Phantom of the Outfield
May 13, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
A "phantom" catch turned a two-run double into a sacrifice play / double play ... took a run off the board ... added two outs to an inning and took a runner off second base. By the time the baseball "powers that be" corrected matters, Thursday's series opener in San Antonio had stretched into the eleventh inning. Yep ... just another night at the ballyard!
Danny Oh's RBI single to left-center (on a 1-2 pitch) brought J.P. Sportman home with the game-winner in the eleventh, the only run scored by either club after an almost surrealistic seventh inning produced a 4-4 tie.
The RockHounds led, 3-0, entering the seventh on a solo home run from Jaycob Brugman and two RBI from Beau Taylor (a single in the fourth and a solo homer in the sixth, a shot to deep right-center). Oh led off the inning with a swinging bunt single and stole second base. Franklin Barreto's ground ball to shortstop turned into a fielder's choice when Jose Rondon's attempt to get Oh at third base went wide. Barreto then stole second base, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Brugman sent a fly ball to deep center, which Auston Bousfield caught, but on the bounce (clearly confirmed by video of the play). Both Oh and Barreto came in to (apparently) score, but the umpiring crew ruled the ball had been caught. After an ensuing discussion, the "catch" stood. Oh scored on a sacrifice fly, but both Barreto and Brugman were ruled out on an 8-6-4-3 double play. Instead of 5-0, with a runner at second and no outs, the score was 4-0 with the bases empty and two away.
The Missions rallied back in the home half of the seventh with Bousfield (ironically enough) leading off with a solo home run off reliever Trey Cochran-Gill. With two outs, Mike Olt reached (as Oh had done to lead off the top of the inning) on a swinging bunt and Taylor Lindsey was hit by a pitch. Gabriel Quintana then ripped a three-run, game-tying home run to left field.
After Oh's tie-breaking RBI, Jake Sanchez retired the side in order in the last of the eleventh for his second save in as many games.
The RockHounds
... are 20-13 (10-4 at Security Bank Ballpark and 10-9 on the road) ... are 3-2 on their (eight-game) road trip ... are 5-4 vs. San Antonio.
... are back to within 3.5 games of first-place Frisco in the Texas League South Division. Corpus Christi used a walk-off home run from Derek Fisher (his second HR of the game) to defeat the RoughRiders, 6-5, in Corpus Christi (the Hooks move to within six games of Frisco).
... take on the Missions in San Antonio on Friday and Saturday evenings (7:05 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (2:05 p.m.) to complete the (eight-game) road trip.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY When the Missions defeated the RockHounds, 6-5, at Nelson Wolff Stadium on April 24, San Antonio was 8-8. The Missions are 2-15 since that time, (10-23 overall) with Frisco being the primary antagonist ... the division-leading RoughRiders have swept the Missions in a pair of four-game sets (8-0).
- Viosergy Rosa (0-for-5) saw a 19-game on-base streak come to an end. The streak is the second-longest in the Texas League this season.
Texas League Stories from May 13, 2016
- Ward Walks off 'Hounds with Homer in 10th - San Antonio Missions
- Riders Fall in Second Game of Doubleheader - Frisco RoughRiders
- Travs Can't Hold Leads, Lose 8-6 Friday - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Beat Travs for 3rd Straight Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Nielsen Goes the Distance as Cards Top Naturals, 6-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Unlucky on Friday the 13th in 6-1 Defeat at Springfield - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Big Third Inning Helps Hooks Sink Riders in Game One - Frisco RoughRiders
- Riders Game Notes - DH at 5:35 at Corpus Christi Hooks - May 13, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Checkmate - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Riders Matt Bush Promoted to Texas Rangers - Frisco RoughRiders
- Phantom of the Outfield - Midland RockHounds
- Only 56 St. Louis Cardinals Hooded Sweatshirt Theme Tickets Remain - Springfield Cardinals
- Travs Skid Continues, Fall 7-2 Thursday - Arkansas Travelers
- DeJong's Walk-Off Blast Powers Cardinals to 6-5 Win in 10 Innings - Springfield Cardinals
- Fisher's Walk-Off Homer Negates Riders' Late Rally - Frisco RoughRiders
- Midland Needs Extras to Take Opener - San Antonio Missions
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