Numbers Du Jour: 8,000,000 & One
August 30, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Two significant events took place Sunday afternoon at Security Bank Ballpark:
(1) When Orval Nutting came through the Rocky Town turnstiles, he became fan number eight million in franchise history.
(2) Mr. Nutting is not only fan # 8,000,000, but (quite clearly) a dedicated one. He came to Sunday's game (unaware he would be "the fan") wearing a classic RockHounds jersey, dating back to the beginning of the RockHounds / Oakland A's affiliation, circa 1999. The team he watched Sunday afternoon is one of the best ... and perhaps the best ... club to set its spikes on the diamond in the franchise's 44 years.
Thanks in large part to an outstanding performance from starter Chris Jensen, the RockHounds defeated the Frisco RoughRiders, 5-3, and are now on the very brink of a second half championship.
The win brings the RockHounds' "magic number" for winning the Texas League South second half title to one. If Corpus Christi loses at home Sunday evening against San Antonio, the RockHounds are second half champions. If the Hooks defeat the Missions, the 'Hounds would have the opportunity to clinch the second half title on the field in their regular season home finale Monday night.
In 2014, Chris Jensen was named to the Texas League Postseason All-Star Team and was a key member of the RockHounds' Texas League championship club. This season, at least statistically, he has not achieved the same level of success, entering Sunday's game with an 8-9 record and a 5.26 earned run average. In his last three starts, however, the right-hander had returned to all-star form, and he continued that trend Sunday afternoon, going seven innings, allowing one run on five hits, walking one and striking out five (at one point, he retired 13 consecutive Frisco batters). In his last four starts, Jensen is 2-0, with a 1.73 ERA (24 hits and eight walks in 26 total innings with 19 strikeouts).
The RockHounds gave Jensen an early cushion, batting around in the third inning and scoring three runs on RBI singles from Jaycob Brugman, Beau Taylor and Wade Kirkland. Josh Whitaker drove in single runs in the third and seventh, as the 'Hounds built the lead to 5-1 before holding off a late Frisco rally. Brendan McCurry closed the door in the ninth for his second save in as many games.
The RockHounds
... are 43-19 in the second half and 78-54 overall (another 2015 high-water mark at 24 games over .500) ... have won nine of their last 11 games ... are 32-12 in their last 44 games (a .727 winning percentage) ... lead the season series with Frisco, 17-7, including an 11-2 mark at Security Bank Ballpark (6-5 at Dr Pepper Ballpark) ... are 45-24 at Security Bank Ballpark (the league's best home mark) and 33-30 on the road ... are 49-35 vs. the South Division and 29-19 vs. the North ... have eight games regular season games remaining (Monday at home and seven on the road).
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: With eight games remaining in the regular season, the RockHounds have matched the highest win total for a half-season in franchise history (43-27 in 2001). The 2001 club was the victim of one of the greatest "baseball snake bites" in modern Texas League history. The 43-27 mark was the second-best in all of Double-A baseball (30 teams) in the first half of the 2011 season, but also second-best in the (eight-team) Texas League and in the (four-team) TL West Division - - - the Round Rock Express went 50-20, the finest half-season since the TL went to that format in 1977.
- Colin Walsh set a new (personal) season high, reaching base in his 22nd consecutive game. His hitting line for the first two games of the series is a little "unusual, " showing 0-for-4, but reaching base in five-of-nine plate appearances (five bases on balls). Walsh continues to lead the Texas League with a .447 on-base percentage and is among the top five hitters in the TL with a .308 average.
- Anthony Aliotti has hit in eight straight games (11-for-32, .344) and has reached base in 16 straight (.328).Â
- Renato Nuñez has hit in each of his four games since being activated from disabled list (hamstring), going 6-for-16 (.375).
Texas League Stories from August 30, 2015
- Drillers Beaten 4-2 by Cardinals - Tulsa Drillers
- Walks Burn Travs in 7-2 Sunday Loss - Arkansas Travelers
- Moran Delivers Winner in Eighth - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Adams Helps Naturals Even Series against Travs - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Numbers Du Jour: 8,000,000 & One - Midland RockHounds
- Adams, Brinson Homer in Riders' Loss to Hounds - Frisco RoughRiders
- To Paraphrase Neil Armstrong - Midland RockHounds
- Drillers Fall to Reyes and Cardinals - Tulsa Drillers
- Cardinals Cling to 3-2 Win in Tulsa - Springfield Cardinals
- Reed Leads Hooks Power Surge - Corpus Christi Hooks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
