Riders Game Notes - 6:05 p.m. vs. Springfield Cardinals - June 5, 2016
Published on June 5, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Luis Ortiz (1-1, 3.27 ERA)
Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver (0-0, -.-- 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 Steve Goldberg begins at 5:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Ryan Rouillard.
LAST TIME OUT:
After a quiet last few weeks at the plate, the Riders offense erupted for 11 runs in a 11-6 win over Springfield...LEWIS BRINSON finished the night 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, and a season-high five RBI...JOE JACKSON got the Riders on the board with his first homer of the year in the second inning...Frisco did its damage in large bunches, scoring six runs in the fourth and four more in the eighth...The 11 runs tied a single-game high this season, while the six-run inning tied a single-inning high...The offensive outburst proved to be plenty of support for highly-touted prospect YOHANDER MENDEZ, who allowed three early runs, but settled in to turn in five strong innings of work.
THE CHOO TRAIN RETURNS TO FRISCO:
Rangers outfielder SHIN-SOO CHOO, who joined the RoughRiders on a Major League rehabilitation assignment Friday, is back with Frisco today for the series finale. Choo went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Friday's win over the Cardinals. Choo was the latest in a long string of big leaguers that have rehabbed with the RoughRiders this season. Already, the Riders have welcomed right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH, outfielder JOSH HAMILTON, and catchers CHRIS GIMENEZ and ROBINSON CHIRINOS.
LOOKING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME:
With Frisco's recent eight-game losing streak and Corpus Christi's four-game win streak, the Riders are in second place in the South Division for the first time all season. They shared the top spot with Corpus Christi and Midland on the first day of the year but held sole possession of first place for the next 54 days. The Riders still have a chance to control their own fate in the South Division though, with five remaining first-half matchups against the Hooks and six more against third-place Midland.
ALL KINDS OF CLOSE CALLS:
The RoughRiders have consistently found themselves in close games over the last few weeks. Eight of the last 10 games (2-8) have been decided by three runs or fewer, including three one-run games. On the season, 40 of Frisco's 53 games have been decided by three or fewer, and the Riders have played in 18 one-run games (10-8), one behind league leaders Midland and Corpus Christi.
BRINSON GOES BOOM:
Rangers second-ranked prospect LEWIS BRINSON hasn't had the best start to his season, but the Riders outfielder teed off on Cardinals pitching Saturday, going 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, and a season-high five RBI. It marked the first time all year he's had multiple extra-base hits in the same game. Brinson hit just .202 in May but is 4-for-12 in his last three games as he aims to return to old form.
BECK BUSTING OUT:
Riders outfielder PRESTON BECK has become a key contributor for the Riders over the last few weeks. Beck has reached base in 15 of his last 16 games and had his 14-game on-base streak snapped Wednesday vs. Tulsa. In that stretch, he had a six- and seven-game hit streak. Over his last 16 games, Beck is hitting .344 (sixth-best in the Texas League), with a double, two triples, two home runs, and nine RBI. He also sports a .385 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .525 in that span.
STARTERS STAYING STRONG:
Riders starting pitching has consistently turned in strong performances over the last few weeks. Starters have lasted at least six innings in six of the last 18 games, including five quality starts. No starters have allowed more than four earned runs in the 18-game stretch. In total, starters have combined for an ERA of 3.35 (37 ER / 99.1 IP) in that span.
TRIO OF RIDERS EARN MONTHLY HONORS:
On May 19, three Riders were awarded monthly honors by the Rangers. RYAN CORDELL earned Player of the Month honors, while ISIAH KINER-FALEFA was named Defender of the Month. Left-hander RYNE SLACK garnered the Reliever of the Month award.
ROARING RONALD GUZMAN:
Riders first baseman RONALD GUZMAN has gotten off to a torrid start this season, most recently accentuated by his 3-for-4 performance Friday vs. Springfield. The slugger put together the first two-homer game of his career last week in Springfield, and his season-high nine game hitting streak ended last Sunday. During the run, Guzman hit .400 (14-for-35) with five extra-base hits (2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR) and 3 RBI. Guzman leads the team with 19 multi-hit games in 2016, his first year at the Double-A level.
VIEW FROM THE TOP:
Frisco outfielder RYAN CORDELL has been one of the best offensive players in the league thus far. In addition to an impressive league-best 37-game on-base streak earlier this year, he also leads the Texas League in numerous categories. The Riders outfielder tops the Texas League in RBI (41), runs (40), doubles (T-1st, 14), and extra-base hits (28). Cordell is also on the leaderboard in average (4th, .313), home runs (T-4th, 10), slugging percentage (3rd, .579), and triples (T-2nd, 4).
MULTI-HIT MADNESS:
Multi-hit performances have become a consistent trend up and down the Riders lineup this year. There have been 115 multi-hit performances out of a possible 477 lineup spots (24.1%). 28 of the 115 multi-hit performances (24.3%) are with three or more hits. RONALD GUZMAN leads the Riders with 19 multi-hit games, including his 3-for-4 performance Friday vs. Springfield. Guzman is one of four players on the squad to have at least 10 multi-hit games this season.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate with a winning record. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 127-91 (.583), which is the third-best winning percentage among all Minor League systems behind Cleveland and New York (AL). Every full-season affiliate in the organization has a record above .500, as Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 34-22, Class A Hickory is 32-23, and Triple-A Round Rock is 29-25. Round Rock was ranked the fifth-best Minor League team (any level) by MLB.com's Jim Callis earlier this season.
TOP OF THE CLASS:
The RoughRiders roster includes eight players ranked on either the MLBPipeline.com and/or Baseball America Rangers Top 30 Prospects list. LEWIS BRINSON, the No. 2 prospect in the Texas 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. LUIS ORTIZ (No. 4 in MLBPipeline.com, No. 4 in BA) is the highest-ranked pitching prospect on the squad. Aside from Brinson and Ortiz, YOHANDER MENDEZ (13, 24), RYAN CORDELL (14, 11), EVAN VAN HOOSIER (18, 23),RONALD GUZMAN (22, 29), SAM WOLFF (26, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (27, 26) rank among Texas' top 30 prospects.
OPPOSING STARTER:
One of the Cardinals' highest-rated prospects, right-hander Luke Weaver makes his season and Double-A debut tonight at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Weaver, 22, missed the first two months of the season after fracturing his left wrist during a drill in Spring Training. The righty, ranked the third-best prospect in the St. Louis farm system, is in his third season as a pro and first with Springfield after being selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2014 draft out of Florida State. Weaver had been selected out of high school by the Blue Jays in the 19th round of the 2011 draft, but attended FSU instead. The righty was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training this year. Coming out of FSU, one of the concerns was the decline in his fastball velocity, which dropped to the low 90s. However, his changeup with heavy sink has made him extremely tough on hitters...REPERTOIRE: Fastball (92-93, T95), changeup (82-83), curveball, slider.
Texas League Stories from June 5, 2016
- Riders Silenced in Series Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Weaver Dominates in Debut as Cards Blank Frisco, 5-0 - Springfield Cardinals
- Towey's Blast Secures Weekend Series Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Holmes Pitches Hooks to Series Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers Complete Sweep of Midland with 6-5 Victory - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Fall to Hooks in Series Finale, 3-2 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Game Notes - 6:05 p.m. vs. Springfield Cardinals - June 5, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Another Example of Why "The Book" Is Not Available In Stores - Midland RockHounds
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