Texas League update
Published on September 4, 2006 under Texas League (TL1) News Release
Texas League playoff preview
09/04/2006
By Dan Pieringer / MLB.com
Tulsa Drillers vs. Wichita Wranglers
(Best 3-of-5)
Regular-season Series:
The teams split their first 26 regular-season meetings prior to a two-game set from Sept. 2-3. Ranked first and second, respectively, in runs scored, the Wranglers and Drillers combined for 291 runs in their 26 contests.
Head-to-Head Stats:
Tulsa
Joe Koshansky hit .271 with seven homers and 23 RBIs against the Wranglers this year. Jordan Czarniecki batted .333 with five homers and 21 RBIs against Wichita. Czarniecki is batting .277 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs overall.
Ubaldo Jimenez was one of the only Tulsa starters to have success against Wichita this year, going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts. He was the only Drillers pitcher with multiple starts against the Wranglers to have an ERA below 4.35. But Jimenez was promoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs in June, which puts more pressure on the Tulsa offense. From the bullpen, Josh Newman was 2-0 with two saves in 11 appearances against Wichita this year. In 13 2/3 innings, he allowed five earned runs on nine hits while striking out 12.
Wichita
Alex Gordon hit .327 with seven home runs, 20 runs scored and 22 RBIs in 25 games against Tulsa. Gordon also stole six bases without being caught against the Drillers. Mitch Maier has also had his way with Tulsa pitching, batting .333 with five home runs, 17 runs scored and 20 RBIs in 26 games.
From the mound, Junior Herndon was effective against Tulsa, going 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA in four starts. Herndon allowed 10 earned runs on 26 hits in 30 1/3 innings. Thad Markray made seven appearances against Tulsa, allowing two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.
On the Mound:
Tulsa
Enmanuel Ulloa is sixth in the Texas League with a 3.91 ERA, but he's winless in six starts against Wichita this year. He's given up 21 runs in 34 1/3 innings, and the Wranglers are batting .270 against him. If the Drillers hope to advance, Ulloa will need to prove that he can be effective against an explosive Wichita lineup.
Wichita
Wichita is near the bottom of the Texas League in most pitching categories. The Wranglers have allowed the second-most earned runs, the second-most hits, the second-most home runs and the most walks in the league. But Zack Greinke has been a bright spot. The 2002 first-round pick has gone 8-3 this year with a 4.34 ERA. He has struck out 94 while walking 27 in 105 2/3 innings. His 7.41 ERA in three starts against Tulsa does not bode well for the series, but if Greinke can harness his potential, the Wranglers could overcome their pitching woes and move on to the Texas League finals.
At the Plate:
Tulsa
In addition to the loss of Jimenez, the Drillers are without one of their most potent offensive forces from the regular season. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was promoted to the Rockies last week, leaving a giant hole in the Drillers lineup. Tulowizki was batting .291 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs. Along with Koshansky (31 home runs and 108 RBIs), Seth Smith could help pick up the slack. Smith is batting .294 with 15 home runs and 70 RBIs. He also leads the Texas League with 45 doubles, and ranks fifth with 152 hits.
Wichita
Billy Butler is leading the Texas League with a .331 average. He's also fourth in the league in RBIs. With Gordon getting on base ahead of him, Butler should have plenty of chances to drive in some runs in the playoffs.
History Lessons:
The Drillers last won the Texas League championship in 1998, and lost to Arkansas in the first round of the playoffs last year. They also won division titles in 1982 and 1988, and were runners-up in 1999 and 2002. The Wranglers won the Texas League title in 1992 and 1999, beating the Drillers in the final round in '99. They last made the playoffs in 2003, when they were eliminated in the first round.
Series could turn on:
Pitching. Both offenses are going to show up in this series, but the winner will advance to the Texas League championship series with superior pitching in the opening round. Wichita's pitching has been battered this year, but the Wranglers actually have a lower ERA than the Drillers in head-to-head matchups. In their last three games against Tulsa, the Wranglers have given up a total of two runs.
Corpus Christi Hooks vs. Midland RockHounds
(Best 3-of-5)
Regular-season Series:
The Hooks won 18 of 28 meetings against Midland this year, batting .293 as a team. Between April 18 and June 30, Corpus Christi beat Midland 13 times in a row, including two series sweeps. But in the last series, the RockHounds swept the Hooks in four straight games, winning three by one run.
Head-to-head Stats:
Corpus Christi
Two Hooks named Josh had their way with the RockHounds this year. Josh Anderson hit .350 with seven doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs and 20 runs scored against Midland while Josh Bonifay hit .325 with eight doubles, four home runs and 23 RBIs.
The Hooks' Matt Albers was the most successful starter against Midland, going 3-0 with a 1.02 ERA. But Albers is now with Triple-A Round Rock, so the Hooks will look to Chance Douglass to lead the rotation. Douglass was 2-1 with a 2.54 ERA against the RockHounds in 2006. He allowed eight earned runs in 28 1/3 innings, spanning five starts. Douglass threw two shutouts this year and is among the league leaders in ERA and innings pitched.
Midland
In 18 games against the Hooks, Brian Stavisky hit .344 with a .468 on-base percentage. In a Midland offense that features the steady production of Brant Colamarino and Kevin Melillo, Stavisky could be the X factor come playoff time.
Brad Knox is 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA in five starts against Corpus Christi. In 33 2/3 innings pitched, he gave up only eight earned runs. Knox is in the league's top-five in ERA in 2006, and his continued success against the Hooks is essential to the RockHounds' hopes to repeat as Texas League champions.
On the Mound:
Corpus Christi
Reliever Paul Estrada had a big influence on the Hooks this year. Estrada made 55 appearances, good for third in the Texas League. He went 8-5 with 15 saves. Estrada has 134 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings. He's second in the Texas League in strikeouts, trailing league leader Thomas Diamond by only nine strikeouts despite pitching 40 fewer innings. In 22 innings against Midland, Estrada struck out 28, and the RockHounds hit .165 against him. Estrada's lock-down relief could be a huge factor in this series.
Midland
Ray Aguilar led the Texas League with 12 wins, but went 0-4 with an 8.17 ERA in five starts against the Hooks before beating them with seven solid innings on Aug. 29.
At the Plate:
Corpus Christi
Hunter Pence is in the top five of six Texas League offensive categories. He's batting .286 with 28 home runs, 95 RBIs and 96 runs scored. He's also stolen 16 bases while being caught only four times. Pence hit .297 against the RockHounds this year, while batting .312 with 18 home runs on the road this year, compared to .259 with 10 home runs at home.
Midland
The RockHounds have five players on their roster with at least 55 RBIs. Brant Colamarino is leading that charge with 89, the sixth-highest total in the Texas League. Colamarino has 16 home runs, 35 doubles, and eight triples. Kevin Melillo (.282, 12 HRs, 72 RBIs, 73 runs, 14 stolen bases) and Vasili Spanos (.312, nine homers, 67 RBIs and 70 runs scored) are also a big part of the Midland lineup.
History Lessons:
Last year, the RockHounds made the playoffs for the first time since 1995 and won their first Texas League championship since they were the Midland Cubs back in 1975. In 1975, they shared the title with Lafayette after the series was canceled at 2-2 because of rain. Bruce Sutter, a 2006 Hall of Fame inductee and the only former Midland player to be enshrined, was on the 1975 Texas League championship team. The Hooks are only in their second year in Corpus Christi, but they won the Texas League Championship in 2000, when they were the Double-A Round Rock Express.
Series could turn on:
The performance of Midland's primary offensive weapons. The RockHounds' offense has hurt opposing teams with a number of different batters in the order, but a lot of those players have struggled against Corpus Christi. Colamarino batted .245 against the Hooks with 28 strikeouts in 26 games. Melillo batted .258 with 10 RBIs in 27 games without a homer. Kurt Suzuki, the RockHounds' versatile catcher, batted .200 against Corpus Christi, 85 points lower than his season average. Matthew Allegra hit five homers against the Hooks, but batted just .211 in 20 games.
Hochevar Joins the Wranglers
September 2, 2006
Wichita Wranglers
Wichita, Kan. - Th Kansas City Royals #1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, Luke Hochevar is the scheduled Game 4 starter for the playoff series vs. Tulsa. Game 4 will be on Friday, Sept. 8 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
Hochevar was 0-1 with a 1.17 ERA in four starts with Burlington. In 15.1 innings, he allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits while walking two and striking out 16.
With the addition of Hochevar, the Wranglers now have the Royals top selection from each of the last five drafts and six of their seven first-round draft picks since 2002.
22 year-old right-handed pitcher, Jarod Plummer, has also been promoted to Wichita. Plummer is coming from High Desert. Plummer has been with the Dodgers organization until this season. With High Desert in 2006 Plummer was 10-5 with a 4.40 ERA. In 86 innings pitched, Plummer has struck out 105 batters and only walked 15.
Texas League Team Notes
Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
Second Half: 27-42, Last Week: 2-5
Third Place, Texas League North
[August 1 vs. Springfield] Sean Rodriguez came through in the clutch for Arkansas, hitting a run-scoring bloop single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Travs a 5-4, walk-off win.
The shortstop had three hits, including a two-run home run, with three RBI in the game. Matt Brown also went deep for the Travs, his 19th of the season. Aaron Pullin picked up the win after tossing three shutout innings of relief. The game was the last ever night game at Ray Winder Field. [September 3 vs. Springfield] The Travs recorded a 7-3 win in the final game at the 74 year-old Ray Winder Field. Greg Porter went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the first inning and five total RBI. Eric Rodland also homered in the first inning, a two-run blast, as part of a five-run opening frame. Jesse Smith allowed three runs over six innings to record the win. Miguel Gonzalez tossed the final three scoreless innings to pick up his fourth save of the season. The official attendance was 8,307, the highest since Fernando Valenzuela made a rehab appearance before 12,246 fans, many of whom were in roped off sections in foul territory.
Player Notes:
On August 27 the Travs wore pink jerseys to benefit the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation. The jerseys were auctioned off following game, with proceeds going to the worthy cause. Catcher Brent Del Chiaro, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI double in the Travs 12-5 loss, had his jersey sell for $400, tops on the squad.
Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros)
Second Half: 35-35, Last Week: 2-5
Third Place, Texas League South
[September 1 at San Antonio] Needing a win to try and generate some momentum going into the playoffs, Ronnie Martinez threw a gem to lead the Hooks to a 7-1 win. Martinez held San Antonio to just one run on five hits, walking none and striking out eight. Mark Saccomanno hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to provide all the offense the Hooks needed. Hunter Pence was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored. Chad Reineke struck out the three batters he faced in the ninth inning to preserve the win. [September 3 vs. San Antonio] The Hooks found more momentum on their final regular season win in a dominating 7-0 win. Josh Miller tossed the first five scoreless frames to pick up the win. Chad Reineke and Paul Estrada each blanked the Missions for two innings to complete the shutout. The trio of pitchers didn't allow a single walk in the game. Mark Saccomanno and Walter Young each homered in the win. Young's homer was a three-run bomb to highlight a five-run fourth inning.
Player Notes:
The Hooks' aren't the only Astros' farm club to go to the playoffs. In fact, their top five clubs, Round Rock (Triple-A), Salem (Advanced-A), Lexington (Class-A) and Tri-City (Short-Season A) have all either clinched, or are within one game of clinching a playoff berth.
Catcher Kevin Davison was clipped by the backswing of San Antonio batter Wladimir Balentien during an at-bat in the game on August 2. He left the game, but would be fine.
Mark Saccomanno was named the Hooks' player of the month, Jonny Ash defensive player of the month, and Paul Estrada pitcher of the month for August.
Hooks manager Dave Clark has a postseason managerial record of 7-3.
Clark will be heading the Hawaii in late September to manage the North Shore Honu of the Hawaii Winter Baseball League. Joining Clark will be Astros farmhands Koby Clemens, a third baseman and son of Roger, and shortstop Tommy Manzella, both of whom are with Class-A Lexington.
The Hooks plan to have a pair of Texas sports icons throw out first pitches during their playoff games. In game 1 on Tuesday, Hooks' principal owner and Hall of Famer, Nolan Ryan will do the honrs. On Wednesday night, Corpus Christi native and two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Terry Labonte will throw out the ceremonial pitch.
Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers)
Second Half: 37-33, Last Week: 3-4
Second Place, Texas League South
[August 28 vs. San Antonio] Luis Mendoza allowed just one run on a pair of hits over seven innings in Frisco's 2-1 win over the Missions. The right-hander allowed just one walk and struck out five. Nate Gold and Kevin Mahar each drove in a run for Frisco. Mahar was the only Frisco batter with more than one hit (two) and the only extra-base hit (double). Michael Bumstead shutdown the Missions for the final two innings to earn his fifth save of the season. [August 29 vs. San Antonio] The 'Riders shutout San Antonio 6-0, matching Midland's win to remain 2 ½ back entering their important season-ending match-up. Paul Kometani limited San Antonio to three hits and four walks over six shutout innings, striking out six. Frankie Francisco and Dan Touchet combined to pitch three more scoreless frames. James Fasano and Casey Benjamin each drove in a pair of runs, while Ben Harrison scored twice. [September 3 at Midland] After losing the first four games of their series with Midland, 'Riders closed out their season with a 7-2 win over the RockHounds in a rain-shortened game. The rains came in the bottom of the sixth inning, forcing the game to end early. Paul Kometani pitched all five innings for Frisco, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out five. Ben Harrison was an offensive machine for Frisco, pounding out two homers and four RBI.
Player Notes:
Eric Hurley, who went 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA in six starts for Frisco, has been shutdown for the rest of the season with a strained rib muscle.
Midland RockHounds (Oakland Athletics)
Second Half: 42-27, Last Week: 6-1
First Place, Texas League South
[August 28 vs. Corpus Christi] Brad Knox's seven shutout innings were almost wasted, but the 'Hounds pulled out a 2-1 victory in 10 innings. Brian Stavisky came through with a clutch single, scoring Mark Kiger from second base with the walk-off winner. In Knox's seven innings he didn't allow a run on nine hits and no walks, while striking out one. Marcus McBeth surrendered a run in the ninth inning to send the game into extras, but shutdown Corpus in the top of the tenth inning to pick up the win. [August 29 vs. Corpus Christi] The 'Hounds extended their winning streak to six games after their 8-3 win over the Hooks. Casey Myers went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and three RBI. Dan Putnam and Mark Kiger each added a homer in the win. Ray Aguilar held the Hooks to two runs (one earned) over seven innings, striking out five. The victory raises his record to 12-9, tying him for the Texas League lead in wins. [August 30 at Frisco] The 'Hounds lowered their magic number to one with their 8-7 win over Frisco. Dan Putnam went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI, including a three-run blast in the eighth inning, which proved to be the winning hit. Brian Stavisky singled four times and scored two runs, raising his average to .318. Jeff Coleman tossed a perfect eighth inning to pick up the win and Marcus McBeth a perfect ninth for the save. [September 1 vs. Frisco] Needing just one win to secure a playoff bitch, the 'Hounds swept a doubleheader. They took the first game after out-slugging the 'Riders, 8-7. Brian Stavisky and Dan Putnam each homered in the clincher. They showed their versatility in game two, winning a pitchers duel, 1-0. Kevin Olsen limited Frisco to just two hits in the shutout, giving up two walks while striking out one. The complete game win raised his record to 6-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.61. [September 2 vs. Frisco] The 'Hounds won their 10th in a row with a close 9-8 win over Frisco. Matt Allegra was a perfect 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Landon Powell hit his first home run since joining the club on August 19, a two-run blast in the third inning. He had three hits in the game, as did lead-off hitter Cameron Coughlin.
Player Notes:
In the 'Hounds regular season final game, in which they lost and snapped their 10-game winning streak, catcher David Castillo tossed an inning of relief. Oddly enough, he was the 'Hounds most effective pitcher in the game, holding Frisco to just one walk and no runs in one scoreless inning pitched.
Starter Dallas Braden is rejoining Midland after missing most of the season with a shoulder injury. Last year for the 'Hounds he went 9-5 with a 3.90 ERA. Rehabbing in Arizona, he struck out 36 batters in 21 innings while allowing just three walks.
Michael Mitchell was struck in the left arm by a line drive in the ninth inning of the game on August 2. Although the arm is in pain, it isn't likely to keep him out of post-season action.
Dan Putnam hit five homeruns between Monday, August 28 and Friday, September 1. His power surge comes despite a sore right knee that caused him to miss almost three months earlier in the season.
The 'Hounds ended their regular season on a 22-5 streak from August 7 through September 3. The hot spell followed a seven-game losing skid from July 30 to August 6.
San Antonio Missions (Seattle Mariners)
Second Half: 33-37, Last Week: 3-4
Last Place, Texas League South
[August 30 vs. Corpus Christi] The Missions used a strong outing by starter Travis Chick to defeat Corpus Christi, 5-3. Chick lasted 8 1/3 innings, gave up just three runs on five hits and struck out eight. Yung-Chi Chen went 3-for-4, while Jason Bourgeois was singled, tripled and scored a run. The Missions got all five of their runs in the fourth inning when they recorded six hits, including three consecutive to start off the inning. [August 31 vs. Corpus Christi] The Missions scored four runs in the first frame to take an early lead an beat the Hooks, 7-0. Mike Wilson capped the inning with a two-run home run to left field, his 12th of season. Wladimir Balentien added a pair of doubles and drove in two runs, while Yung-Chi Chen singled, walked and scored twice. Robert Rohrbaugh held the Hooks scoreless for seven innings before leaving the game. He allowed six hits while striking out four. [September 2 vs. Corpus Christi] Jorge Campillo, in his second start with the Missions, moved his record to 2-0 with a 7-2 win. The 28 year-old right-hander gave up two runs (one earned) over five frames, striking out one. Three relievers combined for four shutout innings. Six different Missions drove in a run during the victory. Jason Bourgeois and Jesus Guzman each had a pair of hits.
Player Notes:
Marquise Liverpool joined the team on Wednesday from Arizona. The 19 year-old started in left field and went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in his Double-A debut.
After pitching in the Missions season final, Ryan Feierabend was headed to Seattle to join the Mariners active roster. He had a 4.28 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 153 2/3 innings for San Antonio this season.
The Missions closed their season with winning records over Corpus Christi (15-13) and Arkansas (8-5). They have losing records against Wichita (2-12), Tulsa (5-9), Springfield (6-7), Frisco (13-15) and Midland (11-17).
Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)
Second Half: 27-43, Last Week: 4-3
Last Place, Texas League North
[August 29 vs. Wichita] The Cards won their last home game of the season, as starter Mike Parisi helped lead his team to a 5-3 win. Over 7 2/3 innings, the hurler gave up three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out nine. Nick Savinoha hit a three-run home run to highlight a five-run first inning. Mike McCoy and Travis Hanson each added a pair of hits in the win. Troy Cate recorded the final four outs of the game to tally his first save since being called up from Single-A Palm Beach. [August 30 at Arkansas] Jordan Pals held the Travs to two runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out six in the Cards' 3-2 win. The victory raised Pals' record to 8-7 and was his first since July 13. Chris Ross and Cory Doyne each tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Iker Franco hit his ninth home run of the season in the third inning, a solo shot. Cody Haerther and Jarrett Hoffpauir each added an RBI in the win. [September 2 at Aransas] The Cards put a historic thumping to Arkansas in a 17-2 win. The total set a Springfield franchise mark for runs scored in a single game. They scored four runs in the first and third innings, a single run in the fourth and eight runs in the ninth. Greg Johnson hit a grand slam in the third inning, one of his two hits on the night. Jarrett Hoffpauir had three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs. Kevin Richardson also went deep, while Nick Stavinoha drove in three. All nine starters for the Cards had a hit and a run. Blake Hawksworth went seven strong innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out eight.
Player Notes:
Brendan Ryan was called up to Triple-A Memphis on August 29th. The shortstop played in 10 games with the Cards, hitting .302 in 43 ABs, before joining the Redbirds.
Tulsa Drillers (Colorado Rockies)
Second Half: 34-35, Last Week: 2-5
Second Place, Texas League North
[August 28 at Arkansas] The Drillers pounded out 18 hits en route to a 12-5 win over Arkansas. The top six hitters in the lineup each had at least two hits and all nine starters had at least one. Doug Bernier went 3-for-6 with three hits, including a pair of doubles and four RBI. Ian Stewart went 2-for-3 with a double, three walks and two RBI. Starter Alberto Arias picked up the win after tossing five innings, increasing his record to 8-6. [August 29 at Arkansas] As the Drillers prepare for the playoffs, it is evident that their offense is ready to go. The Drillers exploded for six home runs, tying a franchise record. Christian Colonel had two of the home runs, both solo, his ninth and tenth of the season. Jeff Dragicevich, Seth Smith, Alvin Colina and Ian Stewart each went deep. Juan Morillo went seven innings, allowed three runs on four hits and struck out nine. While he didn't homer, Joe Gaetti drove in three runs. Eight of nine Tulsa starts had a hit in the big win.
Player Notes:
Outfielder Matt Miller is day-to-day after suffering from a temporarily dislocated shoulder that he suffered while sliding into third base on August the 28th.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was promoted to Colorado on August 29. He started the next day against the Mets, but went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. On Sunday, August 3, Tulowitzki went 4-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in the Rockies' 12-5 win over the Dodgers.
Marc Kaiser's string of 19 2/3 scoreless innings was snapped on August 31 when he gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning.
Wichita Wranglers (Kansas City Royals)
Second Half: 43-26 Last Week: 6-1
First Place, Texas League North
[August 28 at Springfield] Donnie Murphy's 11th inning, three-run home run put Wichita on top for good as they beat Springfield, 7-4. Billy Buckner tossed seven shutout innings, but the Wranglers' lost their lead when the Cards scored two runs in both the eighth and the ninth innings to force extra innings. Angel Sanchez and Kila Kaaihue each added a pair of hits to help their cause. [August 30 vs. Tulsa] Seung Jun Song tossed seven shutout innings in Wichita's 3-0 win. With the victory, the Wranglers clinched the Texas League North division title. Song allowed just three hits in his start and struck out four. Cody Smith tossed the final two scoreless innings to complete the shutout. Mitch Maier, Kila Kaaihue, and Adam Keim each drove in a run for the offense. [September 1 vs. Tulsa] The Wranglers scored 10 runs on 16 hits en route to a 10-1 win over Tulsa. Fourteen of Wichita's 16 hits in the game were singles. The only home run was a solo shot from Donnie Murphy and the only double was by Angel Sachez. Sanchez and Brett Groves each recorded three hits in the game. Starter Junior Herndon allowed just one run over five innings and picked up his 12th win of the season. The game was delayed by 40 minutes when six banks of lights shut down. The delay, which came in the third inning, didn't seem to phase Herndon. [September 2 vs. Tulsa] The Wrangler bats continued to sizzle in their 12-1 win over Tulsa. They tallied 16 hits for the second night in a row and had a home run from four different players. Mitch Maier, Dee Brown, Kila Kaaihue, Adam Donachie each went deep in the win. Kaaihue's blast was the biggest, a three-run shot in the second inning, part of a six-run rally. Billy Buckner tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings, giving up three hits and three walks while striking out five. The offense scored at least one run in each of the first five frames.
Player Notes:
Starter Brian Bass and reliever Thad Markray were put on the disabled list at the end of last week. Reliever Jarod Plummer was called up from Class-A High Desert.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dan Putnam, Midland RockHounds
9-23, .391, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R, 1.043 SLG
After hitting five home runs in a span of four days and playing an integral part of the 'Hounds 10-game winning streak, Dan Putnam was named the Player of the Week. The slugger, who missed nearly three months of this season with a knee injury, had several key hits this week. His three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning on August 30 gave Midland an 8-7 lead, which would prove to be the final score. In the first game of a twinbill on September 1, he hit a two-run blast in the fifth inning, which proved to be the game-winner in the 'Hounds 8-7 triumph which clinched Midland's second-half crown in the South. In the second game of that double-dip he drove in the only run of the game on a sixth inning single, leading his team to a 1-0 win.
Oakland drafted the 23 year-old outfielder in the first round of the 2004 draft out of Stanford. He made his professional debut in short-season Vancouver and hit .289 with a .481 on-base percentage. In 2005, with Stockton of the California League, Putnam hit .307 with 15 home runs and 100 RBI. Though he missed nearly three months of 2006 with a knee injury, he has been one of the main contributors in the RockHounds' playoff push.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Kevin Olsen, Midland RockHounds
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
For the second week in a row, Kevin Olsen was named Texas League Pitcher of the week. He followed up his complete game last week with a complete game win this week. He blanked the RoughRiders over seven innings in the second game of a doubleheader on August 1. Olsen finished the game by retiring 12 of the final 13 batters. The veteran right-hander allowed just one batter to reach second base in the dominating performance.
Olsen pitched for the Florida Marlins from 2001 to 2003, recording an ERA of 5.12 with 63 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. Since having his contract purchased by Oakland from the Sussex Skyhawks of the Can-Am League, he has been stellar for the 'Hounds this year, going 5-1 with a 3.94 ERA.
This Week in Texas League History
September 4, 1924 Houston scored nine times in the first two innings in their game versus Wichita Falls, then had to hold on to win 11-9. Buff's second baseman Johnny Monroe was a perfect 5-for-5 as he led an 18-hit Houston attack. Monroe, who also walked once, had a bunt single, two line singles, a double and a triple in the game. All of Houston's batters contributed to the win as every one in the lineup had at least one base hit in the game.
September 5, 2004 Luke Scott hit two more home runs against San Antonio in a 12-2 Round Rock win on the final day of the season. In his final three games of the season, Scott homered five times at Wolff Municipal Stadium, driving in 15 runs. In 15 games versus the Missions in 2004, Scott hit a total of 12 homeruns, had four two-homer games and drove in 28 runs.
September 6, 1949 Oklahoma City pounded 17 hits as they battered Tulsa 14-7. Centerfielder Milt Nielson had just two singles for the winners, yet produced five RBI with the base hits and a sacrifice fly.
September 7, 1964 On the final day of the season, Tulsa's Larry Jaster was too much for Fort Worth as he shut out the Cats 1-0 in the night cap of a day-night doubleheader. Jaster limited the Cats to just two hits, while he walked one batter and struck out 12. Tulsa struggled at the plate too, getting just three hits from a pair of Fort Worth hurlers. A double, single and a double play in the first inning produced Tulsa's winning margin in the well-pitched contest.
September 8, 1919 Dallas hurler Rip Collins did not allow a hit over nine complete innings, yet was not credited with a no-hitter. Collins entered the game with Galveston in relief of Ed Matteson in the first inning with none out, two runners on base and a run already on the scoreboard. Collins proceeded to register 27 outs allowing just two walks during his efforts. He collected the spectacular 7-1 win one day after completing a two-hit win over Shreveport.
September 9, 1920 Pitching in his first ever Texas League game, Wichita Falls hurler Clarence "Rabbit" Darrough tossed a 2-0, no-hit win over the league champions, the Fort Worth Panthers.
September 10, 1926 Houston touched Waco's Oscar Tuero for 20 hits on the way to an 11-1 win at Katy Park. Outfielder Hack Miller was a perfect 5-for-5 in the game, while Felix Vigare poked a pair of homers.
September 11, 1948 San Antonio and Houston split a doubleheader, with each club getting a fine pitching performance in their respective win. In the opener, the Missions playoff hopes were kept alive when Ray Shore bested the Buffs 6-1, allowing the visitors just one base hit. The only hit Shore allowed came with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, when a hard single by Eddie Knoblauch broke up the no-hitter. In the second game, Houston's Eddie Green scattered five hits as he led the Buffs to a 5-0 win.
Texas League Leaders (through end of regular season)
Hitting
Batting Average - Billy Butler, WCH, .331
Hits - Josh Anderson, CC, 173
Runs - Alex Gordon, WCH, 111
Doubles - Seth Smith, TUL, 46
Triples - Chris Lubanski, WCH, 11
Home Runs - Nate Gold, FRI, 34
Runs Batted In - Joe Koshansky, TUL 109
Stolen Bases - Josh Anderson, CC, 43
Pitching
Earned Runs Average - Matt Albers, CC, 2.17
Wins - Five Tied at 12
Loses - Chris Hunter, ARK, 14
Saves - Mark Worrell, SPR 27
Shutouts - Chance Douglass, CC, 2
Complete Games - Marc Kaiser, TUL, 4
Strikeouts - Thomas Diamond, FRI, 145
Walks - Juan Morillo, TUL, 80
Texas League Stories from September 4, 2006
- Drillers begin playoffs Tuesday - Tulsa Drillers
- Mayors Garrett, Canon, bet on South Division playoff series - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Texas League update - TL1
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