Another Dull Ending
July 7, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Jonathan Joseph went seven innings and scattered seven hits, while allowing just one run and striking out six as the RockHounds defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 5-4 on Monday night at Security Bank Ballpark. (Saydee Bailey)
The RockHounds' 5-4 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Monday night at Secutity Bank ballpark began, and ended, with high drama.
In the top of the first, Jorge Bonifacio sent a high drive to the left field corner, with Matt Angle in "full tilt" pursuit. Angle and the fly ball reached the bullpen fence at virtually the same instant, with Matt banging into the railing and tumbling in to the bullpen, narrowly missing a sensational catch (he actually got his glove on the ball). Instead, Bonifacio's 15th home run of the year gave Northwest Arkansas a 1-0 lead.
By the time the Naturals came to the plate in the top of the ninth, the RockHounds had taken a 5-1 advantage, but a pair of singles and an error loaded the bases with no outs. Terrance Gore's fourth hit of the game, a sharp single to center, and a fielder's choice cut the lead to 5-3. Â
Ryan Dull relieved Omar Duran, inheriting runners at first and third with one out. Another fielder's choice cut the lead to 5-4, with a runner at first, two out and Ramon Torres (in his first game with NW Arkansas) at the plate. Torres, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the last of the eighth, fell behind, 0-2, but worked the count even at 2-2, fouling off four, two-strike pitches in the process. Dull then closed the door, getting Torres to chase a pitch in the dirt. The right-hander, whose ERA is 0.24, earned his seventh save in as many opportunities.
Between the opening and closing pieces of high drama, the RockHounds tied the game at 1-1 in the third on Chad Pinder's bases-loaded walk. The 'Hounds then broke the tie, and built the lead to four runs, on two swings. Colin Walsh ripped a two-run homer into the left field bullpen in the fourth, and Pinder sent a two-run shot over the high wall in left field one inning later.
The RockHounds
... are 8-3 in the second half and 43-38 overall ... are five games over .500 for the second time (29-24) ... have won 8-of-their-last-10 ... have clinched the three-game series versus NW Arkansas ... are 4-1 in their current (six-game) homestand with Tuesday evening's game remaining ... are 5-3 against Northwest Arkansas (4-1 at home and 1-2 on the road) ...are 25-16 at Security Bank Ballpark and 18-22 on the road ... are 27-25 vs. the South Division and 16-13 vs. the North ... were the only South Division club to win Monday ... lead Corpus Christi and Frisco (both 6-5) by three games and San Antonio (4-7) by four.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: In each of the first two games of the series with Northwest Arkansas, RockHounds pitchers have struck out eight batters without issuing a walk. In the last three games, combined, 'Hounds pitchers have struck out 29 batters and walked two.
NON-STAT OF THE DAY: The RockHounds audio/video department played ... in successive innings ... "The Chicken Dance," "YMCA" and "The Macarena." Our sincere apologies to any music lovers in attendance or otherwise within earshot.
- Matt Angle dropped down a bunt single (and later scored), extending his on-base streak to 24 games (.274 with a .419 OBP). The streak is the third-longest in the Texas League this season, trailing only San Antonio's Travis Jankowski (27 games) and Trea Turner (29).
- Renato Nuñez went 2-for-3 (walk, run) and has now hit in 11-of-12 games (.357) and is hitting .316 in his last 17 games. When he struck out against Kyle Zimmer (Kansas City's # 4 prospect) in the eighth, it was his first whiff of the homestand (22 plate appearances in five games).
- The "quality start" (by any definition) by Jonathan Joseph was the third from a RockHounds starter in the first five games of the home stand (and Dillon Overton was solid as well, allowing one run in five innings). The start was also Jonathan's best to date (his fifth since joining the rotation), one in which he went seven innings, allowing one run (earned) on seven hits, with no walks and six strikeouts. Of the seven hits the right-hander allowed, the last four were infield singles or bunts, three by Terrance Gore, perhaps the fastest man in baseball.
Texas League Stories from July 7, 2015
- Five-Run First Inning Propels Riders to 9-5 Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cardinals Sweep Hooks with 1-0 Shutout Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Clipped in Finale, 9-8 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers and Missions Rained Out - Tulsa Drillers
- San Antonio-Tulsa Series Finale Postponed Due to Rain - San Antonio Missions
- Christmas, Cars, Dogs, and Bobbles - 6 Game Home Stand Begins July 8 - Arkansas Travelers
- Home Run D'Arby: Bomb Secures Antonini Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Cards Win in 11th - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Another Dull Ending - Midland RockHounds
- Cardinals Walk off for Second Straight Day, Topping Hooks, 5-4, in 11 Innings - Springfield Cardinals
- Close Contest Goes Drillers Way - Tulsa Drillers
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