Mudcats Game Notes
Published on June 20, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
The Series vs Frederick -- The Mudcats open the second half of the 2014 campaign with their second home series with the Keys. The Mudcats split a four-game set with Frederick back in April. Since the series began in 2012 the Mudcats are 11-14 against the Keys in Zebulon. Frederick leads the overall series 27-23.
Last Time Out -- Trailing 10-2, the Mudcats roared back to topple the Keys 11-10 on Thursday night. Todd Han- kins laced the game-winner passed a diving Jason Esposito at third to score James Roberts. Carolina plated eight runs over the final two frames. Grant Sides notched the win thanks to a perfect ninth inning. Joe Sever collected four hits and Yandy Diaz finished with three.
Tonight's Pitching Probables -- Adam Plutko hopes to build off his last start before the break as he toes the rubber tonight. The right-hander shut down the Wilmington Blue Rocks on three hits across six innings on June 13. Plutko, a former standout with the UCLA Bruins, is 1-1 through four outings with the Mudcats and owns a 4.71 ERA. Frederick opposes Carolina with Mark Blackmar tonight. The right-hander expects to make his seventh straight start after coming out of the bullpen for his first eight appearances. Blackmar is 3-0 as a starter with a 3.41 ERA.
One for the Books -- The Mudcats' improbable comeback on Thursday night marked the largest deficit overcome for a win by the team in franchise history. Tracy Woodson's 2003 Mudcats, then the Double-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, rallied from a 7-0 deficit to shock the Chattanooga Lookouts, 10-7, on April 17 that summer. The previous mark for the Carolina League era was five by the 2012 Mudcats on June 17 against Salem. That club trailed 8-3 before scoring 10 times in the eighth.
Single Isn't So Bad -- Of Carolina's 17 hits in Thursday's thriller over Frederick, 15 of those knocks were singles. Going back to their last series against Wilmington, 27 of the Mudcats' last 29 hits are of the single variety. Incred- ibly, the club used nine singles in the final two innings to stun the Keys.
Hankins' Heroics -- Todd Hankins continues to be as hot as the North Carolina temperatures. After hitting a disappointing .149 in April, Hankins has soared his average to .261 on the year by hitting .318 in May and .327 through 13 games in June. The versatile athlete, who's played mostly in center fielder of late, is 7x19 (.368) in his last five games. He sits second on the team in home runs (4) and third in RBI (27).
Scintillating Sever -- Joe Sever shows no signs of lingering effects from the broken hand he suffered on Opening Night. The former Pepperdine star boasts a .457 (16x35) average in his last nine games. He enters Friday with nine hits in his last 12 at-bats (.750 average).
Chasing History -- Ryan Merritt finished the first half of his 2014 campaign with an impressive worksheet. Through 12 starts, the southpaw has allowed just 14 earned runs across 76.0 innings. The Texan's ERA sits second best in all of High-A behind the Dunedin Blue Jays' Daniel Norris (1.22). Norris was promoted to Double- A New Hampshire on June 15. Merritt's ERA also betters Cody Anderson's pace from last season. The Carolina League Pitcher of the Year for 2013, Anderson owned a 2.86 ERA through his first 12 starts last summer. Mer- ritt's current pace puts him second all-time among Mudcats qualified starters. Travis Wood's 2009 campaign with Carolina still ranks tops. The left-hander finished with a 1.21 ERA in 19 starts, totaling 119 innings pitched. That summer, Wood won nine in a row from May 6-July 19.
Muddy's Tales -- The Mudcats begin a six-game homestand with three against the Frederick Keys. The series is highlighted by "Thirsty Thursday" presented by Natty Greene's Brewing Co. and Fireworks Friday on June 20. The Mudcats will giveaway a pint glass on Saturday, June 21, to the first 1,200 adults entering the gates prior to the 6 p.m. first pitch. Tickets can be purchased by calling (919) 269-2287 or by visiting carolinamudcats.com.
Carolina League Stories from June 20, 2014
- Keys Battle Back to Force Rubber Game - Frederick Keys
- Birds Remain Perfect At Home Against Rocks - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Pair Of Pelican Homers Lead Myrtle Beach Past Wilmington - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Mudcats' Late-Inning Woes Continue in Loss - Carolina Mudcats
- Coats, Marin Lift Dash to Second Straight Win - Winston-Salem Dash
- Marin Dazzles in Return, Dash Down Sox 5-1 - Salem Red Sox
- Nationals and Hillcats Postponed Due to Power Outage - Potomac Nationals
- Pelicans Game Notes: 7:05 vs. Wilmington - June 20, 2014 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (June 20 vs. Salem) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wilmington Blue Rocks Game Notes: June 20, 2014 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Mudcats Game Notes - Carolina Mudcats
- RHP Terance Marin Joins Dash - Winston-Salem Dash
- Dash Trounce Sox 12-4 - Salem Red Sox
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