Riders Game Notes - 11:05 a.m. vs. San Antonio Missions - April 27, 2016
April 27, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Sam Wolff (3-0, 1.69 ERA)
Missions: RHP Brandon Morrow (1-0, 7.20 ERA)
Full game notes are available online through this link.
Today's game can be heard on the RoughRiders Radio Network at Ridersbaseball.com/media, online and on mobile devices via TuneIn Radio, or on the MiLB First Pitch App. The Dr Pepper Pregame Show with Ryan Rouillard begins at 10:30 a.m. prior to the first pitch at 11:05 a.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg.
You may access the 2016 Riders Media Guide online here.
LAST TIME OUT:
In walk-off fashion, the Riders captured a 4-3 win over the San Antonio Missions on Thursday...JOE JACKSON singled in RYAN CORDELL to end the game in the ninth...The walk-off capped off a come-from-behind win for Frisco who trailed 3-1 in the sixth inning before Cordell blasted a two-run home runs to tie it...The Riders got four brilliant innings out of CONNOR SADZECK before he allowed a run in the fifth and two in the sixth...RYNE SLACK earned the win in relief, allowing no runs and no hits in three innings of work out of the pen.
RIDING HIGH:
The RoughRiders won nine of their first 10 games this season, marking the best 10-game start in team history. At 13-4, the RoughRiders are still on pace with the 2008 squad for the best start in the 14-year history of the franchise. The 2008 RoughRiders finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
EXTRA! EXTRA!:
RYAN CORDELL has been on a roll early in the season, leading the Texas League in batting average (.375), slugging (.766), home runs (5), doubles (8), extra-base hits (14), RBI (21), and runs (17). In addition, Cordell has more extra-base hits (14) than singles (10).
GOING STREAKING:
Cordell has not only been off to a great start, but he's been producing consistently for Frisco early in 2016. He rides an 12-game hit streak into today's game and has been on base in all 17 contests this year, both of which are the Texas League's longest active streaks. Dating back to the final three games of last season, he has reached base in 20 straight contests.
CONE IN THE ZONE:
After starting the season 4-for-26, ZACH CONE has 10 hits in his last 26 at-bats, including six extra-base hits and 11 RBI. He has driven in at least one run in five of the last eight games. Cone went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's loss to Arkansas, and he slugged a three-run homer in Monday's win.
STARTING SERIES STRONG:
With their win Monday night, the RoughRiders are a perfect 6-0 in series-opening games this season. Frisco has won four of its first five series, including two sweeps of Northwest Arkansas.
SCORING SOONER:
Early on, the Riders had trouble scoring early in games. 25 of the 34 runs they scored over their first seven games came in the sixth inning or later. But in their last nine games, 41 of their 51 runs have come within the first five innings.
FIRST FRAME FUN:
After scoring just one first-inning run in the first 11 games, the Riders have scored 14 in the last six games, including five on Friday, have at least one first inning run in each of the past six games, and have outscoring opponents 14-1.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:
The Riders have fared better at home against San Antonio than any of the other teams in the Texas League's South division. Frisco has defeated the Missions 103 times at Dr Pepper Ballpark and also has a better win percentage against San Antonio, both overall (.528) and at home (.569), than Corpus Christi or Midland.
THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER:
While almost every facet of the RoughRiders team has been clicking early on, the bullpen has been especially strong for the Riders. Over the past 13 games, the 'pen has allowed just nine earned runs in the last 53 1/3 innings (1.52 ERA). Over that stretch, relievers have allowed just 28 hits and 25 walks (0.99 WHIP), while striking out 47.
CRANKING UP CROOKED NUMBERS:
Early in the season, the RoughRiders have shown an ability to not only score in bunches but keep opponents from doing the same. The RoughRiders have tallied five four-run innings, three five-run frames and a six-spot. Meanwhile, the Riders have only allowed two innings of more than two runs (4, 5th inning, 4/19 vs. Arkansas; 3, 7th inning, 4/25 vs. San Antonio).
REELING IN A SERIES WIN:
After a rough season series against the Hooks in 2015 (9-23), the RoughRiders won their first series against Corpus Christi this season. The last time that the RoughRiders won a series against the Hooks was July 15-18, 2015.
DOUBLE THE BROOMS:
On April 16, the RoughRiders broke out the brooms against Northwest Arkansas for the second time this year. It marked the first time the Riders have swept the same team twice in the same half since the second half of 2009, when the RoughRiders swept Arkansas in both series.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 52-22 (.703), good for the best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert enters today at 15-4, Class-A Hickory is 12-7, and Triple-A Round Rock is 11-7. Round Rock was recently ranked the fifth-best Minor League team (any level) by MLB.com's Jim Callis.
TOP OF THE CLASS:
The RoughRiders enter the season with six players ranked in either Baseball America or MLBPipeline.com's Rangers Top 30
Prospects. LEWIS BRINSON, the No. 2 prospect in Rangers' farm system according to MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America, returns to Frisco. He appeared in 28 games for the Riders last season, hitting .291 with six home runs and 23 RBI before being promoted to Round Rock. Brinson is joined by five other players named in the lists- RYAN CORDELL (No. 15 in MLB, No. 11 in BA), RONALD GUZMAN (23, 29), JOSE LECLERC (25, 21), SAM WOLFF (26, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (27, 26).
OPPOSING STARTER:
On a minor league contract, big league experienced Brandon Morrow gets the ball for the Missions today...He is coming off of arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder...Morrow makes his fourth start in the minors and second with San Antonio...His lone start with the Missions thus far came five days ago against Midland at home when he picked up the win, allowing four runs in five innings of work...When healthy, Brandon Morrow throws a 93-99 mph fastball, 84 mph splitter, an 85 mph slider, a upper 70s curveball, and a changeup.
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