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Frisco RoughRiders

2013 Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes

June 19, 2013 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


LONE STAR SNIPPETS

Goe Figure: On a night where the Texas League's best hitter was a late scratch from the lineup, the guy who filled in did a pretty good job in the RockHounds' 9-4 win over the RoughRiders. Jake Goebbert hit a grand slam and drove in five runs while batting in Anthony Aliotti's customary number three spot in Midland's lineup. Frisco took the game's first lead with two runs in the first inning against Murphy Smith, who settled down after the shaky frame. Carlos Pimentel was sailing through the batting order-retiring the first 11 hitters and throwing scoreless baseball in the first four innings-but ran into trouble of his own making in the fifth. He hit the first batter and then walked three in a row, bringing home a run in the process. After D'Arby Myers tied the game with an RBI single, Goebbert's slam made it 6-2. After the first inning, he RoughRiders' offense was not productive until a two-run eighth inning that cut the gap to 7-4, but Midland got those two runs back in the ninth and put any ideas of a Frisco comeback to bed. The loss was the RoughRiders' sixth in the last eight games.

No home cooking: Carlos Pimentel has won the Texas League Pitcher of the Week award twice this season with seven-inning, one- hit shutout performances on the road. But both of his returns home have been anything but triumphant, as last night proved. Pimentel started well by throwing four scoreless innings, but then lost everything and gave up six runs while being unable to complete the fifth. Jake Goebbert's grand slam was the big blow against Pimentel, who lost and saw his ERA go above four for the first time this season. In his last four home starts, Pimentel has given up 23 runs (21 earned) on 27 hits in 19.2 innings for a 9.61 ERA. While his last few home outings have been disappointing, Pimentel still ranks tied for fourth in the TL wins (7), second in strikeouts (87), fourth in innings pitched (79.2) fourth in opposing batting average (.217), third in strikeout rate (9.95/9IP) and fourth in fewest baserunners/9 IP (10.30).

Nothing to see here, folks: Ben Rowen threw another scoreless inning on Tuesday night retiring two straight batters with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. Rowen lowered his ERA to 0.55 with the outing and extended his scoreless appearances streak to 19 games. Over this stretch, he has tossed 19.0 scoreless innings and has allowed just seven hits and four walks with 17 strikeouts. The Rangers' Minor League Reliever of the Year in 2012 had a similar streak last season, going 23 straight outings without surren- dering a run from June 4 until the streak ended on August 16.

Halftime: The first half of the season ended the way it often does: with Frisco at or near the top of the South Division in the Texas League. The RoughRiders completed the first half with a 39-31 record, good for second place in the division, three games behind Corpus Christi. Frisco has finished in either first or second place in every half of every season since the second half of 2009, a string of eight consecutive halves in the top two of the South.

Buch Dynasty: On Monday Alex Buchholz was recognized by the Texas League for his recent offensive tear, winning the circuit's Player of the Week award for June 10-16. Over the week, Buchholz hit .478 (11 for 23) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, five runs and three walks. He led the TL in batting average, on-base percentage (.538) and slugging percentage (.826) while picking up his first-ever weekly award as a professional. Over a two-game stretch he collected hits in seven consecutive at bats and became the first RoughRiders position player to win the award since Tommy Mendonca did so last August. Buchholz raised his season batting average 34 points from .241 to .274 with the torrid week. Former Frisco pitcher Roy Oswalt was also honored as the TL Pitcher of the Week.

Perfect Ten: After experiencing a bout of wildness in his previous start, Neil Ramirez bucked down and dominated on Saturday against the Hooks. The Virginian tossed six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with ten strikeouts, tying the second-most he's had this season. The win put him alone into second place in the Texas League in victories and he now leads the TL in strike- outs with 91 (fourth in all of Minor League Baseball). Ramirez is also seventh in the TL ERA (3.12), first in lowest batting average against (.182), second in strikeout rate (10.92) and fifth in fewest baserunners/9 IP (10.32).

Tufts University: Though he did not factor into Friday's decision, Frisco starter Tyler Tufts had another terrific start against Corpus Christi. The righty gave up just two singles over five scoreless innings with no walks and four strikeouts. In his last four starts, he has given up just one combined run, posting a 0.50 ERA (1 ER, 18 IP) in this span to drop his season ERA 1.89 runs from 5.27 to 3.38.

All-Star-studded: Rosters for the 2013 Texas League All-Star Game in Springdale, Arkansas were announced on June 11 and eight RoughRiders were named to the South Division team. Frisco landed second baseman Odubel Herrera and DH Brett Nicholas as starters and catcher Tomas Telis, infielder Guilder Rodriguez and outfielder Teodoro Martinez as reserves (Martinez was added as an injury replacement for San Antonio's Reymond Fuentes). Three RoughRiders pitchers also made the team, as Carlos Pimentel, Neil Ramirez and Ben Rowen were honored as selections. Frisco's haul was tied with Arkansas for the most TL All-Stars on one team.

Diamonds aren't forever: With his win on June 8, Carlos Pimentel took over sole ownership of the most wins in Frisco RoughRiders history with 22 career victories. He passed former RoughRider Thomas Diamond, who went 21-15 in parts of four seasons (2005- 06, 08-09) with Frisco. Pimentel made one start for the 'Riders in 2010 (a loss) and has spent all of the past three seasons in a Frisco uniform. The Dominican is also closing in on the team record for strikeouts with 291; Diamond still is first with 310 K's.

Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Zach Neal (5-4, 3.51) makes his 15th start of the season today and his fourth against the RoughRid- ers. In his three starts against Frisco, he is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA (6 ER/20 IP). After getting hit very hard in two starts on May 29 and June 4 (12.60 ERA), he has turned things around in his last two (1 ER/15 IP for a 0.60 ERA). Despite those good starts, he has not earned a win in four straight outings, going 0-3 since his last win on May 24. Neal was signed by the Athletics late in spring training (March 29) after he asked for and was granted his release by Miami. He was the Marlins' 17th round draft pick in 2010 and went 17-14 with a 3.80 ERA in three seasons with Miami, splitting last year between Advanced-A Jupiter (9 G, 8 GS, 4-1, 1.21 ERA) and Double-A Jacksonville (21 G, 10 GS, 4-6, 3.80 ERA). A native of Flower Mound, Neal took a similar collegiate career path of fellow Texas Leaguer and Padres farmhand Burch Smith. After a year at Sam Houston State, he played one season at Howard College in Big Spring and, alongside Smith, helped the Hawks to a 63-1 record and the NJCAA National Championship in 2009. From there, he and Smith both went on to attend the University of Oklahoma where he pitched in the 2010 College World Series. He went 8-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 18 starts for the Sooners and became a professional after the Marlins drafted him that year. Neal drew national attention in 2011; pitching in the South Atlantic League, he gave up a home run to Bryce Harper and Neal began yelling at the slugger when he reportedly admired his homer before rounding the bases. Harper then blew kisses out to Neal as he crossed home plate, drawing the ire of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. At Flower Mound High School, Neal went 12-0 as a senior, was named all-state and won the 5-5A District MVP.

The RoughRiders roster currently lists five players ranked in Baseball America's top 30 prospects in the Rangers organization. They are: RHP Roman Mendez (13), IF Hanser Alberto (15), RHP Wilmer Font (22), RHP Neil Ramirez (23) and RHP Randy Henry (29). Also, OF Joe Benson (19) is ranked for the Twins' organization.

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