RockHounds win over Rangers
August 29, 2010 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Well, okay, not quite. But one-third of the Frisco RoughRiders' line-up Saturday night was comprised not only of Txas Rangers, but each has been an all-star big leaguer.
With the top third of the order consisting of Christian Guzman, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz (each wrapping up a re-hab assignment before returning to the Rangers), the odds of Carlos Hernandez earning his ninth win ... the the 'Hounds their fourth shutout ... were probably pretty "long."
On July 5, Carlos won his third consecutive decision, improving to 8-1. Over his next eight starts, the lefty went 0-2 and, six weeks after his eighth win, was still in search of number nine.
When Guzman singled leading off the last of the first, it looked as if Hernandez and the 'Hounds would be in for a long night. Instead, the single would be one of only three base runners he would allow over 7.0 innings of work. Cruz, the former RockHound (2004), drew a walk in the fourth, but it came on a very close, 3-2, pitch. Engel Beltre's 5th-inning hit was a double, but it was a "hustle double" on a ball sent into shallow right-center on an 0-2 pitch.
Hernandez finished the game going 7.0 innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out six, in quite probably his best performance as a pro (factoring in first place being on the line and the trio of big leauers batting 1-2-3).
Guzman, Kinsler and Cruz went a combined 1-for-7 against Hernandez, with Guzman and Kinsler going down on strikes, back-to-back, in the sixth.
Mickey Storey survived a bases-loaded threat in the eighth, and Daniel Sattler earned his first save after an inning-opening scare in the ninth. Cruz, one of the most feared power hitters in the American League (he finished 2nd in the 2009 All-Star Game Home Run Derby) took a big cut and topped a slow roller that dribbled up the third base line, eventually bumping the bag at third for a lead-off single. A nice play in left by Val Majewski (he knocked down a bloop to left with a diving catch and forced Cruz at second base) got one out and Sattler did the rest. Touching at 96 miles-per-hour, he struck out two batters, including Andy Jenkins to end the game.
The RockHounds manufactured two runs in the sixth. Matt Sulentic led the inning off beating out a single to Guzman at shortstop. Gabe Ortiz singled to left and Jemile Weeks walked. On J.C. Holt's grounder (and potential double play ball) into the base path between first and second, some good base-running by Weeks forced Kinsler to throw to first, getting just one out, with Sulentic scoring. The second run came on a gutsy call by manager Darren Bush, sending Ortiz home on Shane Peterson's fly ball to NOT-so-deep left field.
Majewski was robbed of a solo home run in the seventh, when Beltre went crashing into the center field wall, reaching just above the yellow line at the top of the wall and bringing Majewski's drive back in. He stayed down for a few momnets after making the catch, an absolute ESPN Web Gem caliber play.
There are nine (9) games remaining in the 2010 Texas League season, and the 'Hounds will spend the first seven of those games on the road in a pair of critical series. Saturday night's game was the first of three at Frisco, with first place in the South on the line. The 'Hounds then move on for a 4-game set at San Antonio ... a series which could determine the South's second playoff spot.
The RockHounds then close the regular season at Citibank Ballpark with a 3-game Labor Day weekend series against Frisco.
Texas League Stories from August 29, 2010
- Shooting From The Hip - Midland RockHounds
- Fields Leads Naturals Over Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Jenkins Pushes Frisco Past Midland-8.29.10 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Use Big Sixth Inning to Get by Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Early Homers, Lack of Clutch Hitting Doom Travs - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Hot Pitching Burns Travs 3-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- 'Riders Blanked By Midland Saturday - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals drop opening game in Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- RockHounds win over Rangers - Midland RockHounds
- Two Big Innings Undo Travs - Arkansas Travelers
- Tulsa Gains Ground On Naturals With Win - Tulsa Drillers
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