TL1 Texas League

Texas League update

Published on July 14, 2008 under Texas League (TL1) News Release


NORTH NOTES

Arkansas Travelers

(Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

7-15, Fourth Place, North Division

July 7...Spearheaded by seven RBIs from Chris Pettit, Arkansas rolled to a 12-5 triumph over Frisco. Pettit singled in his first at-bat, drove in two runs with a fifth inning single, and brought home another run with his third single in the seventh. With the Travs leading 7-5 in the eighth, Pettit belted a grand slam, his first dinger of the year. Pettit, who was 2-for-26 entering the contest, finished the game at 4-for-5. Benefiting from hitting in front of Pettit, leadoff man Nate Sutton and number two batter Adam Greenberg scored three runs each. Trailing 5-3 after six innings, Arkansas poured on nine runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Throwing three shutout innings, reliever Rafael Rodriguez earned his first save after holding Frisco to one hit. Catcher Anel De Los Santos, who was called up from low Class-A Cedar Rapids, went 3-for-5 with double and two runs scored in his Double-A debut. Catcher/first baseman Ben Johnson was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake. Upon his departure, Johnson was league's leader with 71 RBIs and his 20 home runs were tied for first.

July 8...Chris Pettit hit a RBI double and scored as Arkansas fell to Frisco 9-3. In the fifth, Corey Smith's two-run single tied the game at 3-3.

July 10...Arkansas drilled three home runs, but came up short in a 6-5 loss to Tulsa. All five of the Travelers' runs came courtesy of the long ball during the seventh and eighth innings. Brian Walker (4) and Adam Morrissey (5) both cracked two-run homers. Corey Fuller (3) added a solo dinger. Ryan Aldridge fanned two in a perfect inning of relief.

July 11...During a 12-0 loss to Tulsa, Arkansas reliever Francisco Rodriguez pitched two shutout innings. Chris Pettit, Corey Smith, and Adam Morrissey had the Travelers' only hits.

July 12...Behind a solid outing from Robert Mosebach, Arkansas snapped their three-game losing skid with a 7-3 victory over Tulsa. Improving to 8-7, Mosebach yielded two runs over six strong innings. Between the fourth and fifth innings, Mosebach was ordered to change his undershirt after he cut off one of sweat-soaked sleeves for comfort. Designated hitter Brian Stavisky went 2-for-4, with a two-run round-tripper (7), and scored a pair of runs. Stavisky's homer cleared the center field wall, which is only the fourth time that has happened in the two-year history of Dickey-Stephens Park. Leadoff hitter Adam Greenberg was also 2-for-4, with a pair of RBIs.

July 13...Tied at one-all in the bottom of the eighth, Brian Stavisky singled home Nate Sutton with a single to right, lifting Arkansas to a 2-1 win over Tulsa. Along with Sutton and Anel De Los Santos, Stavisky was one of three Travelers with two hits. Not factoring in the decision, starter Dan Denham allowed no runs in seven innings. Winning pitcher Ryan Aldridge (2-0) slammed the door shut on the Drillers by fanning three in two scoreless stanzas of relief.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals

(Kansas City Royals)

12-10, Second Place, North Division

July 7...Erupting for seven runs in the third, Northwest Arkansas cruised to a 9-2 victory over Corpus Christi. Juan Richardson, Cory Aldridge, Ed Lucas and Adam Donachie all contributed with RBI singles in the Naturals' big third inning. Donachie and Lucas both had two hits in the inning. Donachie went a perfect 4-for-4, which raised his batting average 20 points in one night. During a 2-for-4 night, Aldridge clubbed a two-run homer, his first as a Natural. Winning pitcher Blake Wood (2-3) surrendered one run and six hits through seven innings, while striking out five. Walking no batters, Wood needed only 72 pitches to complete seven stanzas. The game ended in 2:24 in large part to Wood's efficiency on the mound. In three starts at home, Wood has compiled a 2-0 record with a 1.17 ERA.

July 8...Kila Kaaihue cracked two homers and drove in six, leading the Naturals in a 16-10 win over Corpus Christi. Kaaihue finished at 4-for-5, with four runs scored. The Hawaiian blasted his first homer to center with one runner on in the first inning. In the fifth, Kaaihue hammered a grand slam to right, giving the Naturals a 14-4 cushion. Third baseman Ed Lucas went 3-for-4, cracked his first homer of the year, and knocked in five runs. Juan Richardson, who was 3-for-4, scored three times and had a pair of RBIs. Marc Maddox, who was 2-for-4, scored three runs, walked twice, and doubled.

July 10...Sparked by a five-run ninth, Northwest Arkansas staged a stunning,11-10 win over Springfield. Facing a 9-6 deficit entering the top of the ninth, the Naturals pulled to within one after Brian McFall ripped a two-run homer (11). Later in the inning, Kila Kaaihue capped the scoring with a three-run blast. is league best 23rd long fly gave the Naturals an 11-9 advantage. Kaaihue finished the night at 2-for-3, with three runs scored, four RBIs, and a pair of walks. In his last seven contests, Kaaihue is hitting .519 (14-for-27) and has reached base safely in 22 straight games. During a 2-for-4 game, Irving Falu drove in three, doubled and scored. The Naturals released outfielder Geraldo Valentin after activating McFall from the disabled list.

July 11... Northwest Arkansas fell 4-2 to Springfield, which ended their five-game winning streak. Juan Richardson produced the Naturals' only two runs by swatting a two-run homer (7) in the first. With the blast, Richardson has hit safely in 12 consecutive games. Allowing just two runs in 6.1 innings, starter Blake Johnson fanned eight and walked none.

July 12...With two outs in the top of the eighth, Jose Duarte swiped home during a cat-and-mouse, double steal attempt, giving Northwest Arkansas a 5-4 victory over Springfield. Tied at four-all, Springfield catcher Matt Pagnozzi did not catch an offering cleanly from pitcher Scott Vander Weg, giving the runner on first, Irving Falu, a window of opportunity to advance to second. Standing between first and second, Falu coaxed Pagnozzi into making a throw to second, which allowed Duarte to dart home from third and beat the tag for the go-ahead run. Duarte finished the contest at 2-for-5, with a solo homer (6), a pair of runs scored, and two stolen bases. Ed Lucas and Adam Donachie also homered for Northwest Arkansas. Tim Hamulack notched his second save after striking out two over 1.2 flawless innings. Reliever Greg Atencio was promoted to Triple-A Omaha after fanning 51 batters in 42 innings with the Naturals.

July 13...Sparked by a five-run first, Northwest Arkansas soared to an early lead and held on to defeat Springfield 6-5. Highlighting the Naturals' big first inning was Juan Richardson's grand slam (8) to right. Marc Maddox went 3-for-4, with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Blake Wood punched out six batters over 5.2 innings, while giving up an earned run, seven hits and a walk. Improving to 3-3, Wood earned his second victory in seven days. Right-hander Julio Pimentel pitched a scoreless inning at Yankee Stadium, helping the World team to a 3-0 shutout over the U.S. team in the Futures Game.

Springfield Cardinals

(St. Louis Cardinals)

10-11, Third Place, North Division

July 7...In the top of the 12th, Andrew Brown blasted a leadoff homer (5) to left, propelling Springfield to a 5-4 win over Midland. Brown finished at 2-for-4, with two RBIs. Starter Adam Ottavino, who did not factor in the decision, struck out eight RockHounds over six shutout innings. Mark Shorey's two-run dinger capped a three-run eighth. Tied 3-3 in the tenth, the Cards took the lead on Tyler Greene's sacrifice fly, but couldn't hang onto to their one-run advantage in the bottom of the inning.

July 8...Losing 2-0 to Midland, Springfield collected just three hits, oddly, all for extra-bases. With out in the sixth, Casey Rowlett's triple broke up James Simmons' no-hit bid. In his second Double-A start, Kyle Mura pitched six solid innings, allowing two runs, six hits and no walks.

July 10...Unable to hold onto a 9-6 advantage in the ninth, Springfield fell to Northwest Arkansas 11-10. In the sixth, Jim Rapoport broke a 6-6 tie with a two-run triple. Third baseman Allen Craig went 3-for-5, with a two-run dinger (14) and two runs scored. Andrew Brown also clubbed a two-run homer and scored twice. Backup catcher Matt Pagnozzi was 3-for-3, with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Springfield closer Fernando Salas was added to the World roster for the Futures Game. The opening was created when former Springfield lefty Jaime Garcia was called up by the St. Louis Cardinals from Triple-A Memphis.

July 11...In the bottom of the ninth, Allen Craig's two-run homer broke a 2-2 tie, lifting Springfield to a 4-2 triumph over Northwest Arkansas. The clutch hit was Craig's first game-ending home run since high school. With the blast, Craig also extended his hitting streak to 15 games, which ties Aaron Herr (2005) for best in Springfield history. The Cardinals scored their other two runs on solo homers from Matt Pagnozzi and Tyler Greene. Cardinals relievers Josh Dew, Marco Gonzalez, and Luke Gregerson collectively walked none in 4.1 scoreless innings.

July 12...In Springfield's 5-4 loss to Northwest Arkansas, Tyler Greene went 3-for-4, with two homers, a triple, three RBIs, and three runs scored. The Cardinals shortstop led off the second and fourth innings with solo dingers, and then added a RBI triple in the fifth. Greene, who had three of the Cards' seven hits, has gone 6-for-8 with three homers in his last two games. The Cardinals placed outfielder Jim Rapoport (right shoulder inflammation) on the disabled list. Cody Hearther was reassigned to Springfield from Triple-A Memphis. Hearther had previously played with Springfield 2005-07.

July 13...Springfield battled back from an early 5-0 deficit, but wound up falling 6-5 to Northwest Arkansas. The Cardinals four through six hitters, Allen Craig, Cody Haerther, and Andrew Brown, each had a pair of hits and scored. Helping the World team in their 3-0 victory in the Futures Game, closer Fernando Salas pitched a perfect inning, while fanning one.

Tulsa Drillers

(Colorado Rockies)

13-8, First Place, North Division

July 7...In the bottom of the 11th, Jeff Kindel brought home Dexter Fowler with a two-out single, lifting Tulsa to a 5-4 win over San Antonio. With his game-winning RBI, Kindel redeemed himself after he failed to break a 4-4 tie when he whiffed with the bases loaded in the ninth. Tony Blanco went 4-for-4, with a homer, a double, four RBIs, and two walks. Blanco cracked a three-run homer in the first, and later tied the game at 4-4 with a two-out, RBI double to right. Blanco has hit safely in 12 of his last 23 at-bats.

July 8...Facing a 6-1 deficit in the ninth, Tulsa completed an improbable comeback with a six-run inning, beating San Antonio 7-6. With two outs in the ninth, Matt Miller lined a two-RBI single, which brought home both the tying and the winning runs. Miller, who also added a RBI single in the sixth, originally had the night off but entered the game in the fourth after Daniel Carte left the game with hamstring tightness. Prior to Miller's clutch hit in the ninth, the Drillers scored their first four runs via a wild pitch, a bases loaded walk, a bases loaded hit by pitch, and a fielding error. Even more miraculous, the Drillers orchestrated the six-run comeback with only two hits in the inning. Corey Wimberly doubled and scored in the ninth. He now leads the Texas League with 34 thefts after stealing two bases. The Tulsa bullpen of Adam Bright, Tomas Santiago, and Darren Clarke combined on three scoreless innings of no-hit ball.

July 10...Tulsa edged Arkansas 6-5 to win their fourth straight. Activated from the disabled list prior to the game, winning hurler Ching-Lung Lo (6-7) walked none in five scoreless cantos, while holding the Travelers to just three hits. Matt Miller went 2-for-5, with three RBIs and a run scored. Miller's eighth inning, two-RBI double secured the Drillers' one-run victory. Through July 10, Miller's 71 RBIs were tied for the league lead. During a 2-for-4 evening, Dexter Fowler extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Fowler scored twice, doubled and tripled. Fowler leads the Texas League with seven three-baggers this season. Corey Wimberly collected three hits and stole his 35th base which ranks first in the circuit. Rockies 2007 first round pick Casey Weathers pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save.

July 11...Led by Chaz Roe's three-hit shutout, Tulsa leveled Arkansas 12-0 to win their fifth consecutive contest. In nine masterful innings of work, Roe struck out seven and walked none. All three of the Travelers' hits off Roe were singles. The Rockies' 2005 first-round pick retired the final ten batters he faced to record the first shutout of his professional career. After a three RBI game, Matt Miller moved into the top of the league leader board with 74 runs driven in. Getting three hits for the second straight contest, Corey Wimberly scored three times and stole two bases (37). Jeff Dragicevich equaled Wimberly with three hits. Jeff Kindel went 2-for-5, with a solo homer, a double, two RBIs, and a pair of runs scored. During a two-RBI evening, Dexter Fowler's eighth inning single extended his hitting streak to 15 games. In the ninth, Brian Esposito gave the Drillers' a double-digit lead by cracking a three-run homer.

July 12...Corey Wimberly, Tony Blanco and Eddie Cornejo all had two hits as Tulsa lost 7-3 to Arkansas. Colorado Rockies pitcher Kip Wells (blood clot) is scheduled to make a rehabilitation start for Tulsa on July 16.

July 13...Coming up on the short end of a pitchers' duel, Tulsa fell 2-1 to Arkansas. In seven innings of work, starter Brandon Hynick surrendered one run on eight hits and no walks. After a 2-for-5 showing at the plate, Corey Wimberly is batting 12-for-24 (.500) over his last five games. Wimberly also stole his 38th base, a Texas League best. Making an appearance in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium, closer Casey Weathers struck out the side in one inning of work. Center fielder Dexter Fowler and reliever Ryan Mattheus also participated in the game.

SOUTH NOTES

Corpus Christi Hooks

(Houston Astros)

8-14, Fourth Place, South Division

July 7...In Corpus Christi's 9-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas, Val Majewski went 2-for-4 with a homer (3). Majewski has hit safely in 12 of 13 games since joining the Hooks.

July 8...The Hooks compiled 13 hits and six extra-base knocks in a 16-10 loss to Northwest Arkansas. Jarred Ball and Rob Cosby both had three hits, three RBIs, two runs scored, and a double. Cosby also swatted a two-run homer in the seventh, his 10th of 2008. Ole Sheldon went 3-for-5, with a RBI double. During a 2-for-4 night, Drew Sutton doubled and scored three runs.

July 10...Corpus Christi sailed to a 9-2 victory over Frisco, ending a three-game losing streak. Third baseman Chris Johnson went 4-for-5, with three RBIs, a double, and a run scored. Johnson's two-RBI double and Jose Lopez's two-run dinger were the big blows during the Hooks' five-run second. Lopez finished at 2-for-4, with a pair of runs scored. Left fielder Val Majewski went 2-for-5, with two RBIs, and a double. Ole Sheldon socked his eighth round-tripper of the season. The Hooks tallied 14 hits, five for extra-bases. In 7.2 innings, winning pitcher Polin Trinidad (3-2) held the 'Riders to two runs on five hits and no walks. The Hooks placed All-Star right-hander Brad James on the disabled list. Right-hander Casey Hudspeth was brought up from high Single-A Salem where he recorded a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts.

July 11...Corpus Christi amassed 18 hits as they pummeled Frisco 12-3. On a 4-for-5 night, Jarred Ball led the Hooks' offensive attack with a homer, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Second baseman Drew Sutton went 3-for-5, with a three-run homer, four RBIs, and three runs. Doubling twice, Wladimir Sutil matched Sutton with three hits and three runs. Winning hurler Andy Van Hekken (2-0) struck out six over seven innings, giving up one earned run, seven hits and no walks. The southpaw has won both of his starts since being signed out of the Atlantic League by the Astros. Outfielder Val Majewski was promoted to Triple-A Round Rock following the game. Majewski went 2-for-5, with a double and a RBI in his last game. In 16 games with the Hooks, Majewski hit .333 with three homers, and 10 RBIs.

July 12...The Hooks were held to five hits in a 7-2 loss to Frisco. Drew Sutton, Ole Sheldon, and Wladimir Sutil each had a hit and stole a base. Before the game, the Hooks activated outfielder Billy Hart from the disabled list.

July 13...Behind two homers and six RBIs from Ole Sheldon, Corpus Christi upended Frisco 7-5. In the bottom of the first, Sheldon (2-for-2) swatted a grand slam to center field, giving the Hooks an early 4-0 advantage. After walking in his second at-bat, Sheldon led off the fifth with a solo dinger. Sheldon nabbed his sixth RBI with a sixth inning, sacrifice fly. Sheldon's grand slam was the first of his pro career and his six RBIs set a career high. It also marked the first time Sheldon had gone yard twice since he did the trick for Single-A Salem on May 15, 2007. The Hooks' two through four hitters, Jarred Ball, Chris Johnson, and Sheldon, each had a pair of hits. Casey Hudspeth won his first Double-A starter after yielding three runs in five innings. Left-hander Polin Trinidad represented the Hooks proudly by tossing a scoreless inning for the World team in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium.

Frisco RoughRiders

(Texas Rangers)

15-7, First Place, South Division

July 7...During Frisco's 12-5 loss to Arkansas, Steven Murphy went 2-for-4, with a double, a triple, a RBI and two runs scored. Center fielder Julio Borbon had two hits and stole a pair of bases. Starter Neftali Feliz dazzled fans in his Double-A debut by hitting 101 mph several times on the radar gun. Feliz struck out six in five innings of work, leaving the game with the lead after allowing three runs. The Dominican right-hander was called up from low Class-A Clinton where he went 6-3 with a 2.52 ERA. Frisco placed reliever Andrew Laughter on the disabled list.

July 8...Frisco defeated Arkansas 9-3 behind multiple-hit games from five different players. Second baseman Jose Vallejo went 3-for-3, with a triple, two stolen bases, two walks, a pair of runs scored, and a RBI. During a 2-for-4 evening, Steven Murphy belted a two-run dinger, his 13th of the year. In addition to Murphy, Julio Borbon, Elvis Andrus, and Ben Harrison also enjoyed two-hit games. Andrus swiped his 31st bag, which ranks third in the Texas League. Borbon stole a base, giving him six thefts in nine games with Frisco.

July 10...Center fielder Craig Gentry clubbed his third homer of the year in Frisco's 9-2 loss at Corpus Christi. Elvis Andrus (2-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

July 11...In a 12-3 loss to Corpus Christi, Ben Harrison went 2-for-3 and clubbed his 16th homer of the season. After bringing home a run with a first inning single, Elvis Andrus has now hit safely in 15 consecutive games. Right-hander Scott Feldman, who made 14 starts for the Texas Rangers this year, was assigned to Frisco. Reliever Joselo Diaz was promoted to Texas. Diaz recorded a 3.95 ERA and saved four games for Frisco.

July 12...Frisco beat Corpus Christi 7-2 as flame thrower Neftali Feliz earned his first Double-A victory. In six innings, Feliz allowed two runs, four hits and three walks, while striking out three. J.B. Diaz and Brennan Garr followed Feliz to the mound, combining on three shutout innings of one-hit relief. Jose Vallejo, Ben Harrison, and Adam Fox each had two RBIs to lead the RoughRiders' offense. Third baseman/catcher Emerson Frostad was called up to Oklahoma, earning his first promotion to Triple-A.

July 13...During a 7-5 loss to Corpus Christi, Jose Vallejo and Dustin Majewski each went 2-for-4, with a double and a run scored. Shortstop Elvis Andrus walked, stole a base, and scored as the World team blanked the U.S. 3-0 in the Futures Game.

Midland RockHounds

(Oakland Athletics)

10-12, Third Place, South Division

July 7...In a 12-inning, 5-4 loss to Springfield, Tommy Everidge was involved in all four of the RockHounds' runs. With Midland trailing 3-0 in the eighth, Everidge deposited a pitch into the right field bullpen for a three-run homer, tying the contest. Down 4-3 in the bottom of the 10th, Everidge cracked a leadoff double, and eventually scored to tie the game again. Justin Sellers and Javier Herrera, Midland's one and two hitters, both had three hits. In 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, Chris Farley one-hit the Cards, while fanning five.

July 8...Anchored by James Simmons' masterful performance on the mound, Midland blanked Springfield 2-0. Improving to 4-4, Simmons two-hit the Cardinals over eight scoreless innings, while registering a career-best 11 strikeouts. The right-hander, who walked none, started the game by hurling 5.1 hitless innings. In three starts versus the Cards this year, Simmons has given up one run and fanned 17 over 14 innings. Aaron Cunningham tripled, and scored a pair of runs. Middle infielder Michael Affronti was called up to Triple-A Sacramento after hitting .314 with a homer in 51 at-bats.

July 10...In 12 innings, Midland fell to San Antonio 2-1 on a night in which they stranded 14 baserunners. Making his Double-A debut, first baseman Sean Doolittle went 3-for-6, with a double. Prior to the promotion, Doolittle had hit .305, with 18 homers and 61 RBIs with high Class-A Stockton of the California League. Tommy Everidge doubled and drove in his 70th run with a RBI single.

July 11...Jon Zeringue and Myron Leslie each knocked in a pair of runs during Midland's 8-3 victory over San Antonio. Right fielder Javier Herrera went 2-for-5, with a triple, a RBI and a run scored. Winning pitcher Trevor Cahill (4-0) has earned a win in each of his four Double-A appearances. Closer Andrew Carignan struck out the side in the ninth.

July 12...During a 7-3 loss at San Antonio, Aaron Cunningham went 3-for-5, with a pair of RBIs, and a stolen base (9). Shortstop Justin Sellers (2-for-4) doubled and scored twice. Over three scoreless frames, reliever Andrew Bailey gave up one hit, walked none and struck five.

July 13... Spearheaded by Tommy Everidge's five RBI performance, Midland defeated San Antonio 9-6. Everidge went 3-for-5, homered and scored three times. In the top of the first, Everidge crushed a three-run dinger to center field. Sean Doolittle (2-for-4) doubled and drove in three. Justin Sellers, Aaron Cunningham, and Jon Zeringue contributed with two hit games. Hitting in front of Everidge in the three hole, Cunningham scored a trio of runs. Closer Andrew Carignan fired a flawless inning to earn his 12th save of 2008. RockHounds pitchers Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson both hurled a scoreless inning at the Futures Game played in Yankee Stadium.

San Antonio Missions

(San Diego Padres)

12-10, Second Place, South Division

July 7...Craig Cooper belted two homers, but San Antonio still fell 5-4 to Tulsa in 11 innings. Going 4-for-6, Cooper's second solo blast gave the Missions a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh. Second baseman Gabe Lopez went 2-for-4 and cracked his first round-tripper as a Mission. One day after being released by Tulsa, the San Diego Padres signed David Parrish and assigned him to San Antonio. Already in town when the Padres called, Parrish suited up and walked twice in his Missions debut. Catcher Robert DuBarry was released by San Antonio.

July 8...Entering the ninth with a 6-1 cushion, San Antonio gave up six runs, losing to Tulsa 7-6. Drew Macias was 3-for-5, with a homer, a double, two RBIs, and a pair of runs. Macias led off the third with his sixth round-tripper of the year. Two batters later, Mike Baxter hammered a two-run homer (4) to the right-center alley. Gabe Lopez's 14-game hitting streak came to an end after he went hitless in four at-bats.

July 10...Snapping a four-game losing skid, San Antonio squeaked by Midland 2-1 in a 12-inning marathon. After hitting a one-out single in the bottom of the 12th, David Parrish scored the game-winning run from second when Midland third baseman Brian Snyder committed a throwing error on Craig Cooper's infield single. Cooper led the Missions with two hits. Missions relievers Mauro Zarate, Jonathan Ellis, Gabe DeHoyos, Greg Burke, and Mike Ekstrom combined to hurl eight shutout innings of six-hit ball. Ekstrom one-hit the 'Hounds over three cantos to earn the win. The Missions placed reliever Paul Abraham (right shoulder strain) on the disabled list and activated Neil Jamison from the DL.

July 11...In San Antonio's 8-3 loss to Midland, Chad Huffman walked three times, drove in a run, and scored. Seth Johnston cracked a two-run double to center.

July 12...A five-run third inning helped the Missions sail to an 8-3 victory over the RockHounds. Jose Lobaton started the scoring in the third with a leadoff solo home run to right. Later in the inning, Chad Huffman socked a two-run double to left. Kyle Blanks doubled, scored, and led the Missions with two hits. Right fielder Craig Cooper gunned down a runner at home plate, and stole home on a double steal attempt. Matt Buschmann improved to 7-5 after surrendering two earned runs over 5.2 innings.

July 13...During the Missions' 9-6 loss to Midland, catcher Jose Lobaton went 2-for-4, with a pair of doubles, and two RBIs. Chad Huffman, who led the club with three hits, hit his 23rd double of the year and came home on Kyle Blanks' first-inning triple. During a 2-for-3 evening, Seth Johnston scored twice. Pitching in the All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Will Inman struck out one in a perfect inning of work.

CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Kila Kaaihue, Northwest Arkansas

19 AB, 9 H, .474 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R

1 2B, 19 TB, 4 BB, .565 OBP, 1.000 SLG

Juan Richardson, Northwest Arkansas

19 AB, 9 H, .474 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R

2 2B, 17 TB, 5 BB, .630 OBP, .895 SLG

Spearheaded by the efforts of Kaaihue and Richardson, the Naturals erupted for 49 runs (8.2 average/game) over the past week, finishing with a 5-1 record.

During the period of July 7th-13th, Kaaihue hit .474 (9-for-19), tied for the league lead with three homers, drove in a circuit best 12 RBIs, and scored eight runs. The Hawaiian slugger also tied for the best slugging percentage with a 1.000 mark.

Richardson matched his teammate with an identical .474 average, cracked a pair of homers, finished second to his teammate with 11 RBIs, and scored nine times. The Dominican got on-base at a .630 clip, which was the best percentage in the league. With Richardson on-base well more than half the time, he was able to score a run in all six games he played in.

Both Kaaihue and Richardson hit grand slams to lead Northwest Arkansas to victory. In the Naturals' 16-10 drubbing on July 8th, Kaaihue belted a grand slam to center as he went 4-for-5, with two homers, six RBIs, and four runs scored. Five days later, Richardson sparked a five-run first inning by hammering a grand slam to right as the Naturals upended Springfield 6-5.

Trailing Springfield 9-8 in the top of the ninth on July 9th, Kaaihue crushed a three-run homer, lifting the Naturals to an 11-9 triumph. Combined with his six-RBI performance from the night before, Kaaihue drove in 10 runs and scored seven runs in consecutive games.

Kaaihue ranks first in the Texas League with 23 round-trippers, and has reached base safely in 24 consecutive games.

An unsung hero during Kaaihue's six-RBI game, Richardson went 3-for-4, with three runs scored and two RBIs. Two games later, Richardson clubbed a two-run homer, providing the Naturals' only offense in their 4-2 loss to Springfield.

In the month of July, Richardson is hitting .357 with a robust 1.079 OPS, while Kaaihue is hitting .472 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 10 games.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Chaz Roe, Tulsa

1 G, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9 IP

3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K

Add Roe to the growing list of young Texas League starters that have come up from Single-A this season and given their new clubs a dependable front-line hurler. On July 11, Roe fired a three-hit shutout, helping Tulsa batter Arkansas 12-0. Roe compiled seven strikeouts, and walked only one as he improved his perfect Double-A record to 3-0. None of the three hits he allowed were for extra-bases. As the game went deeper, Roe got better as he retired the last 10 batters he faced in order.

Roe's brilliant outing was the first shutout of his professional career. It also was the first nine-inning complete game by a Drillers hurler this season.

Since being promoted from Class-A Modesto on June 7, Roe has given up three earned runs or less in five of his seven Texas League starts. The native of Lexington, KY has registered a 2.96 ERA in 48.2 innings of work.

This Week in the Texas League History

July 15, 1979...A seventh inning home run completed the cycle for Mel Barrow as he led Tulsa to an 11-6 win at Midland. The three-run home run gave Barrow five RBI's on the night. He finished the game having gone 4-for-5.

July 16, 1930...The end of a long and successful pitching career came to a close when Dallas released future Hall of Fame hurler Grover Alexander. Dallas had signed Alexander, a winner of 373 games during his 20-year career in the National League, after his release by the Phillies earlier in the 1930 season. "Old Pete" was lack luster in five games for the Steers, going 1-2, with an 8.25 ERA, which led to the club seeking waivers.

July 17, 1936...San Antonio exploded for 10 runs in the seventh inning, on the way to a 16-3 trouncing of Tulsa. Amazingly, all 10 of San Antonio's runs in the big inning were scored after two men were out.

July 18, 1930...Just as the scoreboard clock struck midnight, Shreveport's Dutch Krause pounded a home run, ending an exciting, 15-inning marathon with Beaumont, giving the Sports a well-earned 7-6 win. The long contest must have left the local fans gasping as Beaumont had two men thrown out attempting to steal home. Adding to the suspense, both teams scored single runs in the 10th and 12th.

July 19, 1966...Floyd Wicker's fifth straight hit drove in the winning run, giving Arkansas an 11-inning, 5-4 win over Amarillo. After being retired in the first inning, Wicker went on a tear, stroking three singles and double and a triple.

July 20, 1983...The West All Stars pounded 20 hits on the way to a 10-4 shelling of the East at Dudley Field in El Paso. Six different West Division players collected three hits in the game, including Beaumont's John Kruk, who also had a home run, a double and a stolen base.

July 21, 1925...Veteran San Antonio hurler Bob Coachman just missed tossing a no-hitter as he led the Bears to a 3-0 win over Wichita Falls. Interestingly, it was Couchman's opposite number, Spudders pitcher Rip Wheeler who ruined the no-hit bid when he rapped a single in the third inning. Wheeler's base hit was the only one Couchman allowed in the game.

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Texas League Stories from July 14, 2008


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