CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

May 1 Game Information

Published on May 1, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Tonight the Wood Ducks (18-8) will face off with the Pelicans (7-19) in game three of a four games series, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Righty A.J. Alexy (0-3, 4.15) will make the start for the Woodies, opposed by Pelicans right-hander Erling Moreno (1-3, 11.20). The broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps.

LAST TIME OUT: Trailing 4-2 after seven innings, the Wood Ducks scored twice in the eighth, and three times in the ninth, to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 7-4. Ryan Dorow singled home the game-winning run, his third go-ahead hit in the ninth inning this season. Demarcus Evans got a fly-out double play in the eighth inning, and then Struck out the side in the ninth to earn his second win of the season. Yonny Hernandez reached base three times and drove in two.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: Last night was the first time this season that the Woodies won a ballgame when trailing after seven innings of play. They are also now 4-0 when a game is tied after eight innings.

DOROW DOES IT AGAIN: Ryan Dorow has been clutch all season for the Wood Ducks. Last night he hit the go-ahead single in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie. It was his third go-ahead hit in the ninth inning this season. He hit a solo home run in the ninth to break a scoreless tie in Salem, April 16, and hit a walk-off homer to beat Fayetteville, 3-2, April 27. The following day he also hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning against the Woodpeckers to break up a shutout, April 28. Dorow is tied for the team lead in home runs (3) and RBI (13).

YONNY SETS THE TABLE: Today Yonny Hernandez was named the Carolina League Player of the Week for April 22-28. Hernandez reached base 16 times in six games played this week, and has now reached base safely in 11 straight, after reaching on two walks and a single on Tuesday. He has now reached base three times in a game six times in the last ten games. He ranks second in the league in OBP (.468), and now leads the league in walks with 18.

ARIAS ABOARD: Disobel Arias has now hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, going (23-60, .383) at the plate. Over that span he has in-creased his batting average from .250 to .337, and now ranks eighth in the Carolina League. He has also raised his slugging percentage from .281 to .435 over that stretch. In Short-Season Spokane last year, Arias posted a slash line of .366/.451/.491/.942.

COLE CRUISING: Cole Uvila has been outstanding in his four appearanc-es since being called up to Down East last week. He has combined to strike out nine in six innings, allowing four walks, while he has yet to give up a hit or a run.

SUCCESS vs the BIRDS: This season the Woodies are now 5-0 against the Pelicans, outscoring Myrtle Beach 34-12, and boasting an ERA of 2.40. Three of the five wins have come in comeback fashion including 12 un-answered runs on April 4. They account for three of the Woodies seven comeback victories on the season.

ROAD WARRIORS: Despite leading the league in wins, the Wood Ducks are now 10-7 at home, compared to a 8-1 mark on the road. At home this season the Woodies are batting .229, with an OPS of .645, and an ERA of 3.13. On the road the Woodies boast an average of .276 to go along with an OPS of .762, and an ERA of 1.71.

DENYING THE LONG BALL: Wood Ducks pitching this year has given up just seven home runs through 26 games, the fewest in the Carolina League. The Red Sox (9) are the only other team that has allowed fewer than ten home runs on the year, with Frederick leading the league with 21 home runs allowed. At the plate the Woodies have hit 14 long balls, double the number they have allowed.

RAGS AT THE HELM: Corey Ragsdale takes over as skipper for the Wood Ducks in 2019. Ragsdale will remain the Rangers Minor League Field Coordinator, while assuming a managerial seat for the first time since 2015, when he led the Hickory Crawdads to a South Atlantic League Championship, the second of his career.

SHOWTIME: Former Wood Duck Brett Martin made his MLB debut for the Rangers Friday night, firing a scoreless ninth inning in a 7-2 loss to the Astros. Martin needed just nine pitches to get through the inning, recording three ground ball outs. The left-handed reliever becomes the fourth Wood Duck in franchise history to make their Major League de-but, joining Ricardo Rodriguez, Jeffrey Springs, and C.D. Pelham. Martin pitched for the Woodies in their inaugural season in 2017, helping Down East to a share of the Carolina League Championship.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO: The 2019 Wood Ducks are a heavily decorated bunch. Tyler Phillips was recognized as the Rangers Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year after posting an 11-5 record and a 2.67 ERA in Single-A Hickory. He struck out 124 while walking just 14 in 128.0 innings. Demarcus Evans was named the organization's Reliever of the Year. In 35 appearances out of the Crawdads bullpen, Evans pitched to a 1.77 ERA and struck out 103 batters while walking just 27. He also converted all nine save opportunities. Infielder Ryan Dorow earned the Rangers defensive player of the year honors. He started games at all four infield positions, in addition to a game in the outfield, committing just 9 errors in 418 chances for a fielding percentage of .978.

TOP-30 in Kinston: With the promotion of Julio Pablo Martinez to Down East on April 17, the Woodies now have eight Top-30 prospects as ranked by MLB Pipeline: 2. J.P. Martinez, 4. Anderson Tejeda, 5. Bubba Thompson, 6. Leody Taveras, 14. Tyler Phillips, 19. Diosbel Arias, 20. A.J. Alexy, and 24. Demarcus Evans.

Check out the Down East Wood Ducks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 1, 2019


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