TL1 Midland RockHounds

Miss Hillburn Is Grumpy; the RockHounds Are Drenched

September 2, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release


Elvira Hillburn, my third grade teacher (who really did have blue-ish hair and was not, generally speaking, a pleasant person) would give us (me) a failing grade in arithmetic, thanks to a "magic number snafu." Judging from the champagne and assorted beverages that engulfed the clubhouse (and the RockHounds celebrating therein), however, the baseball world is A-O-K. In other words, to heck with arithmetic, because

... the RockHounds are second half champions of the Texas League South Division.

Frisco won Monday's series finale, 8-7, but the 'Hounds (on Sunday) claimed the bigger prize - - - a second half title and, with it, the right to host games three, four and five (as needed) of the upcoming South Division Championship Series with the Corpus Christi Hooks.

The 'Hounds broke out to a 5-1 lead in the first inning Monday night on Matt Olson's two-double and Jaycob Brugman's two-run home run five pitches later. After Frisco came back to tie the game at 5-5, Brugman's two-run double in the third gave the RockHounds a 7-5 edge.

While the RoughRiders chipped away, scoring single runs in the fourth and sixth to again forge a tie, the Frisco bullpen was "lights out." Ryne Slack (three innings), Jose Valdespina (two perfect innings for the win) and Jesus Pirela (a 1-2-3 ninth for the save) did not allow a run or a hit in six combined innings of work. The trio allowed just two base runners (a pair of walks) while striking out four.

With the bases empty and two out in the eighth, Luis Marte beat out an infield single (despite a tremendous play from shortstop Chad Pinder) and stole second. He then scored the game-winning run on a single up the middle from 32-year-old minor league veteran Guilder Rodriguez.

The RockHounds

... are 43-20 in the second half and 78-55 overall (after reaching a season-high 24 games over .500) ... finished their final regular season home stand 4-3, splitting four games with Corpus Christi and taking two of three from Frisco ... have won nine of their last 12 games ... are 32-13 in their last 45 games (a .711 winning percentage) ... lead the season series with Frisco, 17-8, including an 11-3 mark at Security Bank Ballpark (6-5 with three games to play at Dr Pepper Ballpark) ... finished the regular season with the Texas League's best home record, going 45-25 at Security Bank Ballpark ... are 33-30 on the road ... are 49-36 vs. the South Division and 29-19 vs. the North.

Kibbles & Bits

STAT OF THE DAY With seven games remaining in the regular season, the RockHounds (with a 43-20 record) have matched the highest win total for a half-season in franchise history (43-27 in 2001) and are one win from establishing the best half-season in the franchise's history.

- Colin Walsh extended his (personal) season high on-base streak to 23 games and did so with an unusual hitting line in the Frisco series. In three games versus the RoughRiders, Walsh went 0-for-6 with an on-base percentage of .538 (he reached base in 7-of-13 trips to the plate, walking seven times). He leads the Texas League with a .447 on-base percentage and is third in the league batting race, hitting .307.

- Jaycob Brugman (double, home run, walk, four RBI Monday night) has hit in seven straight games and is hitting .500 (13-for-26) in that streak. In his last four games, Brugman is 9-for-14 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBI.

- Anthony Aliotti has hit in nine straight games (12-for-35, .343) and has reached base in 17 straight (.329).

Check out the Midland RockHounds Statistics



Texas League Stories from September 2, 2015


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