Welcome Back, Fellas
Published on August 21, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
The RockHounds busted out of a 3-game slide on their road trip, scoring eight unanswered runs in the last two innings to defeat the league's best team in the process. They did it with a series of big swings, three of them from two solid hitters who have been "missing in action" from the box scores of late, rallying to defeat Northwest Arkansas, 9-2, Saturday night in Springdale, Arkansas.
Archie Gilbert opened the game going 0-for-2, bringing the totals of a miserable slump to 0-for-23 and 3-for-40. He walked in the sixth, but was promptly picked off base. All that changed in the eighth. With the Naturals having held a 2-1 lead since the fourth, Gabe Ortiz singled to right with one out. On a 3-2 pitch to Jemile Weeks, manager Darre Bush rolled the dice and sent Ortiz. Jemile sngled shaprply to left, and Gabe came all the way around to third. Gilbert then stepped up and delivered a flair single to right, snapping out of his slump and tying the game.
A throwing error on the play allowed runners to reach second and third, prompting an intentional walk to Shane Peterson. Corey Brown then narrowly missed a grand slam home run, driving a double off the wall in center, scoring two on what would be te game-winning swing of the bat.
LIke Archie Gilbert, Val Majewski had been struggling, going 2-for-his-last-22 entering the game. He sent a double into the left field corner, driving in two more and building the lead to 6-2. Val scored the final run of the 6-run eighth on Alex Valdez' RBI single. The 'Hounds entered the eighth trailing, 2-1, and left it with a 7-2 lead.
Gilbert then capped the night with a 2-run home run to left field in the ninth inning ... his 11th of the year.
While the 'Hounds didn't gain any ground over their closest pursuers, Frisco and San Antonio, they also didn't lose any ground. For much of the evening, the rest of the South was winning with the 'Hounds trailing, so the come-from-behind win over the league's best club (NW Arkansas is now 74-50 and 40-20 at home) was a big one.
Josh Horton went 2-for-5, extending his hit streak to nine games. The 'Hounds shortstop is now 19-for-32, with five walks, a .594 batting average and a .649 on-base percentage.
The pennant race & the wild card: The RockHounds continue to lead both San Antonio and Frisco by three games, with Corpus Christi falling seven games back.
In the wild card race (which takes effect if Frisco wins the second half), the RockHounds lead San Antonio by three games and Corpus Chroisti by six.
Texas League Stories from August 21, 2010
- Welcome Back, Fellas - Midland RockHounds
- Wild One Goes to Missions 6-5 - Springfield Cardinals
- Creaky bullpen strikes again in loss - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Day of Reckling - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Day of Reckling - Arkansas Travelers
- On-Shore Drilling - Midland RockHounds
- Travs Finish Sweep Of Missions - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Win On Record Breaking Night - Tulsa Drillers
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