FL River City Rascals

Are You Hough Enough?

Published on July 19, 2008 under Frontier League (FL)
River City Rascals News Release


Loves Park, IL - The sore left wrist is feeling better, that is big news for the River City Rascals and Brad Hough.

Although not still at 100 percent, Hough showed the Rascals what could be expected in the second half of the season in Friday nights 10-9 win over the Rockford RiverHawks in the first game back from the break.

"It's not as good as I thought it'd be," Hough said about his wrist before the game. "But it's definitely a lot better than it was before the break and I think the time off has helped me."

Hough collected three hits going 3-5 in game one against the RiverHawks in River City's first win at Rockford this season. His biggest of which came with the bases loaded and helped spark a five run third inning.

The Rascals utility 'put-me-in-anywhere-skip' mentality player was the first one left off the Frontier League West all-star ballot. Manager Mike Pinto of the Southern Illinois Miners received the honor of managing the West squad and then choose three additions, which later turned into five with a couple of injuries to the West team, none of them included Hough.

"I really wanted to go," said Hough before the break. "But maybe this is a blessing in disguise for me. I get a chance to heal up and hopefully come back and put together a big second half. That's how I'm approaching it."

Here is what Hough means to the Rascals.

Before spraining his left wrist when colliding with Southern Illinois catcher Brendan Akashian on June 20 at T.R. Hughes Ballpark, Hough was hitting .330 with five home runs and 27 RBI in 29 games. The Rascals saw themselves sitting in first place in the Frontier League West with a 17-12 record.

Since the injury, Hough watched his average drop to .268. The only time it had been lower all season is after the first game when he went 1-4. He saw his power number dwindle, going a month and seven days before hitting his sixth home run. In the Rascals final 22 games before the all-star break, Hough drove in just four RBI, three of which came in the final game before the break. The Rascals watched their record go from 17-12 to 24-27.

"The all-star break did us some good," Rascals Manager Toby Rumfield said. "I really feel like we're about to explode offensively and now we need to get that solid pitching we had at the beginning of the season."

Pitching or no pitching, the River City Rascals need a healthy Brad Hough.

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Frontier League Stories from July 19, 2008


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