TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes

Published on June 17, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


LONE STAR SNIPPETS

Four Square: The RoughRiders were crying "Uncle!" on Father's Day, as the RockHounds thumped their way a 16-4 victory over Frisco. Midland pummeled the guys on the mound in red from the start, scoring eight times against Kevin Pucetas in the first two innings to take an early commanding lead. After Frisco cut the gap to six runs, the 'Hounds took out the big lumber in the fifth inning. Midland hit three consecutive home runs against Arlett Mavare and added another tally to what was a six-run frame. The 'Riders resorted to using position player Guilder Rodriguez to pitch the ninth inning and the RockHounds got to him for a Chad Oberacker solo homer. In total, the 'Riders allowed season-highs in runs, hits (15), home runs (6) and walks (10) while suffering their largest margin of defeat this season. Tonight the teams close out the first half of the season in game two of the series.

Buch Dynasty: On Monday Alex Buchholz was recognized by the Texas League for his recent offensive tear, winning the circuit's Player of the Week award for June 10-16. Over the week, Buchholz hit .478 (11 for 23) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, five runs and three walks. He led the TL in batting average, on-base percentage (.538) and slugging percentage (.826) while picking up his first -ever weekly award as a professional. Over a two-game stretch he collected hits in seven consecutive at bats and became the first RoughRiders position player to win the award since Tommy Mendonca did so last August. Buchholz raised his season batting average 34 points from .241 to .274 with the torrid week. Former Frisco pitcher Roy Oswalt was also honored as the TL Pitcher of the Week.

Mound & Pound: Frisco's pitching staff endured its worst performance in years on Sunday against the RockHounds. The 16 runs were the most allowed by the team since it lost 16-4 on Opening Day at Springfield on April 9, 2009. On Sunday the 'Riders gave up the most hits since surrendering 18 to San Antonio in a 12-10 loss on July 19, 2012. The ten walks allowed were the most since Frisco walked 13 in a 7-6 loss to the Missions on July 18, 2011. Midland's six home runs were the most hit by a RoughRiders opponent since the RockHounds hit the same number against Frisco on June 19, 2007 at Citibank Ballpark.

Perfect Ten: After experiencing a bout of wildness in his previous start, Neil Ramirez bucked down and dominated on Saturday against the Hooks. The Virginian tossed six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with ten strikeouts, tying the second-most he's had this season. The win put him alone into second place in the Texas League in victories and he now leads the TL in strikeouts with 91 (fourth in all of Minor League Baseball). Ramirez is also seventh in the TL ERA (3.12), first in lowest batting average against (.182), second in strikeout rate (10.92) and fifth in fewest baserunners/9 IP (10.32).

Nothing to see here, folks: Ben Rowen threw another scoreless inning on Saturday night to earn his tenth save of the season, ranking him second in the Texas League. Rowen lowered his ERA to 0.56 with the outing and extended his scoreless appearances streak to 18 games. Over this stretch, he has tossed 18.1 scoreless innings and has allowed just seven hits and four walks with 17 strikeouts. The Rangers' Minor League Reliever of the Year in 2012 had a similar streak last season, going 23 straight outings without surrender- ing a run from June 4 until the streak ended on August 16.

Tufts University: Though he did not factor into Friday's decision, Frisco starter Tyler Tufts had another terrific start against Corpus Christi. The righty gave up just two singles over five scoreless innings with no walks and four strikeouts. In his last four starts, he has given up just one combined run, posting a 0.50 ERA (1 ER, 18 IP) in this span to drop his season ERA 1.89 runs from 5.27 to 3.38.

Font size two: 'Riders reliever Wilmer Font pitched well prior to allowing Santana's home run, striking out the previous three Corpus Christi batters. The homer was just the second allowed by Font this season and it had a lot in common with the first. The initial long ball he surrendered was also in a tie game; it came in the eighth inning against A.J. Kirby-Jones on April 25 in San Antonio and it gave the Missions an eventual 2-1 win. Friday's homer made Corpus Christi just the second team to score against Font this season. He has a 0.00 ERA against five Texas League teams, a 0.93 ERA against the Hooks and a 7.71 ERA against San Antonio.

No home cooking: Carlos Pimentel has won the Texas League Pitcher of the Week award twice this season with seven-inning, one-hit shutout performances on the road. But both of his returns home have been anything but triumphant, as Thursday night in Corpus Christi proved. Pimentel allowed season-highs of seven runs on ten hits in five innings with most of the damage coming with four Hooks home runs. In his last three home starts, Pimentel has given up 17 runs (15 earned) on 23 hits in 15 innings for a 9.00 ERA. While his last few home outings have been disappointing, Pimentel still ranks tied for third in the TL wins (7), second in strikeouts (84), fourth in opposing batting average (.217), third in strikeout rate (10.22/9IP) and fourth in fewest baserunners/9 IP (9.97). The most impressive stat from Pimentel's season is his 2.8 BB/9 IP ratio, given that it was 5.3 in 2012 and his career rate is 4.0.

All-Star-studded: Rosters for the 2013 Texas League All-Star Game in Springdale, Arkansas were announced on Tuesday and eight RoughRiders were named to the South Division team. Frisco landed second baseman Odubel Herrera and DH Brett Nicholas as starters and catcher Tomas Telis, infielder Guilder Rodriguez and outfielder Teodoro Martinez as reserves (Martinez was added as an injury replacement for San Antonio's Reymond Fuentes). Three RoughRiders pitchers also made the team, as Carlos Pimentel, Neil Ramirez and Ben Rowen were honored as selections. Frisco's haul was tied with Arkansas for the most TL All-Stars on one team.

Diamonds aren't forever: With his win on June 8, Carlos Pimentel took over sole ownership of the most wins in Frisco RoughRiders history with 22 career victories. He passed former RoughRider Thomas Diamond, who went 21-15 in parts of four seasons (2005-06, 08-09) with Frisco. Pimentel made one start for the 'Riders in 2010 (a loss) and has spent all of the past three seasons in a Frisco uniform. The Dominican is also closing in on the team record for strikeouts with 288; Diamond still is first with 310 K's.

Today's Opposing Starter: LHP Carlos Hernandez (3-5, 3.39) makes his 11th start (15th appearance) of the season tonight and his second (third appearance) against the RoughRiders. He lost to Frisco on May 4, allowing four first inning runs before settling down to finish the seventh inning without any more damage against him. He also threw 1.1 scoreless innings against the RoughRiders on May 16. Hernandez was a member of the RockHounds last year and went 2-2 with a 5.19 ERA (10 ER/17.1 IP) against the RoughRiders. The Santa Clara native started and finished last season with Triple-A Sacramento, going 3-2 with a 4.15 ERA in six games (two starts) but spent the bulk of his season with Midland, going 6-4 with a 5.36 ERA (48 ER/80.2 IP) in 25 games (ten starts). Hernandez has spent parts of the last five seasons in Midland and was used as a starter for nearly all of his professional career prior to the start of last year. In 16 career games against Frisco (ten starts), Hernandez is 6-3 with a 4.46 ERA (33 ER/66.2 IP), 49 strikeouts, 21 walks and a .298 opponents' batting average (76 hits, 255 at bats). He split 2011 between the RockHounds and Sacramento. He was 4-1 with a 5.27 ERA in eight starts for Midland and 5-7 for the River Cats with a 5.27 ERA in 19 starts. The Athletics drafted Hernandez in the 35th round in 2007 out of West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif. He was a mid-season Texas League All-Star in 2010 (9-3, 4.62 ERA in 26 games, 25 starts) and was the winning pitcher in the decisive Game Four over Frisco in the South Division Championship Series. He was on the RockHounds' TL championship club in 2009 and, between Midland, Sacramento and Advanced-A Stockton, led all A's farmhands with 15 wins and was fifth in innings (150.2), sixth in strikeouts (116) and sixth in ERA (4.06). He was a member of the Ports' California League championship team in 2009 and made two starts in the playoffs (1-0, 0.79 ERA, 11 IP, 1 R, 14 K). At West Valley College, he was named a Northern California All-American as a freshman by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association.

The RoughRiders roster currently lists five players ranked in Baseball America's top 30 prospects in the Rangers organization. They are: RHP Roman Mendez (13), IF Hanser Alberto (15), RHP Wilmer Font (22), RHP Neil Ramirez (23) and RHP Randy Henry (29). Also, OF Joe Benson (19) is ranked for the Twins' organization.

Check out the Frisco RoughRiders Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 17, 2013


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