TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Midland RockHounds - May 10, 2016

Published on May 10, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: LHP Frank Lopez (3-0, 3.86 ERA)

RockHounds: RHP Raul Alcantara (2-1, 5.53 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 pregame show guest is right-handed pitcher Jose Leclerc.

LAST TIME OUT:

RYAN CORDELL homered twice to lead the RoughRiders to a 6-5 win over Midland...The Riders scored five run in the second, and Cordell's go-ahead blast in the fifth proved to be the difference...Midland's Yairo Munoz also hit two homers Monday and finished 3-for-4 with 4 RBI...JOSE LECLERC worked three perfect innings out of the bullpen, and JOSE VALDESPINA earned his first save of the year.

NO MINOR FEAT:

Entering the day at 23-7 (.767), the Riders have the best winning percentage among all 120 full-season affiliates in Minor League Baseball.

RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS:

The 23-7 record marks the best 30-game start in team history, besting the 2008 squad that started 22-8. The 2008 RoughRiders, finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.

GOING STREAKING:

RYAN CORDELL has been off to a great start in 2016, including a Texas League Player of the Week and Player of the Month honor. Although his 17-game hitting streak came to an end after going 0-for-3 last Monday, he continued his on-base streak to an MiLB-leading 29 games last night with his two-home run performance. Dating back to the final three games of 2015, he has reached base in 32 straight contests.

CONDOR FLYING HIGH:

RONALD "CONDOR" GUZMAN is tearing it up as of late, having reached base safely in 17 straight games, the third-longest active streak in the Texas League. He has hits in 15 of those 17 games, and RBI in ten. In that span, he's hitting .381, with six doubles, three home runs, and 13 RBI.

STRIKEOUT FEVER:

After striking out 180 hitters in the first 23 games (7.8 SO/9 IP), Riders pitching has amassed 72 punchouts in the last seven games (10.3). In addition, three starters have set career-highs in single-game strikeouts recently (VICTOR PAYANO, 13; SAM WOLFF, 10; CONNOR SADZECK, 9).

"ONE"-DERFUL IN CLOSE GAMES:

Despite leading the Texas League in run differential (+53), Frisco has played in 10 one-run contests, winning seven, over the last 14 games. The Riders have a 8-4 record in games decided by one run this year and are 3-0 in games decided by two runs.

CUT THEM SOME SLACK:

Reliever RYNE SLACK is in the midst of an impressive stretch, not having allowed a hit in his last 11 2/3 innings of work. He still has yet to permit a run in 14 1/3 innings of relief work this season, and his .049 opposing average is the best in the Texas League.

BULLING DOWN THE HOUNDS:

While Midland has found some success scoring early, the Riders bullpen has made the going tough late in games. Through the first three games of the series, Riders relievers have combined to allow just one run on three hits in 14 innings of relief, while walking just four and striking out 14. On the season, the Riders bullpen holds a 2.20 ERA.

HOME IS WHERE THE 'PEN IS:

Right-handed pitcher JOSE LECLERC has made a marked improvement since transitioning from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Leclerc had an ERA of 7.88 in two starts, but has allowed just one earned run in 11.0 innings of relief, good for a 0.82 ERA. Among active relievers, only RYNE SLACK has a better ERA (0.00).

KINER CAN CATCH:

RoughRiders utility man ISIAH KINER-FALEFA has found a new skillset, and it comes from behind the plate. The 21-year-old is catching for the first time in his career this season, having made five starts behind the plate. The new position has worked incredibly well for Kiner-Falefa, who has caught the last three baserunners who have run on his watch, including Midland's Matt Chapman Saturday night. He also has yet to have a passed ball.

RANGER DANGER:

The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 82-40 (.672), which is the best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert Class-A Hickory enters the day at 21-10 while Class A-Advaned High Desert is 20-11, and Triple-A Round Rock is 18-12. Three of the four affiliates currently lead their respective divisions. 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:

Right-hander Raul Alcantara is scheduled to make the start for Midland in tonight's series finale. The 23-year-old was named Texas League Player of the Week on Monday after dealing six no-hit innings last Wednesday in a win over Corpus Christi. Acquired in a trade with the Red Sox in December of 2011, this is Alcantara's second season in Midland, with the other being a short stint at the beginning of 2014. His season ended after just three starts, though, due to injury. Alcantara spent last season at Class A-Advanced Stockton, as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Alcantara is ranked as the 16th-best prospect in the Oakland organization by MLBPipeline.com and 19th by Baseball America. He is a member of the A's 40-man roster, joining it for the first time in November 2013. REPERTOIRE: Fastball, curveball, slider, changeup.

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