RockHounds Shutout by Hooks
July 7, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
For the second consecutive night, MiLB.com's online Texas League scoreboard had a "no-hitter alert" from Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, as the Hooks, again, had not surrendered a hit to the RockHounds entering the sixth inning.
On Friday, the 'Hounds broke up the no-hit bid in the seventh and went on to a 3-1 win. Kevin Merrell's single in the sixth ended the bid Saturday, but the Hooks had a 3-0 at that point ... added three more in the home half of the sixth ... and went on to a 10-0 win.
Chad Donato, in his Double-A debut (see below), tossed 6? scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out 10 to earn the win.
Seth Beer's RBI single in the third would be all Donato and reliever Leoyanny Rodrigues (2? innings) would need. The duo allowed just four hits in the shutout while the Hooks continued to swing the bats extremely well (see below), pounding out 15 hits.
The Hooks added two more in the third and three in the fourth, with Anibal Sierra driving in three of those runs with a single and a double. Colton Shaver's grand slam in the eighth (see below) capped the scoring.
The RockHounds have dropped 3-of-their-last-4 but have also won 7-of-their-last-10 games.
Texas League South
The Sod Poodles also posted a shutout, defeating Frisco, 5-0, in Amarillo, so the RockHounds' lead is down to three games in the Texas League South. The 'Hounds (10-6) lead Corpus Christi and Amarillo (both 7-9) by three and Frisco (5-10) by 4½ games.
Notable
The Hooks have scored double-digit runs in 4-of-their-last-5 games ... a total of 54 runs ... and are 2-3 in those five games.
Charles Hall made his Double-A debut Saturday night after being assigned to the RockHounds from the Arizona Rookie League (Gold) A's. Charles, who took James Naile 's roster spot, was selected by Oakland in the 33rd round of this year's draft out of Tusculum (Tennessee) University. The appearance Saturday was just his fourth as a pro and came against a Hooks club that has been scoring runs in bunches and is very good at home (26-17, compared to 14-28 on the road). He struck out the first batter he faced (Anibal Sierra to end the seventh inning) but got into a jam in the eighth, eventually yielding a grand slam home run to Colton Shaver.
Shaver's grand slam give him nine RBI for the series (he had five ribbies in Thursday's 22-5 route).
Chad Donato's outstanding Double-A debut was a painful case of déjà vu for the RockHounds. In the final game of the first half, Springfield's Alex Fagalde went eight scoreless innings in his first appearance at the AA in the Cardinals' 3-0 win, a game that cost the RockHounds a first half pennant.
As We Like To Say On RockHounds Radio ... "Baseball is Goofy"
In the first three games of the series, Corpus Christ has outscored the RockHounds, 33-8. Even without the eight runs scored with (catcher) Cooper Goldby on the mound in the (22-5) opener, that's a scoring margin of 25-8. And yet, the RockHounds can split the series (exactly what "the book" says to do on the road) with a win Sunday afternoon.
Next Game
Sunday, July 7 vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Whataburger Field Corpus Christi, Texas
First pitch 4:15 p.m.
- Final of a four-game series and road trip
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 4:05 p.m.
Probable Starters
CC: Brandon Bailey (RH, 3-2, 3.41)
RH: Brian Howard (RH, 7-5, 2.92)
Next at Security Bank Ballpark
The RockHounds return Monday to open a seven-game homestand:
Amarillo Sod Poodles (July 8-9-10) and the Corpus Christi Hooks (July 11-12-13-14).
Texas League Stories from July 7, 2019
- RockHounds Shutout by Hooks - Midland RockHounds
- Potts' Late Homer Lifts Sod Poodles Past RoughRiders 9-7 to Secure Series Victory - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Naturals Blanked In T-Town Finale, 4-0 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- De Fratus and Drillers Blank Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Pitch Shutout to Deny Travs Sweep - Arkansas Travelers
- Riders Charge Back Late But Fall 9-7 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Hooks Walk off on Quintana's Dramatic Grand Slam - Corpus Christi Hooks
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