Matamoscas Fall to Arkansas in Series Finale
July 26, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
A four-run outburst in the second inning was the difference as the Arkansas Travelers defeated the RockHounds, 7-1, Friday night at Security Bank Ballpark.
The Travs (the Diamantes de Arkansas) broke out with four straight hits against starter James Naile to open the second and scored on Joseph Odom's single ... Logan Taylor's double ... a wild pitch ... and Aaron Knapp's sacrifice fly.
The RockHounds (Matamoscas de Midessa) threatened in the third, fourth and fifth, but could produce just one run against Arkansas starter Justus Sheffield (the Seattle Mariners' # 4 prospect).
Nate Mondou opened the third with a double, but Sheffield got the next three hitters. The 'Hounds loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and with no outs in the fifth, but only a sacrifice fly from Brallan Perez produced a run (in the fifth). From that point on, Sheffield and two relievers combined to retire the next 14 batters.
Evan White, fittingly, closed the scoring with a two-run single in the ninth, his sixth and seventh RBI of the three-game series.
Notables
The Travelers (62-40) are, by far, the league's best team, but the RockHounds basically played them "straight up" in the season series (which concluded Friday night), going 6-7 in the 13 games.
The visiting team won each of the four series between the clubs. Arkansas took 3-of-4 at Security Bank Ballpark in June and 2-of-3 in the current series, while the RockHounds won 2-of-3 in both visits to Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Nate Mondou has reached base in five straight games (10-18, .556, plus a walk for an OBP of .579) with four runs, a double, a home run, and five RBI.
Brallan Perez saw a five-game hit streak come to an end (he's 7-22, .318, in his last six) but had the club's only RBI and made a brilliant catch at the bullpen fence in right field, robbing Logan Taylor of a "short porch" home run.
Next Game
Saturday, July 27 vs. Tulsa Drillers
Security Bank Ballpark 7:00 p.m. (Gates open 6:00)
Postgame Fireworks
- First of a four-game series and fourth of a seven-game homestand
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 6:47 p.m.
Probable Starters
TUL: Rob Zastryzny (LH, 0-2, 1.75) - - tentative
RH: Matt Milburn (RH, 5-7, 5.40)
Texas League Stories from July 26, 2019
- Northwest Arkansas Swept by Corpus Christi - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Matamoscas Fall to Arkansas in Series Finale - Midland RockHounds
- Sheffield Fires Travs Past RockHounds - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Fall to Frisco - Tulsa Drillers
- Bats Deliver in Series-Clinching Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Matt Carpenter Rehab, Christmas in July and More Coming Up - Springfield Cardinals
- Cardinals Offense Silenced in 3-1 Loss to Soddies - Springfield Cardinals
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