Riders Game Notes - 11:05 a.m. vs. Arkansas Travelers - April 19, 2016
April 19, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Frank Lopez (1-0, 0.79 ERA)
Travs: RHP Victor Alcantara (1-1, 4.82 ERA)
Today's game can be heard on the RoughRiders Radio Network at Ridersbaseball.com/media, online and on mobile devices via TuneIn Radio, or on the MiLB First Pitch App. The Dr Pepper Pregame Show with Ryan Rouillard begins at 10:30 a.m. prior to the first pitch at 11:05 a.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show guest is Riders reliever Adam Parks.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Riders split a doubleheader with the Arkansas Travelers on Monday, taking game one 5-3 and dropping the back-half 3-0...LEWIS BRINSON's three-run homer in the third inning of game one put Frisco up for good...Kyle McGowin one-hit the Riders in the second game, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Riders split a doubleheader with the Arkansas Travelers on Monday, taking game one 5-3 and dropping the back-half 3-0...LEWIS BRINSON's three-run homer in the third inning of game one put Frisco up for good...Kyle McGowin one-hit the Riders in the second game, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
RIDING HIGH:
The RoughRiders won nine of their first 10 games this season, setting a new team record, and they now sit at 9-2. The Riders passed the 2008 squad for most wins in the first 10 games, and both teams were 9-2 after 11 games. The 2008 RoughRiders finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
MINOR LEAGUE MACHINES:
The Riders are not only the leaders in the Texas League, but they also have one of the best team ERAs in all of Minor League Baseball. The Riders are one of just three teams in the Minors with an ERA under 2.00. They are third with a 1.95 ERA behind Pensacola and West Virginia, who are tied for first at 1.85.
NEARLY NO-HIT:
After going hitless through the first six innings of the second game yesterday, RYAN CORDELL led off the seventh with a single to break up Kyle McGowin's no-hit bid. If McGowin had been able to finish it out, it would have been the first no-hitter against the Riders in team history. There has not been a no-hitter in the Texas League since Brooks Pounders of Northwest Arkansas held Midland hitless on June 27, 2013.
ONE-HITTER? RARELY VS. RIDERS
Despite losing his no-hitter late, Kyle McGowin still accomplished a feat only two other pitchers have done before. It had been nearly 12 years since Justin Hampson of Tulsa threw the last one-hitter against Frisco on June 3, 2004. Rett Johnson of San Antonio also held the Riders to one hit on June 4, 2003.
DOUBLE THE BROOMS:
Saturday, the RoughRiders broke out the brooms against Northwest Arkansas for the second time this year. It marked the first time the Riders have swept the same team twice in the same half since the second half of 2009, when the RoughRiders swept Arkansas in both series.
MARTE MASHING:
Riders shortstop LUIS MARTE had a fantastic series against Northwest Arkansas. In three games, he went 6-for-10 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and five RBI. On the year, six of Marte's nine hits are for extra bases, and he leads the team with a .692 slugging percentage.
THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER:
While almost every facet of the RoughRiders team is clicking right now, the bullpen is in the midst of a particularly impressive stretch. Over the past seven games, the pen has allowed just three runs in the last 31 1/3 innings (0.86 ERA). Over that stretch, relievers have allowed just 16 hits and 12 walks, while striking out 25.
ALL-TIME vs. ARKANSAS:
Frisco has fared well against Arkansas since beginning Texas League play in 2003. In 166 total meetings between the two teams, the Riders hold a favorable 103-62-1 record (.620 winning percentage).
ONCE ISN'T ENOUGH:
Early on, multi-hit games have been a trend throughout the Riders lineup. Nine different players have registered a multi-hit game in 2016, led by four from LEWIS BRINSON, RONALD GUZMAN, and JOE JACKSON.
CRANKING UP CROOKED NUMBERS:
Early in the season, the RoughRiders have shown an ability to not only score in bunches but keep opponents from doing the same. The RoughRiders have tallied two four-run innings, two five-run frames and a six-spot (all against Northwest Arkansas). Meanwhile, opponents haven't put up more than two runs in an inning yet this season.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Single-A Hickory enters the day at 9-3, High-A High Desert is 8-4, and Triple-A Round Rock is 6-4. Round Rock was recently ranked the fifth-best Minor League team by MLB.com's Jim Callis.
FAMILIAR FACES IN FRISCO:
The Riders Opening Day features 17 players who appeared in Frisco last season. Dallas-native PRESTON BECK is back home in the Metroplex once again after playing 93 games with the Riders last year. Despite the large number of returning players this year, only five were on the 2015 Opening Day roster.
SKIPPING INTO THE RECORD BOOKS:
JOE MIKULIK has returned for his second season with the RoughRiders. He is the eighth manager in RoughRiders history, and the fourth to return for a second consecutive year. The veteran skipper is in his 18th season as a Minor League manager and has 1,130 all-time wins. 938 of his victories were recorded with the Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League (Class A), setting both a team and league record.
TOP OF THE CLASS:
The RoughRiders enter the season with six players ranked in either Baseball America or MLBPipeline.com's Rangers Top 30 Prospects. LEWIS BRINSON, the No. 2 prospect in Rangers' farm system according to MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America, returns to Frisco. He appeared in 28 games for the Riders last season, hitting .291 with six home runs and 23 RBI before being promoted to Round Rock in August. Brinson is joined by five other players named in the lists- RYAN CORDELL (No. 15 in MLB, No. 11 in BA), RONALD GUZMAN (23, 29), JOSE LECLERC (25, 21), SAM WOLFF (26, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (27, 26).
Texas League Stories from April 19, 2016
- RockHounds Recess-Itate, Sweep Naturals - Midland RockHounds
- Springfield Stops Streak - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Outlast Riders Tuesday, Win Series - Arkansas Travelers
- Riders Fall in Back-And-Forth Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Nielsen Navigates Cardinals to 6-3 Win Before 6,773 Fans - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Can't Hold Early Lead, Swept at Midland in Finale - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Star Wars Night Friday - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Naturals to Offer Special Graduation Party Packages in May - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Game Notes - 11:05 a.m. vs. Arkansas Travelers - April 19, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- The Previous Play Is Under Further Review - Midland RockHounds
- McGowin One-Hits 'Riders in Game Two Shutout - Arkansas Travelers
- Riders' Winning Streak Snapped with One-Hit Loss - Frisco RoughRiders
- Surge Continues with Shutout - Corpus Christi Hooks
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