TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. at San Antonio Missions - May 4, 2016

Published on May 4, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: RHP Reed Garrett (0-0, 3.09 ERA)

Missions: RHP Johnny Hellweg (1-3, 10.57 ERA)

Full game notes are available online through this link.

Today's game can be heard on the RoughRiders Radio Network at MEDIA CONTACT: Nathan Barnett Office: (972) 334-1976 Cell: (214) 616-4939 E-mail: Nathan@RidersBaseball.com (mailto:Nathan@RidersBaseball.com)

** RIDERS GAME NOTES - MAY 4, 2016 First Pitch from Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas is set for 7:05 p.m. Riders: RHP Reed Garrett (0-0, 3.09 ERA) Missions: RHP Johnny Hellweg (1-3, 10.57 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 6:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show Guest is last night's starting pitcher Victor Payano.

LAST TIME OUT: The RoughRiders shut out the San Antonio Missions 3-0 on Tuesday night, in a game that was closer than the final score indicated...Frisco plated a run on a bases loaded hit batter in the first inning and did not score again until the ninth...VICTOR PAYANO struck out a career-high 13 batters and walked none in 6 2/3 scoreless innings...ADAM PARKS (1.1 IP) and MATT BUSH (1.0 IP) completed the shutout...All three runs were driven in without a base hit (HBP, SF, and fielder's choice)...The RoughRiders are now 5-0 against the Missions this season.

RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS: At 18-6, the RoughRiders have the best 24-game start in team history, besting the 2008 squad. The 2008 RoughRiders finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.

'DELL-IGHTFUL START: RYAN CORDELL has been on a roll early in the season, currently leading the Texas League in slugging percentage (.678) and ranking second in doubles (9), RBI (23), and runs (21). In addition, Cordell has more extra-base hits (16) than singles (14). He's already tied or surpassed many of his stats with Frisco from last year, when he hit .217 with five doubles, five home runs, and 18 RBI in 56 games. Cordell was rewarded with Texas League Player of the Month honors Monday, after winning Player of the Week last Monday. The 24-year-old hit .363 in April with five home runs (two grand slams) and 22 RBI.

GOING STREAKING: Cordell has not only been off to a great start, but he's been producing consistently for Frisco early in 2016. Although his 17-game hitting streak came to an end after going 0-for-3 Monday, he drew a walk to increase his league-high on-base streak to 23 games. Dating back to the final three games of 2015, he has reached base in 26 straight contests.

TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS: VICTOR PAYANO was dominant in yesterday's start against San Antonio. In 6 2/3 shutout innings, Payano fanned a career-high 13 batters. It was the most strikeouts by a Riders pitcher since Robbie Erlin fanned 14 batters against Corpus Christi on June 26, 2011 and the second-most in team history in a single-game.

YU BETTER BELIEVE IT: Right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH threw two scoreless innings for the RoughRiders Sunday afternoon, allowing just one walk. It was the right-hander's first rehabilitation start, as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery last year.

BURG BUSTING BACK ON TO THE SCENE: Since returning from a short stay with Triple-A Round Rock, ALEX BURG has been on a tear for Frisco. In his first eight games back, Burg is hitting .407 (11-for-27), with three home runs and nine RBI. Burg has hits in seven of eight games since his return.

"ONE"-DERFUL IN CLOSE GAMES: Despite leading the Texas League in run differential (+38), Frisco has played in seven one-run contests, winning five, over the last 10 games. The Riders have a 6-3 record in games decided by one run this year.

STARTING SERIES STRONG: With yesterday's win, the RoughRiders improved to 8-0 in series openers this season. The Riders have won five of their first seven series, including a four-game sweep against San Antonio at Dr Pepper Ballpark last week.

FIRST FRAME FUN: After scoring just one first-inning run in the first 11 games, the Riders have outscored opponents, 19-6, in the last 13 first innings. Frisco has scored a first-inning run in three of five games against San Antonio this year.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: Part of the key for the Riders historic start to the season has been the strong bullpen, protecting leads late in games. The bullpen holds an ERA of just 2.61 through the first 24 games and has wiggled out of numerous late-game jams. MATT BUSH has four saves, ADAM PARKS has three, and the team is 8-for-9 in save situations.

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 10 innings of four or more runs (five four-run innings, four five-run frames and a six-spot). Meanwhile, the Riders have only allowed five innings of more than two runs.

SEPARATION IN THE SIXTH: The RoughRiders have found immense success, both at the plate and on the mound, in the sixth inning this season. Frisco has outscored opponents, 25-9, in the sixth frame through 24 games. The Riders struck for their biggest inning of the year with a six-run sixth on April 14 vs. Northwest Arkansas.

RANGER DANGER: The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 68-31 (.687), which is the best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 19-7, while Class-A Hickory is 17-8, and Triple-A Round Rock is 14-10. Round Rock was recently ranked the fifth-best Minor League team (any level) by MLB.com's Jim Callis.

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. 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).

OPPOSING STARTER: Part of the Zach Greinke trade that sent the right-hander from the Brewers to the Angels (along with SS Jean Segura and P Ariel Pena), Johnny Hellweg is now in his first season with the Padres, signing as a free agent in November...Originally drafted by the Marlins in the 46th round in 2007, Hellweg passed up going pro, playing a year at Florida Community College before signing with the Angels for $150,000 as a 16th-round pick in 2008...The Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Hellweg as the 31st-best prospect in the Angel's organization in the spring of 2010. He was moved up to #23 in the winter before 2011 spring training...They had Johnny at #6 in the offseason before 2013 spring camps opened, and he moved up again in the spring of 2014, when he was rated 4th-best in the Brewers' farm system...But Hellweg was dropped to #21 in the spring of 2015...Hellweg was named the Brewers' 2013 Minor League Pitcher of the Year a day before rejoining the Major League rotation for a start against the Cubs...He also was named the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Player of the Year for 2013,only the fourth Nashville Sounds pitcher to win the league's award and first since R.A. Dickey (2007)...Repertoire: Hellweg has a lively 91-98 mph FASTBALL with sink, an 81-83 mph slurvy-CURVEBALL, as well as a CHANGEUP.

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