TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes

Published on June 20, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Good hops: A fortunate bounce for the RoughRiders made up for a disappointing seventh inning that featured a blown lead as Frisco topped Corpus Christi last night 7-5 in ten innings in the series opener. The 'Riders jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth thanks to back-to-back two-run hits from Ryan Rua and Drew Robinson, and the lead was 5-1 heading into the seventh. But three walks, two hit batters and a flare single off Luke Jackson and Randy Henry tied the game, which eventually went to extras. After missing out on scoring chances in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Frisco loaded the bases with two outs before Guilder Rodriguez' grounder to first base took a high hop over Telvin Nash into right field, scoring two runs. Phil Klein worked a perfect ninth inning preserve the win and end the RoughRiders' three-game losing streak.

Today's Pitching Matchup: Frisco looks to win its second straight game tonight with Alex Gonzalez on the mound against the tandem combination of Brady Rodgers and David Rollins. Gonzalez' first two Texas League starts have come against Midland, win- ning the first and losing the second. The Rangers have limited their 2013 first round draft pick to 61 and 50 pitches in his first two Double-A starts. Gonzalez was a mid-season Carolina League All-Star with Myrtle Beach prior to his promotion, going 5-2 with a 2.62 ERA in 11 starts. Rodgers has lost in his last six appearances, posting a 7.86 ERA (23 ER/26.1 IP) after he held a 2.72 ERA in his first eight games. The stretch started against Frisco on May 11 (5 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 5 ER); in four games (two starts) against the RoughRiders, Rodgers is 0-4 with a 7.00. He has lost his last eight decisions and has not won since April 21. The righty pitched at three different levels in 2013, spending most of the season with Advanced-A Lancaster. Rodgers was a mid-season Cal League All-Star and went 11-8 with a 5.02 ERA (68 ER/122 IP), 145 hits allowed, 114 strikeouts and 23 walks. He was drafted in the third round ($495,000 bonus) in 2012 out of Arizona State University, where he was named to the Pac-12 First Team All-Conference and Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger All-America Second Team. His 2.39 ERA at ASU ranks as the second-best in school history. A Houston area native, Rodgers graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School (the alma mater of Cardinals OF Randal Grichik & many NFL players, includ- ing Jacquizz Rodgers) in Rosenberg, Texas in 2009 and was drafted by the Brewers in the 39th round but elected not to sign. He throws a 90-92 mph fastball, a curveball, slider and changeup and models his game after Greg Maddux (he would watch every one of Maddux's starts and note how he pitched batters). Rollins is expected to piggyback off Rodgers and is coming off a win on Sunday at San Antonio (6 IP, 2 R). He has made one start against Frisco, tossing two perfect innings at Dr Pepper Ballpark on May 11. He has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his ten appearances and has allowed no more than three runs in any outing. Rollins pitched for Lancaster, Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City last year, going 9-8 with a 3.89 ERA over 30 games (21 starts); he tossed 136.1 innings (97.1 in the California League) and allowed 122 hits with 137 strikeouts and 43 walks. He made six starts with the Hooks near the end of the season and lost a game to Frisco (6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 SO, BB, HR). While pitching for the RedHawks last year, he was relieved by Philip Humber, who grew up in the same hometown (Carthage, Texas); Humber's mother was one of Rollins' teachers in school growing up. Rollins was traded to the Astros in a ten-player deal with the Blue Jays on July 20, 2012. Toronto drafted Rollins in the 24th round in 2011 out of San Jacinto College North in Houston. San Jacinto is the same alma mater of Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Steve Francis, Sam Cassell and Patrick Swayze. He pitched only two seasons at San Jacinto because of an arm injury that forced him to take a medical redshirt in what would have been his sophomore season in 2010. He bounced back with a strong second season in 2011, going 7-3 with a 2.99 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. While in college, he also spent time pitching for the Victoria Generals of the Texas Collegiate League. Before signing with the Blue Jays, he had committed to playing at Lubbock Chris- tian University . Rollins, who grew up a Rangers fan, was drafted four times: in the 19th round by the Dodgers in 2008 out of First Baptist Academy (in Carthage), in the 23rd round in 2009 by Seattle, in the 46th round by the Mariners again in 2010 and finally by Toronto in 2011. He throws two fastballs (four-seam & two-seam, both in the low-90s) a slider and a changeup, which is his out pitch.

Odds & ends: The RoughRiders scored first last night for the first time on this road trip. Frisco had previously seen its opponent net the game's first run in seven consecutive games before Ryan Rua's two-run single in the fourth inning... Thursday's victory was the first series opener won by the 'Riders since May 29 at Tulsa, ending a streak of five consecutive losses in the first game of a series. Prior to this streak, Frisco had been 10-5 in series openers... They haven't had many opportunities, but last night marked the first extra innings victory for the RoughRiders this season. Frisco had lost its first three extra innings games - one to each South Division rival - and was the only Texas League team without a win past regulation this season. On the other side, it was only Corpus Christi's second extra innings loss in 2014; the Hooks still own the circuit's best record in such affairs at 8-2... Frisco's win also meant the squad avoided its first four-game losing streak of the season. With Tulsa losing to Northwest Arkansas last night, Frisco is the only team in the league that has yet to suffer four consecutive defeats.

Asher to ashes: On Monday, Alec Asher allowed just one run in four innings, but got the loss as his offense failed to score for him for the second consecutive start. In his last five starts, the Lakeland, Florida native owns a 0.93 ERA (3 ER/29 IP). Since posting a 5.61 ERA in April, Asher is 5-3 with a 1.94 ERA. He ranks tied for third in the Texas League in wins (6), ninth in ERA (3.10), tied for sixth in strikeouts (68). third in innings pitched (81.1), fourth in WHIP (1.03), fifth in average against (.218), fourth in walk rate (2.10/9 IP) and third in baserunners/9 IP (9.30).

Joe Cool: Joey Gallo homered twice in the series at Corpus Christi, giving him four in his first five Double-A ballgames. Minor League Baseball's reigning home run king, the 20-year-old leads all of professional baseball with 25 round-trippers this season, two more than Trenton's Peter O'Brien. Gallo also all players in slugging percentage (.723) and OPS (1.182), is second in on-base percentage (.459), tied for second in total bases (162), tied for sixth in RBI (60) and tied for fourth in extra-base hits (38).

Road trippin': The 'Riders continue their longest road trip of the season tonight against Corpus Christi, as Frisco spends 12 days away from Dr Pepper Ballpark. The last time the RoughRiders embarked on a road trip of this length was June 17-28, 2010 when they went 8-4. During this trip, the team will travel approximately 1,820 miles via bus, consuming about 26 hours.

Perfect Ten: The RoughRiders will be extremely well represented at the 2014 Texas League All-Star Game. A league-leading ten Frisco players were named to the South Division squad last week. Ryan Rua and Jake Smolinski will start at third base and in the outfield, respectively, while reserves Rougned Odor (replaced by Odubel Herrera), Guilder Rodriguez and Tomas Telis will join as posi- tion players. RoughRiders pitchers Alec Asher, Edwar Cabrera, Luke Jackson and Phil Klein also made the squad.

Playing not to lose: Frisco's all-time record is 860-738 (.538) 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.

Check out the Frisco RoughRiders Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Texas League Stories from June 20, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central