That's Why He's the Boss
August 4, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Before Monday's series opener with Frisco, RockHounds General Manager Monty Hoppel looked at the weather forecast and said "... what we need is a two-hour, 20-minute game and a win." As you say, sir! The 'Hounds defeated the RoughRiders, 5-0 ... the game lasted just two-hours, 29-minutes ... and all heck broke loose with the weather not five minutes after the final out.
Jake Sanchez and relievers Tucker Healy and Ryan Doolittle combined on a four-hitter, the club's Texas League-leading 14th shutout of the season (see "Stat of the Day," below). The game was fourth in which Sanchez has been the winning pitcher in a combination shutout.
Ryon Healy (2-for-2, two walks, two RBI) drove in the game's first run with a flair single to shallow right-center in the second and back-to-back doubles from Chad Pinder and Matt Olson put the RockHounds up, 2-0, in the fourth. Two singles in the sixth were followed by three consecutive walks (the last two forcing home runs) and a sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 5-0.
The loss was Frisco's 11th straight (four of them to the RockHounds). After leading the division by a half-game on July 23, the RoughRiders have now fallen seven-and-a-half games back (with 32 games remaining in the regular season).
The RockHounds
... are 25-13 in the second half and 60-48 overall ... have won 8-of-their-last-10 ... are 14-6 in the season series with the RoughRiders (8-1 at home and 6-5 at Frisco) ... are 35-20 at Security Bank Ballpark and 25-28 on the road ... are 41-31 vs. the South Division and 19-17 vs. the North.
- Texas League South: The RockHounds continue to lead first half champion Corpus Christi (21-17) by four games after the Hooks' extra-innings (4-2) win at San Antonio. The 'Hounds lead over Frisco (17-20) is now seven-and-a-half games with San Antonio nine games back.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: The 2015 RockHounds are now within one shutout of matching a franchise mark that has stood for 40 years. Monday's 5-0 shutout of Frisco was the club's 14th - - - second only to the 1975 Midland Cubs, who posted 15 "blankings."
- Tucker Healy pitched a scoreless seventh, extending his scoreless streak to 28.1 innings, covering his last 22 appearances. Since allowing two runs at Corpus Christi on May 25, Tucker has allowed seven hits and 12 walks while striking out 25 batters.
- Chad Oberacker left the game shortly after making a sensational, sliding catch on Zach Cone's drive to the base of the wall in left-center in the fifth inning. Oberacker stayed in the game initially, but came out during his subsequent at bat in the home half of the fifth.
- Chad Pinder (1-for-4, double, two runs) has a seven-game streak (10-for-30, .333) and has hit in 25 of his last 26 games (41-for-112, .366).
- Rangel Ravelo (0-for-4) saw his nine-game hit streak come to an end. Despite the "oh-fer," Ravelo is hitting .349 in his last 15 games.
RockHounds Sweep Weekly Texas League Honors
Texas League president Tom Kayser announced Monday that RockHounds Ryon Healy and Sean Manaea have been name the league's Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of July 27-August 3.
- Ryon hit .444 (12-for-27) in seven games with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI. In that span, he also recorded four multi-hit games, including a five-hit performance on the road against Frisco on July 29. He went 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBI Monday night, and is now hitting .410 (32-78) in his last 21 games. Ryon is also 13-for-his-last-23 (.565) and has reached base in 15-of-25 plate appearances (.600).
- In just his third AA start ... and his first as a member of the A's organization ... Manaea threw seven shutout innings in a 4-0 win over Corpus Christi (July 31). He allowed three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts, facing just 22 batters (one over the minimum). The 23-year-old Indiana native was acquired in the trade that sent Ben Zobrist to Kansas City (July 28). He was originally selected by the Royals with the 34th overall pick in the 2013 draft out (Indiana State University), and entered the season rated Kansas City's # 3 prospect by Baseball America.
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Texas League Stories from August 4, 2015
- Corpus Christi Clinches Series with Rout - San Antonio Missions
- Torres Homers But Naturals Fall to Travelers - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Use Five-Run Seventh Inning to Snap Skid - Frisco RoughRiders
- Texas Rangers Promote Former Rider Ryan Strausborger - Frisco RoughRiders
- Hooks, Midland in Crucial Weekend Series - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Arkansas 10-2 over Last 12 After Monday Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks Survive SA Surge - Corpus Christi Hooks
- That's Why He's the Boss - Midland RockHounds
- Cardinals Power Past Tulsa with 7-6 Comeback Win - Springfield Cardinals
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