Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. San Antonio Missions - May 20, 2016
Published on May 20, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: RHP Sam Wolff (4-2, 5.29 ERA)
Missions: RHP Kyle Lloyd (1-0, 4.19 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 Ryan Rouillard begins at 6:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg. Today's pregame show guest is left-handed pitcher Ryne Slack.
LAST TIME OUT:
The RoughRiders swept a doubleheader in Midland, finishing off a four-game sweep of the RockHounds...GAME ONE: The Riders scored six unearned runs in the second inning en route to a 7-4 win...LEWIS BRINSON and ISIAH KINER-FALEFA each drove in two runs during the second...Kiner-Falefa finished with a season-high three RBI...CONNOR SADZECK pitched a seven-inning complete game, the first CG of his career...GAME TWO: Down 2-0 in the seventh, the Riders rallied to tie the game in the final inning of regulation with RBI singles from Brinson and LUIS MENDEZ...GARRETT WEBER delievered the go-ahead, two-run single in the 10th...Riders pitching combined to retire the final 23 hitters faced.
TRIO OF RIDERS EARN MONTHLY HONORS:
Thursday, the Rangers named three Riders as the organization's Minor League Players of the Month. RYAN CORDELL earned player of the month honors, while ISIAH KINER-FALEFA was named defender of the month. Left-hander RYNE SLACK garnered the relief pitcher of the month award.
YU READY FOR MORE?:
Right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH is scheduled to make his third rehab start with the Riders Sunday against San Antonio. Darvish re-joined the Riders to continue his Major League rehabilitation assignment Tuesday in Midland. The three-time American League All-Star worked five innings and allowed just three hits and an unearned run, while walking one and striking out six. Of Darvish's 68 pitches, 47 were strikes. Darvish made his first rehab start May 1 with Frisco before making two starts with Triple-A Round Rock.
RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS:
Frisco's 27-12 record is the best through 39 games in team history, one game ahead of the 2008 RoughRiders who were 26-13 at this point. The 2008 squad finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
GOING STREAKING:
RYAN CORDELL had his impressive 37-game on-base streak snapped in game two of Thursday's doubleheader. Cordell had reached in each of the first 37 games he played, recording hits in 33 of them. Cordell's streak was the longest for Frisco since JURICKSON PROFAR put a 50-game string together in 2012.
VIEW FROM THE TOP:
In addition to Cordell's impressive on-base streak, he also leads the Texas League in numerous categories. The Riders outfielder leads the Texas League in RBI (35), runs (34), and extra-base hits (24). He's tied for the lead in home runs (10). Cordell is on the leaderboard in average (2nd, .338), doubles (T-3rd, 11), slugging percentage (2nd, .662), and triples (T-2nd, 3).
STRIKEOUT FEVER:
After striking out 180 hitters in the first 23 games (7.8 per game), Riders pitching has amassed 140 punchouts in the last 16 games (8.8 per game). In addition, three starters have set career-highs in single-game strikeouts during that stretch (VICTOR PAYANO, 13; SAM WOLFF, 10; CONNOR SADZECK, 9), with Payano and Sadzeck setting their career-high against San Antonio May 3 and 6, respectively.
STARTING SERIES STRONG:
The Riders have gotten off to great starts in series this season, winning nine of their first 11 series openers.The only two blemishes were one-run defeats, in last Saturday's 4-3 loss to Midland and last Thursday's 6-5 loss to Corpus Christi. The Riders have won seven of their first 11 series, including two sweeps of Northwest Arkansas and San Antonio.
"ONE"-DERFUL IN CLOSE GAMES:
Despite leading the Texas League in run differential (+48), Frisco has played in 11 one-run contests, winning seven, over the last 22 games. The Riders have an 8-5 record in games decided by one run this year and are 5-1 in games decided by two runs. Five of the eight games between the Riders and Missions this season bhave been decided by two runs or fewer.
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 two earned runs in 14.0 innings of relief, good for a 1.29 ERA.
HOW SWEEP IT IS:
The Riders have swept three four-game series already this season (two against San Antonio, one against Midland. Coming into the season, the Riders hadn't swept a four-game set since May of 2011.
CUT THEM SOME SLACK:
Reliever RYNE SLACK saw an impressive stretch come to an end in the eighth inning of Saturday's game in Corpus Christi. The southpaw began the season with 14 1/3 scoreless innings between April 8 and May 8 until the Hooks finally tagged him for two runs Saturday. However, his .098 opposing average is still the best in the Texas League.
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 seven starts behind the plate. The new position has worked incredibly well for Kiner-Falefa, who has caught the last four baserunners who have attempted to steal on his watch. He had not allowed a passed ball for the first five games until allowing one in the first game of Friday's doubleheader.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate with a winning record. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 99-60 (.623), which is the second-best winning percentage among all Minor League systems behind Cleveland. Every full-season affiliate in the organization has a record above .500, as Class A Hickory enters the day at 26-14, Class A-Advanced High Desert is 26-15, and Triple-A Round Rock is 20-19. 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:
The RoughRiders face Kyle Lloyd for the third time this year in the series opener tonight. It is Lloyd's first start of the season, as all 10 of his previous outings with the Missions have come in relief. The righty closed out the 2015 season with nine straight starts for Lake Elsinore...Drafted in the 29th round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Evansville, Walter's strongest pitch is a split-fingered fastball (low 90s).
Texas League Stories from May 20, 2016
- Hooks Render Record Win Streak - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travelers Hang on for 6-4 Win in Series Opener - Springfield Cardinals
- Yarb's Blast Launches Travs to Fourth Straight - Arkansas Travelers
- Thunder Chickens Shutout Drillers in Series Opener - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Offense Quieted in 2-0 Loss to Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. vs. San Antonio Missions - May 20, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Luis Ortiz, Three Others Added to Riders Roster - Frisco RoughRiders
- Weekend Highlights: May 20-23 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- 'Hounds Swept in Twinbill, Four-Game Set by Frisco - Midland RockHounds
- Three Davis Dingers Run Win Streak to 10 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Missions Fall After Hooks Late Rally - San Antonio Missions
- Drillers Take Homestand Finale at Hammons Field - Springfield Cardinals
- Travelers Claim Series Finale over Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
