Riders Game Notes - (DH) 5:35 p.m. vs. Arkansas Travelers - April 18, 2016
April 18, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Game One Riders: LHP Victor Payano (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
Game One Travelers: RHP Blayne Weller (0-1, 1.50 ERA)
Game Two Riders: RHP Jose Leclerc (0-1, 11.25 ERA)
Game Two Travelers: RHP Kyle McGowin (1-1, 6.48 ERA)
Today's games 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 5:00 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 5:35 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show guest is Riders outfielder Ryan Cordell.
You may access the 2016 Riders Media Guide online here.
LAST TIME OUT:
The RoughRiders were rained out on Sunday...The club finished off a sweep of Northwest Arkansas on Saturday night, scoring the final five runs of the game...After allowed a single marker in the second, Frisco tied things up on a RONALD GUZMAN homer in the bottom of the inning...The game remained tied until RYAN CORDELL blasted a grand slam to left field in the fifth...Neither team would score the rest of the way...SAM WOLFF turned in five innings of one run ball, while RICHELSON PENA (3.0 IP) and RYNE SLACK (1.0 IP) both worked scoreless relief.
RIDING HIGH:
The RoughRiders started the year 5-0 and now sit at an 8-1 record. That mark is now the best start to a season in team history, passing the 2008 squad for most wins in the first nine games. That year, the squad dropped their ninth game after starting 7-1. The 2008 RoughRiders finished with a 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.
MINOR LEAGUE MACHINES:
The Riders are not only the leaders in the Texas League, but they also have the best record in all of Minor League Baseball after Saturday's win over Northwest Arkansas. Frisco is the only team in MiLB to win eight of their first nine games to begin the 2016 season. In addition, the Riders are also one of just six teams in the Minors with an ERA under 2.00. They are tied with the Charlotte Stone Crabs for fourth with a 1.95 ERA behind Pensacola (1.64), West Virginia (1.69), and Syracuse (1.76).
DOUBLE THE BROOMS:
Saturday, the RoughRiders broke out the brooms against Northwest Arkansas for the second time this year. It marked the first time the Riders have swept the same team twice in the same half since the second half of 2009, when the RoughRiders swept Arkansas in both series.
MARTE MASHING:
Riders shortstop LUIS MARTE had a fantastic series against Northwest Arkansas. In three games, he went 6-for-10 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and five RBI. On the year, six of Marte's nine hits are for extra bases, and he leads the team with a .692 slugging percentage.
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 five games, the pen has allowed just three runs in the last 28 innings (0.96 ERA). Over that stretch, relievers have allowed just 15 hits and 10 walks, while striking out 19.
GROOVIN' GUZMAN:
After a 0-for-6 start in the first two games of his Double-A career, Frisco first baseman RONALD GUZMAN has found a groove on his current six-game hit streak. He is 12-for-26 with two home runs, four RBI, and a double in that span. Four of the six games have been multi-hit games, including two three-hit performances.
ALL-TIME vs. ARKANSAS: Frisco has fared well against Arkansas since beginning Texas League play in 2003. In 164 total meetings between the two teams, the Riders hold a favorable 102-61-1 record (.622 winning percentage).
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, RONALD GUZMAN, and JOE JACKSON.
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 four-run innings, two five-run frames and a six-spot (all against Northwest Arkansas). Meanwhile, opponents haven't put up more than two runs in an inning yet this season.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate off to a hot start. Class-A Hickory enters the day at 9-2, Class A-Advanced High Desert is 7-4, and Triple-A Round Rock is 6-4. Round Rock was recently ranked the fifth-best Minor League team by MLB.com's Jim Callis.
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 1,129 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 STARTERS:
The Travelers put Blayne Weller on the hill today, making his second start of the year. The right-hander split last year across three levels in his final of three years in the Diamondbacks season. Originally drafted by the Twins in the 14th round of the 2008 MLB draft, the now-26-year-old was released by the Twins after the 2011 season. Following a season and two starts in a second season for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the independent Frontier League, Weller was signed by the Diamondbacks, where he made it up to Triple-A last year. Weller signed a minor league deal with the Angels prior to this season...Weller has a no-hitter to his credit, striking out 12 in a nine-inning no-hitter on July 10 of 2014 for then-Diamondbacks affiliate South Bend Silver Hawks...Kyle McGowin gets the game two nod......The right-hander out of Savannah State is the No. 16 prospect in the Angels system according to MLBPipeline.com and No. 17 in Baseball America's Angels Top 30...The 24-year-old is pitching for the Travs for the third straight season, having been promoted to Double-A in late 2014...The former fifth round pick was tied for the Travelers' lead in games started last year (27), and he went 9-9 with a 4.38 ERA, fanning 125 and walking 50 in 154.0 innings of work...Repertoire: the hard-throwing righty works in the low to mid 90s with his fastball, touching 95...he also possesses a two-seamer, 11-5 slider, and a changeup.
Texas League Stories from April 18, 2016
- Hooks Top Cards on Monday Night - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Fall in Game 2, Look to Salvage Finale on Tuesday - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Overcome Rain for Doubleheader Sweep - Tulsa Drillers
- Brinson's Big Blast Bumps Riders to 9-1 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cardinals vs Travs at DSP for 4 Game Series - Arkansas Travelers
- Teachers Night T-Shirt and Ticket Packages Available Right Now - Springfield Cardinals
- David Nail Headlines Big Country Bash on Saturday, July 23 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Game Notes - (DH) 5:35 p.m. vs. Arkansas Travelers - April 18, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions Topped by Cards 9-4 - San Antonio Missions
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