Gracious Guests
April 18, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Midland RockHounds Shortstop Chad Pinder Homers
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
RockHounds shortstop Chad Pinder hit his third home run of the season and drove in both of the team's runs in Friday night's 6-2 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Arvest Park in Springdale. (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
Being polite is a good thing, but RockHounds manager Ryan Christenson probably thought his club was a bit too gracious Friday night in a 5-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas.
The Naturals jumped on RockHounds starter Tanner Peters, batting around in the first inning for a 3-0 lead.
With two on and two out in the second, Bobby Crocker lost Hunter Dozier's fly ball to center field. The ball dropped, credited as a double, and the Naturals' lead was 5-0 through two innings.
Peters rebounded to pitch a scoreless third, and Nate Long went three shutout innings in relief to keep the 'Hounds in the game, but the offense could not take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities from the third through the sixth, scoring only twice in that span.
Chad Pinder drove in both of the RockHounds' runs, drawing an 11-pitch walk with the bases loaded in the third and ripping a solo home run down the left field line in the fifth. Both of his run-producing plate appearances began with 0-2 counts.
The 'Hounds, however, left the bases loaded in the third ... stranded five men over the fourth, fifth and sixth combined ... and grounded into a pair of double plays in that time. Still trailing, 5-2, in the eighth, the 'Hounds had two runners on with one out, but stranded both runners. For the game, the club left 13 men on base.
Kibbles & Bits
- The RockHounds saw three streaks extended and one come to an end Friday night:
Colin Walsh went hitless for the first time in eight games, but drew a fourth-inning walk to extend his two-season on-base streak to 33 games. Despite the 0-for-4 night at the plate, Colin is hitting .357 for the season (10-for-28) with an on-base percentage of .500.
Ryon Healy went 2-for-4 with a walk and has hit in each of his first eight games. Ryon is 11-for-29 (.379) with five walks for a .471 OBP.
Chad Oberacker was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, extending his hit streak to eight games. "Obie," who was a member of the 2014 Texas League championship club (and also played for the 'Hounds in 2013), is off to a remarkable start, going 11-for-21 ... a .524 average. He also leads the club with eight RBI and has an OBP of .560.
- Stat du Jour - - Starting pitchers Tanner Peters and Jonathan Dziedzic each went just three innings and combined to throw 158 pitches.
- Saturday's Northwest Arkansas starter, Brandon Finnegan, is rated the Kansas City Royals' # 2 prospect. The left-hander, who still qualifies as a rookie, was the 17th player selected overall in the 2014 draft (out of TCU). He was not only a September call-up, but pitched for the Royals in the postseason and became the first player in history to play in the College World Series and World Series in the same year.
- Corpus Christi improved to 7-1 with a rain-shortened (8-5) over Springfield and Frisco was also a winner, posting its second consecutive 2-0 shutout at Arkansas. The RockHounds and San Antonio find themselves four games in back of the red-hot Hooks, with both clubs at 3-5 after Friday night losses (the Missions were blasted by Tulsa, 14-3, at Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio).
- Road Trip: The RockHounds and Naturals meet Saturday evening (6:05) at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. The 'Hounds then travel to North Little Rock for a three-game set with the Arkansas Travelers. Game times are Sunday at 6:10 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
Next Game
Saturday at 6:05 p.m.: RockHounds Jake Sanchez (RH, 0-1, 3.86) vs Northwest Arkansas Brandon Finnegan (RH, 0-0, 9.00)
Images from this story
 Midland RockHounds Shortstop Chad Pinder Homers (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds) |
Texas League Stories from April 18, 2015
- Naturals Claim Series with 5-0 Win over Midland - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Gracious Guests - Midland RockHounds
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