Gameday Magazine July

June recap

FRESH START After going just 4-13 to close the first half of play, the Hillcats have gotten off on the right foot in the second half, as they will need to win the Carolina League North Division to clinch a playoff spot. Lynchburg won six of ten games to begin the second half, concluding the month of June in sole possession of the division lead. Still, the Hillcats 10-17 record in the month of June, was their worst in any month so far this season. POWER SURGE After hitting just 25 home runs as a team in the first half of play, the Hillcats have got- ten the long ball going to begin the second half. Lynchburg has hit nine home runs in their first 11 games to begin the second half, led by Jodd Carter and Li-Jen Chu, who have hit three and four home runs respectively. SIRI-OUSLY? Dalbert Siri, signed by the Indians as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2014, has been dominant for the Hillcats out of the bullpen this season. Through the end of June, Siri sport a record of 1-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 20 outings out of the Hillcats bullpen. The 22-year-old right-hander has also notched three saves, and is averaging over one strikeout-per-inning with 37 punch outs in 24.2 frames. Dating back to April 25, Siri has allowed just two earned runs over 19 innings of work, good for a 0.95 ERA. Over his last ten outings, Siri has fired 13 scoreless innings and has struck out 20. MR. GOVERNOR! Virginia Governor Ralph Northam paid a visit to City Stadium, June 23, as part of his “Summer of Baseball” initiative. The Governor threw out the first pitch and then issued a proclamation which stated that June 23, 2018 would be forever known as Lynchburg Hillcats day in the Commonwealth of Virginia.