RockHounds Escape with 1-0 Win
Published on July 7, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
It's Official: Logic Has Been Defied In Arkansas
- Games decided by a 1-0 score don't last three-hours-20-minutes. This one did (3:19, to be precise).
- Teams don't combine to strand 20 base runners ... and squander four more ... in 1-0 games. These clubs did.
- A player can't hit two doubles that travel a combined 300 feet. Billy Burns did.
- You can't let the home team load the bases with one out in the eighth and hold a 1-0 lead. The RockHounds did.
- You can't let the home team load the bases with NO outs in the ninth and hold a 1-0 lead. The RockHounds did that, too.
- The RockHounds' posted their second consecutive shutout win Saturday night, and this one had "all of the above" included.
D'Arby Myers' sacrifice fly drove in the game's only run, and Jose Flores earned a remarkably dramatic save, as the RockHounds earned their third straight win on their six-game road trip (3-1 through four games) and tightened the Texas League South in the process (see below).
Dusty Coleman led off the third with a walk and, one out later, Burns sent a sharp shot toward right field. Arkansas first baseman Brian Hernandez dove for the ball, deflecting it into (very) shallow right-center. Coleman went from first-to-third on the play and Burns used his tremendous speed to turn the hit into a double (he added a second "hustle double" on a flair to center field in the seventh, the two hits traveling no further than a combined 300 feet ... amazing). Myers took Michael Brady's next pitch to center, bringing Coleman home with what would be the game's lone run.
Nate Long pitched into the seventh, departing with one on and two out after throwing 106 pitches. Frank Gailey relieved Long and struck out Kaleb Cowart (who entered the game hitting .452 against the RockHounds) to end the inning. Gailey then got into a major jam in the eighth, walking # 9 hitter Eric Stamets (.211 average) to open the inning, and loading the bases with one out. Flores entered the game and induced Hernandez, the league's leading hitter, to ground into an inning-ending (6-4-3) double play.
Flores, in turn, walked the first two batters ... Mike Bianucci and Jett Bandy ... in the ninth. When pinch-hitter Andrew Heid dropped down a bunt in an attempt to move the runners to second and third, Flores hesitated after fielding the ball (thinking about trying to get pinch-runner Adam Melker at third), allowing Heid to reach. The "sacrifice-turned-hit" loaded the bases with no one out.
With the bases jammed, no outs, and the score 1-0, Flores dialed up the velocity, touching 97-98 miles-per-hour. He struck out Cowart ... got Stamets to pop out to catcher Blake Forsythe ... and then whiffed Maikol Gonzalez on three pitches (all "gas") to end the game.
WP:Nate Long (8-4, 3.24)
LP:Michael Brady (0-2, 2.70)
SV:Jose Flores (1, 6.00)
Kibbles & Bits
- The RockHounds gained a game on both San Antonio and Frisco Saturday night. The division-leading Missions (10-6) fell at home to Springfield, while Frisco (8-7) lost at NW Arkansas. The RockHounds (8-7) are now tied with the RoughRiders, just a game-and-a-half behind San Antonio. The division is separated by only two games overall, with Corpus Christi (8-8) also gaining a game.
- The shutout was the ninth of the season for the RockHounds and their second in-a-row after a 6-0 win at NW Arkansas. The 'Hounds posted back-to-back shutouts for the second time this season (April 25-26 at San Antonio) and have not allowed a run in 20.1 innings.
- Billy Burns (2-5, two doubles, walk) is 7-for-15 over the RockHounds' last three games, with three doubles, three runs scored and two steals.
Next Game
vs. Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels' AA Affiliate)
Sunday, July 6: 6:10 p.m. - Radio at 6:00 p.m.
Dickey-Stephens Park - North Little Rock, Arkansas
Probable Starters
RockHounds:Drew Granier (RH, 4-4, 3.31)
Arkansas: Nate Smith (LH, 4-1, 3.10)
Texas League Stories from July 7, 2014
- Naturals Drop Series Finale to Frisco - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Outlast Missions, 3-2, in 11 Innings - Springfield Cardinals
- San Antonio Drops Homestand Finale to Springfield in 11 - San Antonio Missions
- Cabrera Named Pitcher of the Week - Frisco RoughRiders
- San Antonio Missions Game Notes: July 7 vs. Springfield (7:05 PM CST) - San Antonio Missions
- Hooked at the Door - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Kemp Named TL Player of the Week - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- Former Naturals Selected to MLB All-Star Game - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Royals' Nori Aoki Will Rehab in Northwest Arkansas - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- RockHounds Escape with 1-0 Win - Midland RockHounds
- Hounds Grab 4th Straight - Midland RockHounds
- Murphy & Smith Shutout Naturals - Midland RockHounds
- Russell & Burns Carry RockHounds to Win - Midland RockHounds
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.
