TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Midland RockHounds - May 9, 2016

Published on May 9, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Riders: RHP Richelson Pena (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

RockHounds: RHP Chris Jensen (2-2, 5.56 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 gues is left-handed pitcher Juan Grullon.

LAST TIME OUT:

After dropping a one-run contest Saturday, the Riders turned the tables on Midland Sunday, knocking off the RockHounds, 3-2...RONALD GUZMAN hit the decisive solo homer in the fourth inning, his fifth long ball of the year...Frisco's other two RBI came from PRESTON BECK on a game-tying two-run single in the second...JUAN GRULLON and RYNE SLACK combined to work four hitless innings out of the bullpen to preserve the win for starter VICTOR PAYANO.

NO MINOR FEAT:

Entering the day at 22-7 (.759), the Riders have the best winning percentage among all 120 full-season affiliates in Minor League Baseball.

RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS:

The 22-7 record marks the best 29-game start in team history, besting the 2008 squad that started 21-8. 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 28 games Sunday with a single and a walk. Dating back to the final three games of 2015, he has reached base in 31 straight contests.

CONDOR FLYING HIGH:

RONALD "CONDOR" GUZMAN is tearing it up as of late, having reached base safely in 16 straight games, the third-longest active streak in the Texas League. He has hits in 14 of those 16 games, and RBI in ten. In that span, he's hitting .390, with five doubles, three home runs, and 13 RBI. Guzman went 2-for-3 with the decisive home run in the fourth inning last night.

STRIKEOUT FEVER:

After striking out 180 hitters in the first 23 games (7.8 SO/9 IP), Riders pitching has amassed 65 punchouts in the last six games (10.8). In addition, three starters have set career-highs in single-game strikeouts this week (VICTOR PAYANO, 13; SAM WOLFF, 10; CONNOR SADZECK, 9).

"ONE"-DERFUL IN CLOSE GAMES:

Despite leading the Texas League in run differential (+52), Frisco has played in nine one-run contests, winning six, over the last 14 games. The Riders have a 7-4 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.

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 2.32 through the first 29 games and has wiggled out of numerous late-game jams. MATT BUSH has five saves, ADAM PARKS has three, RYNE SLACK has a pair, and the team is 10-for-11 overall in save situations.

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.

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, 33-13, in the sixth frame through 29 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 80-39 (.672), which is the best winning percentage among all minor-league systems. Class A-Advanced High Desert Class-A Hickory enters the day at 21-9, while Class A-Advaned High Desert is 21-9, and Triple-A Round Rock is 17-12. 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 Chris Jensen takes the ball for the RockHounds tonight in game three of the series. Now in his third season with the RockHounds, Jensen is slated to make his ninth career start against the RoughRiders, holding a 2-2 record with a 2.88 ERA in those outings. Last year, he faced Frisco three times and was 1-1 with a 4.24 ERA over 17.0 innings. Jensen was a sixth round pick of the Rockies in 2011 out of the University of San Diego. He came to the A's in a December 2013 trade that sent Brett Anderson to the Rockies. REPERTOIRE: Fastball (94-95), two-seam FB (88-92), hard curve, slow curve, changeup.

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Texas League Stories from May 9, 2016


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