Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 17, 2016
June 18, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Luis Ortiz (1-3, 3.57 ERA)
Hooks: RHP Cy Sneed (3-1, 3.65 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 6:40 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 righthander pitcher Jake Shortslef.
LAST TIME OUT:
The RoughRiders split a doubleheader against the Corpus Christi Hooks Thursday, winning game one 4-3 before dropping game two 2-0...GAME ONE: The RoughRiders fell behind 2-0 early on but took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third...PRESTON BECK drove in a run with an infield single and RYAN CORDELL smashed his 13th home run to put Frisco ahead 3-2...Corpus Christi tied the game on Conrad Gregor's single in the sixth...In the ninth, KELLIN DEGLAN delivered a walk-off single to get the Riders the win...GAME TWO: Edison Frias dealt six shutout innings for Corpus Christi, surrendering just two infield hits to earn the victory...Alex Bregman's two-run homer in the third proved to be the only runs the Hooks would need...The Hooks clinched the South Division's first-half title with the victory.
THE SPRINGFIELD SEVEN:
Tuesday, the Texas League announced its midseason all-stars and seven RoughRiders earned all-star honors. Infielder RONALD GUZMAN and outfielder RYAN CORDELL were both named starters, while outfielder PRESTON BECK and catcher ISIAH KINER-FALEFA earned reserve spots. Starting pitchers CONNOR SADZECK and VICTOR PAYANO, along with reliever ADAM PARKS also were named mid-season all-stars. It was the sixth-straight year the RoughRiders had at least seven players named to the All-Star Game, and Frisco's seven selections were third-most in the Texas League, behind Tulsa (nine) and Corpus Christi (nine). The 2016 Texas League All-Star Game takes place Tuesday, June 28 in Springfield, Missouri.
THAT WAS CLOSE:
The RoughRiders have consistently found themselves in close games over the last few weeks. 14 of the last 22 games (7-15) have been decided by three runs or fewer, including seven one-run games. On the season, 46 of Frisco's 65 games have been decided by three or fewer, and the Riders have played in 22 one-run games (14-8), three behind league-leading Corpus Christi (16-9).
EATEN UP BY ERRORS:
For most of the season, the RoughRiders have been one of the best defensive teams in the Texas League. However, in the last 11 games, the RoughRiders have committed 13 errors (1.18 per game), leading to 15 unearned runs. By comparison, they had committed just 37 errors in the first 54 games (0.69 per game). EVAN VAN HOOSIER, who played his first five career games at third base last week, made four of the 13 errors as he adjusts to the new position. ANDY IBANEZ has accounted for three of the miscues in that span.
BECK BUSTING OUT:
PRESTON BECK's walk-off home run Tuesday was his latest contribution in what's been an impressive last month for the Dallas-native. Beck has reached base in 24 of his last 27 games, including on-base streaks of 14 (5/13-6/1) and seven (6/3-6/13) games. Over his last 27 games (since May 13), Beck is hitting .313 (seventh-best in the Texas League), with three doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 11 RBI. He also sports a .371 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .479 in that span. Beck qualified for the league leaderboard yesterday and enters the rankings with the seventh-best average in the circuit (.288).
CORDELL COMES BACK CRUSHING:
RoughRiders outfielder RYAN CORDELL broke out of his longest homerless stretch of the season Tuesday in a big way, hitting a pair of solo home runs in a 5-4 win over Midland. It was his second multi-home run game of the season, both of which have come against the RockHounds. After hitting 10 home runs in his first 35 games, Cordell went homerless in 26 straight games (90 at-bats) from May 16 through June 13 before his big day Tuesday. Cordell continued his recent surge with a 3-for-4 performance in game one of Thursday's doubleheader, including his 13th home run of the year.
RANGERS ON REHAB:
Thanks to their geographic proximity to Arlington, the RoughRiders have already had a handful of Texas Rangers join the squad on Major League rehabilitation assignments this season. A.J. GRIFFIN made his second rehab start with Frisco Tuesday and is already the sixth rehabber to suit up for the RoughRiders this season. Griffin joins catchers CHRIS GIMENEZ and ROBINSON CHIRINOS, outfielders JOSH HAMILTON and SHIN-SOO CHOO, and right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH on rehab assignments this season.
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.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate with a winning record. Among full-season affiliates, the Rangers farm system is 151-111 (.576). Every full-season affiliate in the organization has a record above .500, as Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 42-25, Class-A Hickory is 37-29, and Triple-A Round Rock is 36-29. 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 nine 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, is in his second season in 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), ANDY IBANEZ (15, 8), EVAN VAN HOOSIER (18, 23),RONALD GUZMAN (22, 29), SAM WOLFF (25, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (26, 26) rank among Texas' top 30 prospects.
OPPOSING STARTER:
Cy Sneed makes his third appearance against Frisco this season, having worked eight scoreless innings over his first two outings against the Riders this season. Sneed, 23, joined the Astros organization in November after being traded by the Brewers for Jonathan Villar. A Dallas Baptist graduate, Sneed is in his third year as a pro. The righty was taken in the third round of the 2014 draft by the Brewers and throws a four-seam fastball (low 90s), changeup, curveball, and splitter.
Texas League Stories from June 18, 2016
- Seventh-Inning Woes Crush Riders in Second Straight Game - Frisco RoughRiders
- Nielsen and 1st-Place Cards Blank Naturals, 1-0, for Series Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Shutout by Cardinals in Series Finale - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Royals Outfielder Alex Gordon to Rehab with Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 18, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Grand Slam Propels Hooks Past RoughRiders - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 17, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Strangest Stat of the Season - Midland RockHounds
- RoughRiders Shut out in Game Two of Doubleheader - Frisco RoughRiders
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