Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. at San Antonio Missions - May 6, 2016
May 6, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Connor Sadzeck (3-0, 2.93 ERA)
Missions: RHP Luis Diaz (2-2, 5.72 ERA)
Full game notes are available online through this link.
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 Riders catcher Kellin Deglan.
You may access the 2016 Riders Media Guide online here.
LAST TIME OUT:
Unloading on the Missions for a season-high 11 runs, the RoughRiders captured a series win with an 11-4 victory...Frisco led 9-0 before San Antonio put together a four-run sixth inning...The Riders scored in seven different innings, including a five-run sixth inning...RONALD GUZMAN and PRESTON BECK homered late, both solo shots...ISIAH KINER-FALEFA put together a four-hit game...The bullpen worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, as JOSE LECLERC (2.0 IP) and JOSE VALDESPINA (2.0 IP) combined to retire the final 12 batters of the contest.
ON A MISSION:
With the win last night, the RoughRiders are 7-0 against San Antonio this season and have won their last ten games against the Missions, dating back to last season. The RoughRiders have dominated the season-series thus far, outscoring the Missions by 2.6 runs per game, hitting .299 to San Antonio's .226. The Riders are out-homering the Missions 8-4 and have 27 extra-base hits to San Antonio's 15. The Missions have the edge in one category, however: stolen bases, where they lead 7 to 1.
RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS:
At 20-6, the RoughRiders have the best 26-game start in team history, besting the 2008 squad. The 2008 RoughRiders, 19-7 through 26 games, finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
CONDOR FLYING HIGH:
Ronald "Condor" Guzman is tearing it up of late. Riding a current eight-game hit streak in which he is slashing .467/.529/.867, Guzman has a pair of homers and nine RBI during the streak. His 1.396 OPS is fifth in Double-A baseball since the start of the hit streak on April 27.
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 continued his season-long on-base streak to 25 games last night with a single in the fifth inning. Dating back to the final three games of 2015, he has reached base in 28 straight contests.
"ONE"-DERFUL IN CLOSE GAMES:
Despite leading the Texas League in run differential (+47), Frisco has played in seven one-run contests, winning five, over the last 12 games. The Riders have a 6-3 record in games decided by one run this year and are 3-0 in games decided by two runs, including the win Wednesday.
FIRST FRAME FUN:
After scoring just one first-inning run in the first 11 games, the Riders have outscored opponents, 22-8, in the last 15 first innings, scoring at least one run in 11 of those 15 games. Frisco has scored at least one first-inning run in five of seven 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 2.46 through the first 26 games and has wiggled out of numerous late-game jams. MATT BUSH has five saves, ADAM PARKS has three, and the team is 9-for-10 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 11 innings of four or more runs (five four-run innings, four five-run frames and a six-spot). Meanwhile, the Riders have only allowed seven 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, 32-13, in the sixth frame through 26 games. The Riders struck for their biggest inning of the year with a six-run sixth on April 14 vs. Northwest Arkansas and outscored the Missions 5-4 last night in the sixth.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 72-35 (.673), which is the second-best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 19-9, while Class-A Hickory is 18-9, and Triple-A Round Rock is 15-11. 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:
Venezuelan-born Luis Diaz makes his sixth start of the year today for San Antonio, with a 2-2 record and a 5.72 ERA...The former Red Sox farmhand was granted his free agency this past offseason and signed with the Padres with an invite to MLB Spring Training...In his six years in the Red Sox system, Diaz made his way up to Double-A Portland, won Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month in August/September of 2011 with Lowell, and South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week June 24-30, 2013 with Greenville...Throwing from a high 3/4 slot, Diaz throws a fastball in the low to mid 90s, a curveball (72-75), and changeup (78-80).
Texas League Stories from May 6, 2016
- Sadzeck's Strong Start Leads Riders to Sweep - Frisco RoughRiders
- DeJong Belts a Pair of Homers, But Naturals Take Finale - Springfield Cardinals
- Stewart Stellar as Drillers Top Travs 9-2 - Tulsa Drillers
- Strahm Stellar as Naturals Claim Series Finale - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Sadzeck guides Frisco to sweep of San Antonio - San Antonio Missions
- Riders Homestand Preview: Saturday, May 7 - Tuesday, May 10 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. at San Antonio Missions - May 6, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- De Jong Dominant in Drillers Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Drillers to Begin 8-Game Homestand Saturday - Tulsa Drillers
- RoughRiders Back on Fox Sports Southwest Saturday Night - Frisco RoughRiders
- Alcantara Blanks Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Hard Work Pays off on Cinco De Mayo - Midland RockHounds
- Missions Streak Continues in Rout by Frisco - San Antonio Missions
- Five-Run Sixth Inning Boosts Riders to Victory - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Swipe 3-2 Win from Cardinals - Springfield Cardinals
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