TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes

Published on June 7, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Death by a thousand paper cuts: The RoughRiders may have delivered the death knell to San Antonio's hopes for a first half playoff spot last night in an 8-0 romp over the Missions. Of Frisco's 15 hits, 13 were singles as they methodically took apart San Antonio. The 'Riders jumped all over Matt Branham with four runs in an eight-batter second inning as Trever Adams, Odubel Herrera, Guilder Rodriguez and Patrick Cantwell all singled in runs. Jake Smolinski homered in the next inning and then Chris Grayson, Rodriguez and Tomas Telis brough in three more in the sixth with one-base hits to make in an eight-run game. It was more than enough run support for Alec Asher, who started the game by retiring the first 14 batters. The perfect game bid ended when Austin Hedges lined a single off Rodriguez' glove, but Asher stuck around for seven innings of two-hit, no-run ball before the bullpen closed out the shutout. Frisco's lead in the TL South grew to 4.5 games over Midland, while San Antonio and Corpus Christi are 6.5 behind. The RoughRiders' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is six with ten games remaining in the first half.

Today's Pitching Matchup: Frisco begins a series with second-place Midland tonight with Edwar Cabrera on the mound against local product Zach Neal. Cabrera lost his last start (6 IP, 3 R, 2 ER), but has pitched well over his last four starts (2.45 ERA). In two outings against the RockHounds, he is 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA. Neal is making his fourth TL start of the season after stints with Triple-A Sacramento (6 GS, 2-2, 4.86) and Hi-A Stockton (2 GS, 0-0, 0.57). He allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings in his return to the TL at Tulsa. The RoughRiders saw plenty of Neal in 2013, as the righty made seven starts against Frisco and went 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA. Neal was signed by the Athletics late in spring training in 2013 after he asked for and was granted his release by Miami. He was the Marlins' 17th round draft pick in 2010 and went 17-14 with a 3.80 ERA in three seasons with Miami, splitting 2012 between Advanced-A Jupiter (9 G, 8 GS, 4-1, 1.21 ERA) and Double-A Jacksonville (21 G, 10 GS, 4-6, 3.80 ERA). A native of Flower Mound, Neal took a similar collegiate career path of former Texas Leaguer and Padres pitcher Burch Smith. After a year at Sam Houston State, he played one season at Howard College in Big Spring and, alongside Smith, helped the Hawks to a 63-1 record and the NJCAA National Championship in 2009. From there, he and Smith both went on to attend the University of Oklahoma where he pitched in the 2010 College World Series. He went 8-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 18 starts for the Sooners and became a professional after the Marlins drafted him that year. Neal drew national attention in 2011; pitching in the South Atlantic League, he gave up a home run to Bryce Harper and Neal began yelling at the slugger when he reportedly admired his homer before rounding the bases. Harper then blew kisses out to Neal as he crossed home plate, drawing the ire of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. At Flower Mound High School, Neal went 12-0 as a senior, was named all-state and won the 5-5A District MVP.

Alec symbol: 'Riders starter Alec Asher was in complete command on Friday night en route to picking up his third straight victory. The big righty nearly took a perfect game into the sixth inning, as he retired the first 14 San Antonio batters. He ended up tossing seven scoreless innings and allowing two hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Since posting a 5.61 ERA in April, Asher is 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA. He now ranks second in the Texas League in wins (6), tied for fourth in strikeouts (55), first in innings pitched (71.1), fifth in WHIP (1.07), fifth in average against (.221), fifth in walk rate (2.27/9 IP) and fourth in baserunners/9 IP (9.59).

Course change: It's been quite the departure for Frisco's offense from where it was early in the season. From the start of the season until May 2, the RoughRiders hit .226 - the eighth-lowest average among all full-season minor league teams - and averaged 4.07 runs scored. Since May 3, they are hitting .306 - the second-highest in the minors - and are averaging 5.29 runs. One-run wonders: The RoughRiders won another one-run game on Thursday in the team's 5-4 victory over San Antonio. Frisco is a Texas League-best 14-4 (.778) in games decided by one run this season. That mark is the second-best among all full-season minor league teams, trailing just the Reading Fightin' Phils (18-4, .818). Only Reading, Sacramento (15), Potomac (15) and West Michigan (15) have more wins in one-run games than the 'Riders.

Ru Crew: Over the last 13 games Ryan Rua is batting .404 (19 for 47) with three doubles, three homers, 11 runs batted in and eight runs scored. Rua ranks fourth in the Texas League in batting average (.314), tied for fourth in homers (10), third in hits (64), fourth in on-base percentage (.391), third in slugging percentage (.525), second in OPS (.917), fifth in extra-base hits (22), fourth in total bases (107) and fifth in homers-per-at bats ratio (1/20.40).

Revenge is a dish best served with 96 mph fastballs: RoughRiders starter Luke Jackson has lost just twice this season and both times the culprit was San Antonio. The righty got his payback on Wednesday in the form of six scoreless innings in a win over the Mis- sions. In two home starts against the Padres affiliate, Jackson is 2-0 and has not allowed a run in 13 innings; in his two starts at Wolff Stadium, he is 0-2 and has allowed six runs in 11.2 innings. The Floridian is fourth in the TL in ERA (2.55), first in wins (7), second in strikeouts (65), sixth in innings pitched (67.0), third in WHIP (0.96), third in batting average against (.191), second in strikeout rate (8.71/9 IP) and third in fewest baserunners per nine innings (9.29). If you take out one rough outing in his second start of the season (7 ER in 3.1 IP at Northwest Arkansas), Jackson's ERA would be 1.70 (12 ER/63.2 IP).

Make love, not Edwar: Despite taking the loss on Sunday, Edwar Cabrera continued his good run on the mound against the Cardi- nals. Cabrera had a quality start, permitting three runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. The Dominican has pitched into the seventh inning in three of his last four starts and has lowered his season ERA from 3.71 to 3.10 during this period. Over his last four starts, Cabrera has pitched 25.2 innings and allowed 25 hits, seven earned runs, and five walks with 22 strikeouts, posting a 2.45 ERA.

Guilded Age: 'Riders shortstop Guilder Rodriguez had a game to remember on Saturday in Springfield, going 4 for 5 with two runs batted in and a run scored. The four-hit night was the second of his career and it marked the first time he had done it as a Rangers farmhand. The last time the 30-year-old Venezuelan recorded four hits in a game was July 31, 2005 when he was in his first Double-A campaign for the Huntsville. "G-Rod" has been playing very well since re-joining the RoughRiders from Triple-A Round Rock in mid-May.

In the last 17 games, Frisco's all-time hits, steals and games played leader is batting .381 with a double, EIGHT RBI, eight runs scored and a .458 on-base percentage. He leads the Texas League in batting average and second in OBP since May 15. Start me up: The RoughRiders' recent run of success can be partially credited to a good run from their starting pitchers. In the last 15 games Frisco's starters are 8-3 with a 1.94 ERA (18 ER/83.1 IP), 75 hits allowed, 17 walks, 59 strikeouts, a 1.10 WHIP and a .233 batting average against (75 for 322).

Playing not to lose: Frisco's all-time record is 855-731 (.539) following a 70-70 2013 campaign. It was the eighth straight season that the RoughRiders finished with a non-losing record. The last time Frisco finished below .500 was the only time in team history, back in 2005 when it finished 58-82. The streak of non-losing seasons is by far the longest in the Texas League; every other team in the circuit has had at least one losing season in the last three years. The streak is the longest in Double-A and the third-longest among all 120 full-season minor league clubs, exceeded only by the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats (11 straight non-losing seasons) and the Advanced- A San Jose Giants (ten). Including teams that play in short-season leagues, Frisco's streak is the sixth longest; the Elizabethton Twins (25), Brooklyn Cyclones (13) and AZL Giants (13) have the longest such streaks in stateside Minor League Baseball.

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Texas League Stories from June 7, 2014


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