Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Northwest Arkansas Naturals - April 15, 2016
April 15, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
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 infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who made his catching debut last night
LAST TIME OUT:
Trailing 1-0 in the sixth, the Riders put together their largest inning of the year, scoring six times to set up a 7-3 victory. Frisco had mustered just four baserunners against Matt Strahm in the first frames, but put four of five aboard to chase the southpaw in the sixth. Against new reliever Sam Selman, the Riders PRESTON BECK smashed a three-run homer, and LUIS MARTE blasted a solo shot off of him as well...Frisco's 7-1 lead was slimmed when ADAM PARKS allowed a two-run blast of his own..The Riders won despite being outhit 8-7, and the Naturals went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
RIDING HIGH:
The Rough Riders started the year 5-0, and now sit at 6-1 record. That mark is tied with the 2008 squad for the best start in team history. That year, the RoughRiders finished with a 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER:
While almost every facet of the RoughRiders team is clicking right now, the bullpen is in the midst of a particularly impressive stretch. Over the past four games, the pen has allowed just three runs (20 innings). Over that
stretch, the relievers have allowed just 12 hits and seven walks, while striking out 13.
PREYING ON THE 'PEN:
While the Riders bullpen has been consistently effective, opponents haven't enjoyed the same luxury once their starter leaves the game. Opposing bullpens have a 6.26 ERA against the Riders this season (19 ER/27.1 IP), while starters hold a 3.58 ERA (15 ER/37.2 IP). Furthermore, the RoughRiders have scored 27 of their 34 runs this year in the fifth inning or later.
ONCE ISN'T ENOUGH:
Early on, multi-hit games have been a trend throughout the Riders lineup. Nine different players have registered a multi-hit game in 2016, led by four from LEWIS BRINSON. RYAN CORDELL, JOE JACKSON, and RONALD GUZMAN each have three multi-hit contests.
WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS...:
Through four meetings between the RoughRiders and Naturals in 2016, one of the key difference-makers has been the ability to cash in on opportunity. Frisco is hitting 18-37 (.486) with runners in scoring position this season against Northwest Arkansas, while the Naturals are just 2-27 (.074) in those situations. Overall, Frisco leads the Texas League with a .419 average when runners are in scoring position.
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 two five-run innings and put up a six-spot Thursday night (all against Northwest Arkansas. Meanwhile, opponents haven't put up more than two runs in an inning.
aMAZing DEBUT:
NOMAR MAZARA (MLB Pipeline No. 3 prospect, Riders '14-15) made history in his first start with the Rangers. The 20-year-old outfielder became the youngest player to ever record three hits in his Major League debut. Mazara singled in his first two at-bats before smacking a solo homer off 11-year veteran Jered Weaver.
BRETT TO THE BIGS:
Mazara wasn't the only former Rider to get called up to the Majors last week. The Rangers purchased the contract of BRETT NICHOLAS (Riders '13). After playing in Frisco, Nicholas spent the past two seasons with Round Rock and began 2016 with the Express before being promoted Sunday.
HOW SWEEP IT IS:
After taking all three games from Northwest Arkansas in the opening series, the Riders accomplished something that was done just once last year. Frisco only swept one series in 2015, and it was a rain-shortened two-game road set against Northwest Arkansas on July 10. The last time the Riders had swept a three-game series was August 15-17, 2014 at Tulsa.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Class-A Hickory enters the day at 7-1, while the other two full-season affiliates (Triple-A Round Rock and Class-A Advanced High Desert) are 5-2. Of the other 116 full-season affiliates, only five teams outside the Rangers organization started 6-1.
FAMILIAR FACES IN FRISCO:
The Riders Opening Day features 17 players who appeared in Frisco last season. Dallas-native PRESTON BECK is back home in the Metroplex once again after playing 93 games with the Riders last year. Despite the large number of returning players this year, only five were on the 2015 Opening Day roster.
SKIPPING INTO THE RECORD BOOKS:
JOE MIKULIK has returned for his second season with the RoughRiders. He is the eighth manager in RoughRiders history, and the fourth to return for a second consecutive year. The veteran skipper is in his 18th season as a Minor League manager and has 1,127 all-time wins. 938 of his victories were recorded with the Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League (Class A), setting both a team and league record.
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 in August. 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: Binford signed with the Royals for $575,000 in June, 2011 after they chose him in the 30th round out of a private Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania after going 9-2 with a 0.57 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 61 innings as a senior. He was signed away from a baseball scholarship to the University of Virginia...Prospect ranks: The Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Binford as the 26th-best prospect in the Royals' organization in the spring of 2013. In the winter before 2014 spring training, they moved Christian all the way up to tenth-best prospect in the Royals' farm system...He was down to #16 in the spring of 2015, and enters 2016 unranked after a down year in 2015 with Northwest Arkansas and Omaha (combined 5-11, 5.22 ERA in 22 starts)...In 2014, Binford was named to represent the Royals at the SiriusXM Futures All-Star Game...Notes: Underwent "Tommy John" surgery in 2009 as a sophomore in high school and missed most of his junior year. Repertoire: Binford throws a 88-92 mph two-seam fastball with some sink, a slider, a curveball, and a developing changeup, mixing his pitches well and relying on command...The right-hander relies on getting more than his fair share of ground balls with his sinking fastball.
Texas League Stories from April 15, 2016
- Two Big Innings Sink Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Marte's Big Night Guides Riders to 7-1 Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Kipper's Gem Spoiled by Healy's Walk-Off - Arkansas Travelers
- Poncedeleon and Cardinals Blank Missions, 2-0 - Springfield Cardinals
- Mondesi Homers in Naturals' 7-1 Loss at Frisco - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. Northwest Arkansas Naturals - April 15, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Olt's Blast Leads Missions Offense over Cards - San Antonio Missions
- Back to the Future on Opening Night - Midland RockHounds
- Hooks Spoil ONEOK Field Opener - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Johnson Reaches Base Five Time in 9-3 Loss - Arkansas Travelers
- Six-Run Sixth Inning Propels Riders to Opening Night Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions Claim Win in Cardinals Home Opener on Thursday - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Drop Opener Before Record Crowd - Tulsa Drillers
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