Bunt of the Year
Published on July 29, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Thursday night's game at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi had more than its share of remarkable moments and stats (including time of game ... see "Stat of the Day," below), with Viosergy Rosa's two-run double in the top of the ninth giving the RockHounds a come from behind win over the Corpus Christi Hooks. That being said, the key moment of a tremendous Texas League game might well have been a bunt.
The Hooks took a 2-1 lead into the top of the ninth, with Corpus Christi starter Evan Grills bidding for a nine-inning complete game victory. Matt Chapman, who had hit his league-leading 24th home run of the season (an absolute blast to left-center) off Grills in the sixth, drew a leadoff walk. With the infield in a shift, Beau Taylor dropped down a perfect bunt toward third base on Grills' 1-1 pitch. One out later, Rosa ripped a 3-2 offering to the gap in right-center, scoring Chapman and pinch runner Danny Oh to give the 'Hounds a 3-2 lead.
Bobby Wahl walked two batters in the ninth, but got the Hooks' # 3 and 4 hitters (Derek Fisher on a strikeout and J.D. Davis on a fly ball to center) to end the game. The save was Wahl's ninth overall and ninth straight. Among the game's other highlights:
- Starting pitchers Grills and Daniel Gossett threw a boatload of strikes and kept their pitch counts very low in the process. Gossett threw 79 pitches in seven innings (56 strikes) and Grills threw 93 pitches in 8.1 (66 for strikes), a total of 172 pitches, 122 of them strikes (71 percent).
- While not figuring in the decision, Gossett was brilliant, striking out a career-high nine batters without a walk. He allowed two runs, but only one earned, and had only two, three-ball counts in seven innings, both ending in strikeouts. In his last four starts, Gossett has a 1.40 ERA.
- Chapman's ninth-inning walk was the first of the game ... Grills didn't strike out a batter until the sixth, and then whiffed six of nine batters ... Chapman's walk was also the first three-ball count Grills offered up all night.
- When Corpus Christi's Alejandro Garcia sent a drive to left-center with one out in the eighth, he made an ill-advised attempt to turn the hit into a triple. Brett Vertigan made an outstanding play, hustling to track the ball down, and made a quick turn-and-throw to cutoff man Yairo Munoz. Munoz, in turn, threw to Chapman at third, who tagged Garcia out (without as much as a slide), denying a potential insurance run.
The RockHounds
... are 23-11 in the second half and 56-48 overall ... have won four straight ... are 31-23 at Security Bank Ballpark and 25-25 on the road ... are 12-8 in the (32-game) season series with the Hooks (7-5 at Security Bank Ballpark and 6-3 at Whataburger Field) ... are 35-33 vs. the South ... are a season-best eight games over .500 (56-48).
... now lead San Antonio (17-17) by six games in the Texas League South Division second half race after the Missions fell, 4-3, in the opener of a four-game series at Frisco. Corpus Christi (15-19) is eight games back and Frisco (14-20) remains nine games behind the 'Hounds.
... continue a seven-game road trip Friday night at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi in game two of a four-game set with the Hooks. The clubs play Friday through Sunday evenings in Corpus Christi, with the 'Hounds then traveling to Frisco for a three-game set (August 1-3).
Kibbles & Bits
STAT of the DAY: When the RockHounds came to the plate in the top of the ninth, the elapsed time of the game was one hour, 37 minutes. The ninth inning (top and bottom) lasted nearly a half hour (27 minutes) and the final time of game was still just 2:04.
- In his first two games this season batting second in the lineup, Matt Chapman is 3-for-6 with two home runs, three runs scored, three RBI and two walks (he has reached base in 5-of-8 plate appearances). This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
Texas League Stories from July 29, 2016
- Newest Hook the Difference - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Riders Surge Early, But Missions Take Game Two - Frisco RoughRiders
- Kipper & the Travs Keep Rolling in Tulsa - Arkansas Travelers
- Travs Edge Drillers 3-2 - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Nipped in Springfield, 5-4 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Bunt of the Year - Midland RockHounds
- Four-Run Fourth Carries Riders Back to Win Column - Frisco RoughRiders
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