Naturals Do Some Spring(dale) Cleaning, Sweep 'Hounds
Published on April 13, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Midland RockHounds Center Fielder Jaycob Brugman
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Alan Jamison)
RockHounds center fielder Jaycob Brugman camps out under a fly ball in Tuesday night's 9-2 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Arvest Ballpark. Brugman reached base three times and scored a run for the 'Hounds in the defeat. (Alan Jamison)
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals used a four-run first inning and a brilliant start from Alec Mills to defeat the RockHounds, 9-2, completing a sweep of the three-game series at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Arkansas.
Zane Evans' two-run double in the first gave the Naturals a 2-0 lead and Frank Schwindel's two-out single drove in a pair of runs to make it 4-0. An error by Franklin Barreto on a high bouncer to shortstop with two out in the second pushed the Naturals' lead to 6-0 and Schwindel's solo home run in the third made the score, 7-0.
The early lead was more than enough for Mills, who allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out nine over six innings for the win.
The RockHounds
... are 2-4 and have dropped three straight. The 'Hounds trail first place Frisco (5-1) by three games.
... open their home season Thursday night (April 14) at Security Bank Ballpark (Wednesday is a league-wide travel/off day). The 'Hounds will meet the same two clubs they faced on the road trip - - the Arkansas Travelers (April 14-16) and Northwest Arkansas Naturals (April 17-19) in the six-game home stand. Gates open on Thursday night at 6:00 p.m., with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Security Bank Ballpark ticket office and online at midlandrockhounds.org.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY ... with special thanks to Texas League president Tom Kayser for the assist! In Monday night's game, RockHounds shortstop Franklin Barreto did not have a putout, assist or error. As Tom pointed out, a shortstop without a "chance" in a game does tie a single-game TL record (and is fairly rare). What's odd is that I brought it up only because Tom had mentioned RockHounds shortstop Mike Rouse who, in 2003, played both games of a doubleheader without "touching the ball" (no putouts, assists or errors in a double-dip), one of only two shortstops in the league's more than 125-year history to do so.
RARITIES & WHIFFS The sweep was the Naturals' second over the RockHounds in 33 regular season series' since the franchise moved to Springdale in 2008 ... in that time the 'Hounds have swept the Naturals eight times (and in last season's Texas League Championship Series) in three-game sets ... Chris Jensen went four innings, just the eighth time in 56 career starts with the RockHounds that he has not gone at least five innings ... the "whiff" was a major issue on the season-opening road trip ... the 'Hounds struck out a total of 70 times in six games (34 against Arkansas and 36 times at Northwest Arkansas).
ALUMNI NOTE Angels superstar Mike Trout (Arkansas Travelers, 2011) may have taken former RockHound Sonny Gray deep Monday night, but he struck out (looking) against another former 'Hound - - Ryan Dull. One of the great stories of the last several seasons, Dull opened 2015 with the RockHounds (an 0.60 ERA in 35 games) ... made his big league debut on September 1 ... and opened 2016 in the A's bullpen. Oakland's 32nd round draft choice in 2012, the 5-9 (maybe), 175-pound (maybe) right-hander has pitched 4.2 perfect innings to date in 2016, striking out six (including Trout).
Images from this story
 Midland RockHounds Center Fielder Jaycob Brugman (Alan Jamison) |
Texas League Stories from April 13, 2016
- St. Louis SS Ruben Tejada Joins Springfield for Rehab Assignment - Springfield Cardinals
- Burg Promoted to Round Rock Following Riders' First Road Trip - Frisco RoughRiders
- Opening Night for RoughRiders on Thursday Packed with Excitement - Frisco RoughRiders
- CCTV to Replay Select Hooks Games - Corpus Christi Hooks
- We Are Messangers to Perform at Faith & Family Night - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals Do Some Spring(dale) Cleaning, Sweep 'Hounds - Midland RockHounds
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