game was delayed until it was determined that the power would not come back on in a timely manner and the game needed to be suspended...The game will continue from where we left off last night at 6:05pm tonight...The score is tied 3-3 between the Hillcats and Mudcats...3B Kevin Ahrens is the batter with nobody on base and two outs...The Mudcats still had their starter LHP Ryan Merritt in the game when the power went out...The Hillcats had already gone to the bullpen...LHP Daniel Watts pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out three...RHP Zach Jadofsky relieved him and finished the sixth retiring two straight batters...The Hillcats scored their three runs with four consecutive singles in the second inning and a sac fly...Carolina scored once in the first inning, again in the fifth, and then LF LeVon Washington tied the score with a solo shot to lead off the sixth...After last night's game is completed, a nine-inning game will follow as regularly scheduled...The Hillcats are still tied for first place in the Northern Division at 9-9 going into play tonight...
VS. CAROLINA: The Hillcats are 3-7 against the Mudcats this season...Carolina has swept the Hillcats twice this year, once May 5-7 in Lynchburg and again last week July 1-3 in Carolina...Lynchburg won the only other series 2-1 in Carolina May 12-14...The Mudcats offense has been incredible against Lynchburg, batting .312 (111-for-356) while averaging almost 7.3 runs per game...The Hillcats hold a 6.62 ERA in the season series...C Alex Monsalve terrorized the Hillcats last week going 7-for-12 with two doubles and seven RBIs, and went 1-for-4 last night with another RBI...INF Eric Garcia has been especially successful against the Mudcats this season batting .360 (9-for-25) in seven games with two doubles, a triple, seven RBIs, and eight runs scored...
MASHING MARTINEZ: LF Jose Martinez went 3-for-4 Monday night with a double, two RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base...It was his third three-hit game of the season, and he's only played in 16 games for the Hillcats...He has at least one hit in 14 games so far and is batting .393 (24-for-61) with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, nine runs scored, and he is 3-for-3 in steal attempts...He's also struck out just eight times, while walking seven times...The 2013 Southern League All-Star batted .285 for Double-A Mississippi last year, but was release in the offseason...He was signed again this year after beginning the year in independent ball...
DEFENSIVE WOES: The Hillcats have committed eight errors over their last three games, including three Monday night...These errors have led to eight unearned runs...They now have 20 miscues in 18 second half games after committing just 59 in 70 first half games...The 'Cats still rank tied for third in fielding percentage in the league (.976) two points behind Frederick (.978)...Former Hillcats SS Daniel Castro still holds the best fielding percentage among qualifying shortstops in the league (.978)...He committed seven errors in 70 games...In the 11 games since his promotion to Double-A, there have been three errors at shortstop, two by INF Eric Garcia and another by INF Emerson Landoni...
SERIES PLAY: The Hillcats improved to 15-12 in series openers Monday...They are 10-2-2 in series in which they win the opening game, just losing their second such series over the weekend to Frederick after winning the opener Friday night...The only other series loss for the 'Cats after winning game one was April 18-21 to the Potomac Nationals who took the final three games of a four-game series...Those three losses kicked off the season-worst 10-game losing streak for Lynchburg...
WIN THE CLOSE ONES: The Hillcats are now 17-10 in one-run games after Monday night's 5-4 victory...Only the Potomac Nationals are better in such games at 19-9, and the 'Cats are 2-4 against the 'Nats in one-run affairs...
MISTAKES USUALLY COST YA: Despite three errors last night, the Hillcats held on to win bringing their record when committing multiple errors to 5-13...When their opponents have multiple miscues, the 'Cats are 20-9
WILSON AT IT AGAIN: RHP Alex Wilson tossed 1.1 perfect innings Monday night extending his scoreless innings streak to 12.1...It's his second double digit scoreless inning streak this season and the longest current streak for a Hillcat...He also has the longest streak of the season for any Hillcat when he tossed 15 consecutive scoreless frames from May 8 - June 7...He also earned his team-best ninth save of the season last night, which ranks tied for third in the league...In 24 appearances this season, he has allowed runs only five times, and is yet to blow a save...In 43.1 innings he has 42 strikeouts and just 12 walks...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Michael Peoples was selected in the 14th round of the 2012 draft by the Indians out of Western Oklahoma State University...He posted a 3.33 ERA in two years of junior college at Western Oklahoma and a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio...He also hit nine batters in 70 innings his sophomore season...The 6-5 righty was relatively unknown coming into the draft, but comes from a powerhouse junior college program that has produced draft picks every year since 2008, including current big leaguers Juan Perez (San Francisco) and former Hillcats short stop Andrelton Simmons (Atlanta)...Peoples went 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 2012 with Short-season Mahoning Valley...He began 2013 in the bullpen for Low-A Lake County...He made two starts in 11 appearances, posting a 1-2 record with a 2.64 ERA before getting called up to join the Mudcats rotation at the end of May...He made eight starts with Carolina and posted a 5.27 ERA causing him to repeat in the Carolina League this season...In two starts against the Hillcats, he is 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA allowing four earned runs in 10.1 innings...OF Daniel Carroll hit a two-run homer off him May 5, and hasn't allowed a home run since spanning 11 appearances and 45.1 innings...
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