Jett Bandy Seals Hounds Fate
Published on June 29, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
In the seventh inning, Arkansas catcher Jett Bandy broke a tie. In the eighth, he broke the game open.
Bandy's RBI double down the right field line in the seventh drove home Alex Yarbrough, snapping a 4-4 tie that had stood since the third. The Travelers built the lead to 6-4 in the eighth on Michael Bianucci's third RBI of the game, bringing Bandy to the plate with two on. He lifted a towering drive through the wind to left field, a three-run home run that gave the Travs a 9-4 advantage. Bandy finished 2-for-5 with four RBI.
The RockHounds had an early 4-1 lead, scoring three times in the first and once in the second inning. Hiro Nakajima drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single up the middle and Miles Head drove in the third run with a single to left, erasing a 1-0 deficit in the home half of the first. Max Muncy drove in Billy Burns in the second, giving the 'Hounds a 4-1 lead.
Bianucci's two-run double in the third, scoring Yarbrough and Brian Hernandez, sliced the lead to 4-3, and Andrew Heid singled to center to bring Bianucci home with the tying run. The game remained a 4-4 tie until Bandy's double in the seventh.
WP: Kevin Johnson (1-3, 3.28)
LP: Marcus Walden (0-1, 1.80)
SV: Michael Brady (2, 3.00)
HR: Arkansas - Jett Bandy (8) A 3-run HR in the eighth (off Tucker Healy)
Kibbles & Bits
- The RockHounds have now dropped three straight ... they share the South Division lead with San Antonio (both 5-4), as the Missions were rained out in Springfield, Missouri (the Missions and Cardinals will play a make-up double-header Monday) ... Frisco and Corpus Christi were both winners, bringing the first half champion RoughRiders (4-5) to within one game of first place and the Hooks (4-6) a game-and-a-half ... the 'Hounds are 43-36 overall for the season, one-and-a-half games behind Frisco (44-34) and one ahead of Tulsa (42-37).
- In the three losses, the RockHounds have surrendered 47 hits (29 in two games versus NW Arkansas and 18 Saturday night).
- Arkansas won for the third straight night (after taking the last two of their three-game set at Frisco), and is now 40-40 on the season. The Travelers, aptly named, are 23-17 on the road and 17-23 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
- Alex Yarbrough went 4-for-6, scoring twice and driving a run ... his Texas League-leading 45th RBI. He is now eighth in the league at .290.
- Michael Bianucci went 3-for-6 with a double and three RBI. Signed by the Angels as a free agent, the former Texas Rangers farm hit 10 HR with 18 RBI (for two clubs) in just 24 games in Mexican League before singing with the Angels. He has six RBI in seven games for Arkansas.
- Kaleb Cowart, rated the Angels' # 2 prospect, opened the season hitting .429 in six games against the RockHounds. Since then, the Travs third baseman had dropped to .214 (entering Saturday's game), but went 3-for-4 with a run, a walk and a stolen base (his 16th) in Arkansas win. Cowart is now hitting .480 (12-25) against the 'Hounds and .196 (50-255) against the rest of the league.
- Billy Burns became just the ninth player in franchise history to steal 40 bases in a season ... and he has done it before the end of June. His first steal Saturday surpassed Jovino Carvajal (38), an All-Star centerfielder on the 1995 Angels. Carvajal stole 39 bases in just 79 games (before a call-up to AAA), but was also caught stealing 21 times. Burns has been caught just three times this season. Billy's second thievery of the game tied Kevin Flora, a member of the 1991 Angels. Flora stole 40 bases in 48 attempts in 120 games. Next on the franchise all-time list is a three-way tie for fifth at 45 steals, shared by Jose Ortiz (1975 Cubs), Eric Grandy ('79 Cubs) and Wiley Lee ('90 Angels).
- There have been two saves earned in the home stand in which the combined final scores were 18-4. Tucker Healy earned the save in the RockHounds' 8-0 Wednesday as did Michael Brady in the Travelers' win Saturday. Healy entered Wednesday's game with the score 1-0 (two on and one out), while Brady not only pitched the final three innings, he also entered with a one-run lead (5-4) in the seventh.
Next Game
vs. Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels' AA Affiliate)
Sunday, June 29 - 6:00 p.m. (Radio at 5:53 p.m.)
Security Bank Ballpark
Probable Starters
Arkansas: Michael Roth (LH, 6-4, 2.46)
RockHounds: Nate Long (RH, 7-3, 3.45)
Texas League Stories from June 29, 2014
- Adams Does It All It Naturals Win - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Humphries Downs Hooks in 13 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Gonzo Breaks Tie, Sends Travs to Victory - Arkansas Travelers
- Adams Carries Naturals to 6-5 Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers Win Again in Extra-Innings - Tulsa Drillers
- Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- San Antonio Missions Game Notes: June 29 at Springfield (6:10 PM CST) - San Antonio Missions
- Jett Bandy Seals Hounds Fate - Midland RockHounds
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