Riders Game Notes - DH at 5:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 16, 2016
June 16, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Riders: (G1) LHP Yohander Mendez (3-0, 2.70 ERA); (G2) TBA
Hooks: (G1) LHP Evan Grills (1-1, 1.53 ERA); (G2) Edison Frias (2-0, 3.19 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 Steve Goldberg begins at 4:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 5:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Ryan Rouillard. Today's Dr Pepper Pregame Show guests are Lewis Mendez and Jason Richman.
LAST TIME OUT:
Frisco dropped the series opener to the Hooks 7-3 Wednesday night...The Hooks scored six runs in the first four innings, including a pair of two-run homers from Teoscar Hernandez to take a 6-0 lead...The Riders plated a run in the fifth on an RBI single from LUIS MENDEZ and got RBI singles from ANDY IBANEZ and RYAN CORDELL in the seventh to make it a 7-3 game, but the Riders could do no more damage against the Hooks...The loss shrank Frisco's elimination number to one game.
WALKING ON THIN ICE:
Ahead in the South Division race for much of the first half, the Riders have been in second place for the first time this season over the last 15 days and now are one loss away from losing the first -half title to the Hooks. Frisco must win each of its final six games in the first half and have Corpus Christi go 0-6 in order to win the half and clinch an automatic playoff spot.
THE SPRINGFIELD SEVEN:
Tuesday, the Texas League announced its midseason all-stars and seven RoughRiders earned all-star honors. Infielder RONALD GUZMAN and outfielder RYAN CORDELL were both named starters, while outfielder PRESTON BECK and catcher ISIAH KINER-FALEFA earned reserve spots. Starting pitchers CONNOR SADZECK and VICTOR PAYANO, along with reliever ADAM PARKS also were named mid-season all-stars. It was the sixth-straight year the RoughRiders had at least seven players named to the All-Star Game, and Frisco's seven selections were third-most in the Texas League, behind Tulsa (nine) and Corpus Christi (eight). The 2016 Texas League All-Star Game takes place Tuesday, June 28 in Springfield, Missouri.
THAT WAS CLOSE:
The RoughRiders have consistently found themselves in close games over the last few weeks. 12 of the last 20 games (6-14) have been decided by three runs or fewer, including six one-run games. On the season, 44 of Frisco's 63 games have been decided by three or fewer, and the Riders have played in 21 one-run games (13-8), three behind league-leading Corpus Christi (16-8).
EATEN UP BY ERRORS:
For most of the season, the RoughRiders have been one of the best defensive teams in the Texas League. However, in the last eight games, the RoughRiders have committed 13 errors (1.44 per game), leading to 15 unearned runs. By comparison, they had committed just 37 errors in the first 54 games (0.69 per game). EVAN VAN HOOSIER, who played his first five career games at third base last week, has four of the 13 errors as he adjusts to the new position. ANDY IBANEZ has accounted for three of the miscues in that span.
BECK BUSTING OUT:
PRESTON BECK's walk-off home run Tuesday was his latest contribution in what's been an impressive last month for the Dallas-native. Beck has reached base in 23 of his last 25 games, including on-base streaks of 14 (5/13-6/1) and seven (6/3-6/13) games. Over his last 25 games (since May 13), Beck is hitting .326 (fourth-best in the Texas League), with three doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 11 RBI. He also sports a .388 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .506 in that span. With at least seven plate appearances in the doubleheader today, he will qualify for the league leaderboard. If he were qualified right now, he would rank fifth in the league in average (.303).
CORDELL COMES BACK CRUSHING:
RoughRiders outfielder RYAN CORDELL broke out of his longest homerless stretch of the season Tuesday in a big way, hitting a pair of solo home runs in a 5-4 win over Midland. It was his second multi-home run game of the season, both of which have come against the RockHounds. After hitting 10 home runs in his first 35 games, Cordell went homerless in 26 straight games (90 at-bats) from May 16 through June 13 before his big day Tuesday.
RANGERS ON REHAB:
Thanks to their geographic proximity to Arlington, the RoughRiders have already had a handful of Texas Rangers join the squad on Major League rehabilitation assignments this season. A.J. GRIFFIN made his second rehab start with Frisco Tuesday and is already the sixth rehabber to suit up for the RoughRiders this season. Griffin joins catchers CHRIS GIMENEZ and ROBINSON CHIRINOS, outfielders JOSH HAMILTON and SHIN-SOO CHOO, and right-handed pitcher YU DARVISH on rehab assignments this season.
TRIO OF RIDERS EARN MONTHLY HONORS:
On May 19, three Riders were awarded monthly honors by the Rangers. RYAN CORDELL earned Player of the Month honors, while ISIAH KINER-FALEFA was named Defender of the Month. Left-hander RYNE SLACK garnered the Reliever of the Month award.
RANGER DANGER:
The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate with a winning record. Among full-season affiliates, the Rangers farm system is 150-108 (.581). Every full-season affiliate in the organization has a record above .500, as Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 42-24, Class-A Hickory is 37-28, and Triple-A Round Rock is 35-29. Round Rock was ranked the fifth-best Minor League team (any level) by MLB.com's Jim Callis earlier this season.
TOP OF THE CLASS:
The RoughRiders roster includes nine players ranked on either the MLBPipeline.com and/or Baseball America Rangers Top 30 Prospects list. LEWIS BRINSON, the No. 2 prospect in the Texas farm system according to MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America, is in his second season in 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. LUIS ORTIZ (No. 4 in MLBPipeline.com, No. 4 in BA) is the highest-ranked pitching prospect on the squad. Aside from Brinson and Ortiz, YOHANDER MENDEZ (13, 24), RYAN CORDELL (14, 11), ANDY IBANEZ (15, 8), EVAN VAN HOOSIER (18, 23),RONALD GUZMAN (22, 29), SAM WOLFF (25, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (26, 26) rank among Texas' top 30 prospects.
OPPOSING STARTERS:
GAME ONE: Evan Grills makes his second start of the year against the RoughRiders. The first one came May 13 at Whataburger Field in his Double-A debut, and he made it a memorable one. The southpaw threw a seven-inning, complete-game, one-hit shutout against Frisco to pick up his first career Double-A win. Grills has continued to fit in well with the Hooks, not having allowed more than two earned runs in an outing yet. A native of Ontario, Canada, Grills was a 10th-round pick of the Astros in 2010. He throws a fastball (low 90s), sinker, curveball, and changeup.
GAME TWO: Right-handed pitcher Edison Frias is in his sixth season with the Astros organization, and his second in Corpus Christi. The righty makes his fourth appearance of the year against the RoughRiders. So far, he's 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA against Frisco. A native of the Dominican Republic, his repertoire includes a fastball, curveball, changeup and cutter.
Texas League Stories from June 16, 2016
- Weaver Dominates Through 8.0 Innings, Leading Cards to 2-1 Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Cardinals Edge Naturals for a 2-1 Victory - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Late Homers from Calhoun, Garlick Carry Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Deglan's Walk-Off Hit Volts Riders to Victory in Extras - Frisco RoughRiders
- Riders Game Notes - DH at 5:05 p.m. vs. Corpus Christi Hooks - June 16, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers to Wrap up First Half with 8-Game Homestand - Tulsa Drillers
- Hernandez Blasts Hooks Past RoughRiders - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Toles Finishes 5-For-6 in Drillers Rout - Arkansas Travelers
- Travs Complete Four-Game Sweep of NWA - Arkansas Travelers
- Naturals Top Cardinals to Open Series in Springdale - Springfield Cardinals
- RockHounds 5, Mother Nature 1 (Thunderstorm), San Antonio 0 - Midland RockHounds
- Offense Erupts in Naturals 12-6 Win over Cardinals - 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.
