TL1 Frisco RoughRiders

Riders Game Notes - DH at 5:05 p.m. vs. Tulsa Drillers - June 1, 2016

Published on June 1, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release


Game One: Riders: RHP Connor Sadzeck (5-1, 3.56 ERA) vs. Drillers: RHP Brock Stewart (1-3, 1.25 ERA)

Game Two: Riders: LHP Victor Payano (4-2, 3.78 ERA) vs. Drillers: RHP Scott Barlow (2-2, 1.93 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 4:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch at 5:05 p.m. with game coverage from Nathan Barnett and Steve Goldberg.

LAST TIME OUT:

Frisco's series opener with the Tulsa Drillers last night was postponed to today due to rain...On Sunday, in the series finale with Tulsa, the Riders allowed a two-run homer in the first and never had a lead in a 4-1 loss to the Springfield Cardinals in the series finale Sunday afternoon...The only run for the Riders came on PRESTON BECK's solo home run in the fourth inning...All five Riders runs in the series against Springfield came on homers...LUIS ORITZ (5.0 IP) allowed three runs and took the loss in his second start with Frisco, despite only giving up four hits...CODY PALMQUIST's streaks of 19 straight batters retired and 12 consecutive scoreless innings both came to an end. Frisco has lost six straight games, the longest drought of the season

NORTH DIVISION WOES:

After a 9-1 start to the season against North Division opponents, the RoughRiders have been on a skid against teams from the Texas League's other division. Frisco has lost eight consecutive games against the North, with the last win coming in the first game of a home series against Arkansas on April 18 and 19. The Riders play their next six games against the North Division with Springfield coming to town on Friday after the current series with Tulsa concludes.

HEARTBREAK AWAY FROM HOME:

On the last six-game road trip, the Riders lost all six games, three of which were come-from-behind wins by Tulsa and Springfield. Two games in the last series with the Cardinals were lost in the final turn at-bat by Springfield, including Saturday night's walk-off loss. The current six-game losing skid is the longest of the year, and the six losses have all come by three runs or fewer for a combined total of 12 runs.

SCORING POSITION STRUGGLES:

A big component of Frisco's issues scoring runs on the last road trip was the club's failure to hit with runners in scoring position. The Riders were just 4-for-36 (.111) hitting with runners in scoring position on the road trip, and the club is 1-for-its-last-24 (.042) in such at-bats. They came into the trip hitting .322 (125-for-388) and are now hitting .304 for the year.

QUALITY AND QUANTITY:

After going 15 games between quality starts, Riders starting pitchers have posted four quality starts in their last eight outings, which includes a rehab start from YU DARVISH. However, during this run of eight starts, the Riders are just 2-6. Additionally, losses last Tuesday and Thursday were the first losses this year when the Riders got a quality start (12-2).

ROARING RONALD GUZMAN:

Riders first baseman RONALD GUZMAN continues his torrid season. The slugger put together the first two-homer game of his career Saturday night, and his a season-high nine game hitting streak just ended Sunday. During the run, Guzman hit .400 (14-for-35) with five extra-base hits (2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR) and 3 RBI. Of the nine games during the streak, four were multi-hit games, including a three hit-game on Monday against the San Antonio Missions.

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.

RIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS:

The RoughRiders have had the best record in team history at almost every point this season. With six straight losses, however, the 30-19 record is now three games back of the 2008 RoughRiders who were 33-16 through 49 games. The 2008 squad finished with an 84-56 record and lost to Arkansas in the Texas League championship series.

VIEW FROM THE TOP:

Frisco outfielder RYAN CORDELL has been one of the best offensive players in the league thus far. In addition to an impressive, league-best 37-game on-base streak earlier this year, he also leads the Texas League in numerous categories. The Riders outfielder tops the Texas League in RBI (40), runs (39), doubles (13), and extra-base hits (26). Cordell is also on the leaderboard in average (5th, .315), home runs (T-4th, 10), slugging percentage (3rd, .586), and triples (T-2nd, 3).

MULTI-HIT MADNESS:

Multi-hit performances have become a consistent trend up and down the Riders lineup this year. There have already been 108 multi-hit performances out of a possible 441 lineup spots (24.5%). 27 of the 108 multi-hit performances (25.0%) are with three or more hits. RONALD GUZMAN leads the Riders with 18 multi-hit games and is one of four players to have at least 10 games with two or more hits.

RANGER DANGER:

The RoughRiders aren't the only Rangers affiliate with a winning record. Overall, the Rangers farm system is 118-84 (.584), which is the third-best winning percentage among all Minor League systems behind Cleveland and New York (AL). Every full-season affiliate in the organization has a record above .500, as Class A-Advanced High Desert enters the day at 31-21, Class A Hickory is 29-21, and Triple-A Round Rock is 28-23. 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 roster includes eight players ranked on either the MLBPipeline.com and/or Baseball America Rangers Top 30 Prospects list. 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. 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), EVAN VAN HOOSIER (18, 23),RONALD GUZMAN (22, 29), SAM WOLFF (26, NR), and CONNOR SADZECK (27, 26) rank among Rangers top 30 prospects.

OPPOSING STARTER:

GAME ONE: Today's starter Scott Barlow is off to a great start with the Drillers through his first eight games this season, posting an ERA of just 1.93, second in the Texas League among qualifying starting pitchers. After his first professional season, Barlow missed the entire 2012 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The righty was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft out of Golden Valley High School in California...Repertoire: fastball in the low 90s, a curveball in the low 70s, a changeup in the low 80s, and a 78-82 mph slider...GAME TWO: Brock Stewart was selected in the sixth round of the 2014 draft out of Illinois State University. After struggling in 18 games, 12 starts with Rancho Cucamonga last year, he returned to the Quakes and went 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in two starts to begin this season. Stewart was quickly promoted to Tulsa, where he has allowed just six earned runs over 43 1/3 innings pitched. His father, Jeff, is a scout for the San Diego Padres. REPERTOIRE: Fastball, Changeup, Slider.

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Texas League Stories from June 1, 2016


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