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TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - April 29, 2016

April 29, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: RHP Reed Garrett (0-0, 2.08 ERA)

Hooks: LHP Brian Holmes (0-1, 3.38 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 and Ryan Rouillard. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show guest is Riders Hitting Coach Jason Hart.

LAST TIME OUT:

The RoughRiders finished a four-game sweep of San Antonio with a 6-5 win over the Missions Thursday night. ALEX BURG went 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth. RONALD GUZMAN also went deep for the Riders. San Antonio missed good scoring opportunities in the seventh and eight innings, as relievers JOSE VALDESPINA and ADAM PARKS worked out of trouble to seal off a fourth straight win.

RIDING HIGH:

The RoughRiders won nine of their first 10 games this season, marking the best 10-game start in team history. At 15-4, the RoughRiders are still on pace with the 2008 squad for the best start in the 14-year history of the franchise. With a win tonight, they'll have the best 20-game start in team history. 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, leading the Texas League in batting doubles (9), extra-base hits (15), RBI (21), and runs (18). In addition, Cordell has more extra-base hits (15) than singles (11). 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.

GOING STREAKING:

Cordell has not only been off to a great start, but he's been producing consistently for Frisco early in 2016. He rides a 14-game hit streak into today's game and has been on base in all 19 contests this year, both of which are the Texas League's longest streaks. Dating back to the final three games of 2015, he has reached base in 22 straight contests.

YU READY FOR SUNDAY?:

Wednesday, the Rangers announced that right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish will begin a Major League rehabilitation assignment with the Riders. The three-time American League All-Star will make a start on Sunday when the RoughRiders host the Corpus Christi Hooks at 4:05 p.m. Darvish is scheduled to throw 2.0 innings or 30 pitches.

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 five games back, Burg is hitting .500 (9-for-18), with three home runs and seven RBI. He also has hits in all five games since his return.

DUSTING OFF OLD BROOMS:

With Thursday's win over San Antonio, the RoughRiders picked up their first four-game sweep since May 16-19, 2011 at Midland. The sweep was the third this year for the Riders, with the other two coming in three-game sets against Northwest Arkansas.

SQUEAKING OUT A SWEEP:

In the four-game sweep of San Antonio, the RoughRiders outscored the Missions by just six runs, including three consecutive one-run wins to end the series. Frisco is now 4-2 in one-run games. Still, the Riders lead the league in overall run differential (+40) by a considerable margin, with Springfield next-best (+12).

STARTING SERIES STRONG:

The RoughRiders look to stay unbeaten in series openers tonight, having won their first six . Overall, the Riders have won five of their first six series this season.

FIRST FRAME FUN:

After scoring just one first-inning run in the first 11 games, the Riders put together a string of six straight games with first-inning runs (4/19-4/26), outscoring opponents, 14-1, in that stretch. Over three games last week at Corpus Christi, the Riders outscored the Hooks, 8-1, in the first.

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 2.04 through the first 19 games, and has wiggled out of numerous late-game jams. MATT BUSH and ADAM PARKS each have three saves so far for Frisco, and the team is 7-for-7 in save chances.

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

RANGER DANGER:

The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 57-23 (.714), good for the best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day with the best record in all of Minor League Baseball at 17-4, while Class-A Hickory is 14-7, and Triple-A Round Rock is 11-8. 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:

Lefty BRIAN HOLMES makes his third start of the season tonight, and his second appearance against Frisco. The southpaw worked four innings of relief against the Riders last Friday in Corpus Christi, lasting four innings, while giving up one run on four hits. In four outings against the Riders last year, he went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA. REPERTOIRE: Fastball, curveball, changeup, cutter.

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