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Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 23, 2016

June 23, 2016 - Texas League (TL1) - Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: RHP Luis Ortiz (1-3, 3.04 ERA)

Hooks: RHP Kyle Smith (1-5, 5.89 ERA)

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 6:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show is infielder Alberto Triunfel.

LAST TIME OUT:

Although the Riders led 1-0 early, Midland came back to win the series finale 2-1 in 10 innings...RONALD GUZMAN hit his 10th home run of the season in the top of the fourth as the Riders got on the board first for the second consecutive game...With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 10th, Midland loaded the bases with a trio of walks against RYNE SLACK with no outs. JASON RICHMAN entered the game and recorded the first out, but he issued a four-pitch walk to Josh Rodriguez that allowed Brett Vertigan to score the winning run...For the first time in six starts as a RoughRider, YOHANDER MENDEZ did not make it through five frames. The southpaw departed the game after 4 2/3 innings, once he gave up the tying run on Viosergy Rosa's two-out RBI single.

BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH:

The RoughRiders have become very familiar with playing in close games lately. All four games in the last series against Midland were decided by a single run. During the month of June, 12 of the Riders' 22 games have been decided by two runs or less. On the season, Frisco is 16-10 in one-run games and 6-5 in two-run contests.

THE SPRINGFIELD SEVEN:

Last Tuesday, the Texas League announced its midseason all-stars and seven RoughRiders earned all-star honors. Infielder RONALD GUZMAN and outfielder RYAN CORDELL were both named starters, while outfielder PRESTON BECK and catcher ISIAH KINER-FALEFA earned reserve spots. Starting pitchers CONNOR SADZECK and VICTOR PAYANO, along with reliever ADAM PARKS also were named mid-season all-stars. It was the sixth-straight year the RoughRiders had at least seven players named to the All-Star Game, and Frisco's seven selections were third-most in the Texas League, behind Tulsa (nine) and Corpus Christi (nine). The 2016 Texas League All-Star Game takes place next Tuesday in Springfield, Missouri.

BECK BUSTING OUT:

PRESTON BECK has become a key contributor for the Riders over the last month. The Dallas-native has reached base in 29 of his last 33 games, including on-base streaks of 14 (5/13-6/1) and seven (6/3-6/13) games. Over his last 32 games (since May 13), Beck is hitting .295 with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 13 RBI. He also sports a .348 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .443 in that span.

EATEN UP BY ERRORS:

For most of the season, the RoughRiders have been one of the best defensive teams in the Texas League. However, in the last 17 games, the RoughRiders have committed 19 errors (1.1 per game), leading to 18 unearned runs. By comparison, they had committed just 37 errors in the first 54 games (0.69 per game). EVAN VAN HOOSIER, who played his first five career games at third base last week, made four of the 13 errors as he was adjusting to playing the new position. ANDY IBANEZ has accounted for three of the miscues in that span, and LUIS SILVA made two blunders in his stateside debut on Sunday.

CORDELL COMES BACK CRUSHING:

RoughRiders outfielder RYAN CORDELL broke out of his longest homerless stretch of the season last Tuesday in a big way, hitting a pair of solo home runs in a 5-4 win over Midland. It was his second multi-home run game of the season, both of which have come against the RockHounds. After hitting 10 home runs in his first 35 games, Cordell went homerless in 26 straight games (90 at-bats) from May 16 through June 13 before his big day last Tuesday. Cordell continued his recent surge with a 3-for-4 performance in game one of last Thursday's doubleheader, including his 13th home run of the year. Friday, he hit his 14th homer and his first opposite-field shot of the year. He posted a multi-hit game Tuesday as well.

RANGERS ON REHAB:

Thanks to their geographic proximity to Arlington, the Riders have already had a handful of Rangers join the squad on Major League rehabilitation assignments this season. A.J. GRIFFIN made his third rehab start with Frisco Sunday and is the sixth rehabber to suit up for the RoughRiders this season. The list also includes catchers CHRIS GIMENEZ and ROBINSON CHIRINOS, outfielders JOSH HAMILTON and SHIN-SOO CHOO, and right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH.

OPPOSING STARTER:

Kyle Smith makes his sixth start of the season and second against Frisco, with the first coming back on April 21 at Whataburger Field...He has also pitched in seven games out of the bullpen, including two appearances against the Riders on May 14 and June 17...Smith was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the fourth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft...Houston acquired the right-handed pitcher in exchange for outfielder Justin Maxwell at the trade deadline on July 31, 2013...Named a mid-season All-Star for Wilmington (Carolina League) in 2013 and Corpus Christi in 2014...Smith bypassed an opportunity to play at the University of Florida by signing with the Royals out of Santaluces High School in Lantana, Florida...Went 9-1 with a 0.40 ERA and 116 strikeouts over 69 innings as a senior...REPERTOIRE: Fastball (88-91, T93), curveball, and changeup.


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