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TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - 6:10 p.m. at Arkansas Travelers - April 10, 2016

April 10, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: LHP Victor Payano (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Travs: RHP Alex Blackford (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 Ryan Rouillard begins at 5:35 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 6:10 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show guest is Riders manager Joe Mikulik.

LAST TIME OUT: Putting together a five-run inning for the second straight night, the Frisco RoughRiders captured a 9-1 over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals to sweep them in the three-game set...SAM WOLFF surrendered a first inning solo home run to Raul Mondesi before scattering three walks and two singles in six strong innings, allowing just the one run...Five Riders collected multiple hits, including RYAN CORDELL and RONALD GUZMAN who both picked up three each...Frisco broke a 1-1 tie with five runs in the fourth, added two more in the fifth, and put single markers up in the first and sixth innings.

ROAD TO THE SHOW: The Texas Rangers promoted former RoughRiders outfielder Nomar Mazara and catcher/first baseman Brett Nicholas from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday. Mazara is hitting second in the lineup, while Nicholas is expected to serve the role of backup catcher. Mazara, 20, has logged three games with Triple-A Round Rock thus far this season. The outfielder has hit .500 (6-for-12) with a home run, four RBI, and a walk for the Express. In his two-year stint with Frisco in 2014 and 2015, he hit .287 in 111 with 16 home runs, 29 doubles, three triples, 72 RBI, and 67 runs scored. He was a Texas League Mid-season All-Star. During his Frisco tenure, Mazara twice won Texas League Player of the Week. Nicholas, 27, has appeared in two games with Round Rock this season. The catcher recorded a double for the Express in their 7-3 victory on Opening Day. In 2013 with Frisco, the Phoenix native hit .289 in 136 Double-A games. Nicholas was a Texas League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star, and he led the circuit with 91 RBI in addition to a team-high 21 home runs. He was named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star following the 2013 season.

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).

PIECE OF PAYANO: When VICTOR PAYANO takes the mound for the Riders tonight, it will be his first time ever facing an Angels affiliate stateside. Payano did not face the Travs in 29 games with Frisco last season, and he pitched in leagues without an Angels farm team during the four seasons prior. However, Payano made three starts against the Dominican Summer League Angels in 2010 and went 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA.

THREE'S A CROWD: Thanks to a three-game series sweep over Northwest Arkansas to open the season, the Riders reached 3-0 for just the second time in team history. Frisco opened the 2008 season with five straight victories on the road against Springfield and Arkansas.

PUTTING THE 'O' IN FRISCO: The RoughRiders began this season in a fashion that has never been done before in team history. Frisco kept Northwest Arkansas off the board for 16 straight innings before allowing a run on a one-out sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth Friday. The previous record for consecutive scoreless innings to begin a RoughRiders season was 13 2/3 in 2012.

HOW SWEEP IT IS: After taking all three games from Northwest Arkansas in the opening season, the Riders accomplishing something that was done just once last year. The Riders only swept one series in 2015, and it was a rain-shortened two-game road set against Northwest Arkansas on July 10. The last time Frisco swept a three-game series was August 15-17, 2014 at Tulsa.

RANGER DANGER: All four of the Rangers full-season affiliates are off to 3-0 starts in the 2016 season. Yesterday, for the second straight day, everyone in the Texas farm system won, plus the big league club. The Rangers defeated the Angels 4-1, with Cole Hamels picking up his second win of the year. Joey Gallo (MLB Pipeline No. 1 prospect, Riders '14-15) hit two home runs and Nomar Mazara (No. 3 prospect, Riders '14-15) hit one for Triple-A Round Rock in their 9-3 victory over Iowa. Jairo Beras (No. 6 prospect) launched his first home run of the season in High-A High Desert's 9-5 win against Inland Empire. Single-A Hickory topped Kannapolis 6-1, breaking through with five runs in the top of the 10th inning.

MATT'S ALL, FOLKS: MATT BUSH made his debut in the Rangers' organization Thursday and earned his first save since August 24, 2011 with Double-A Montgomery. Originally a shortstop, the San Diego native was selected No. 1 overall by his hometown Padres in the 2004 MLB Draft. Bush was converted to a pitcher prior to the 2007 season and later spent two years in the Tampa Bay Rays' farm system.

FAMILIAR FACES IN FRISCO: The Riders' initial roster features 18 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 1,124 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.

TRAVELING AROUND THE HISTORY BOOKS: Frisco has fared well against Arkansas since beginning Texas League play in 2003. In 161 total meetings between the two teams, the Riders hold a favorable 100-60-1 record (.621 winning percentage) and are 38-15 at Dickey-Stephens Park (opened in 2007).

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