TL1 Midland RockHounds

RockHounds Shutout Naturals in Late Blowout

Published on June 26, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release


A baseball game is in the top of the eighth inning, with the home team leading, 1-0. The visitors, however, have runners at first and second with nobody out. What might be a logical final score? If you said "8-0," your logic is questionable, but you'd be correct.

Down, 1-0, in the eighth, Northwest Arkansas got leadoff singles from Orlando Calixte and Jorge Bonifacio. Cheslor Cuthbert's fly ball to center pushed Calixte to third, and the RockHounds brought Tucker Healy in to relieve Ryan Dull. Healy struck out Hunter Dozier and Max Ramirez' drive to deep center was hauled in by Billy Burns, ending the threat. By the time the Naturals came to the plate in the ninth, the score was 8-0.

The RockHounds' seven-run eighth inning opened with Addison Russell's swinging bunt up the third base line. Two walks and an error preceded the second hit of the inning ... an RBI single from D'Arby Myers ... and Dusty Coleman followed with a two-run triple. In all, the 'Hounds scored seven times on four hits, three walks and two errors (just one of the seven runs was earned).

The Naturals threatened several times early, getting a leadoff double in the first ... a leadoff single in the third ... back-to-back singles to open the fourth ... and the two singles to start the eighth. The RockHounds, though, would score the game's only run over the first seven-and-a-half innings, and did it with their first two base runners. Myers walked with one out in the third, stole second, and scored on Burns' sharp single to shallow left. Aaron Nieckula's decision to send Myers on the hit to shallow left paid off, as D'Arby beat the wide throw. The game would stay a 1-0 contest until all heck broke loose in the eighth.

WP: Drew Granier (4-3, 3.29)

LP: Jason Adam (2-7, 5.38)

SV: Tucker Healy (4, 0.49)

Kibbles & Bits

- The RockHounds are now 43-33 overall for the season, marking the first time the club has been 10 games over .500 this season ... the record is the Texas League's second-best overall, a half-game behind Frisco (43-32) and two games ahead of Tulsa (41-35) ... the 'Hounds have won 6-of-their-last-7 and lead the Texas League South with a 5-1 second half record (see below) ... the RockHounds are now 7-0 against Northwest Arkansas for the season ... the shutout was the 'Hounds' seventh and the third in which Drew Granier was the starter.

- The Texas League standings, in terms of games ahead/behind, were unchanged Wednesday, as the South swept all four games. The 'Hounds lead San Antonio by one-and-a-half games ... Frisco by two ... and Corpus Christi by two-and-a-half. The North is a four-way tie (each 3-4).

- Josh Whitaker (1-5) extended his hit streak to 14 games (21-56, .375). Josh leads the league with a .323 average ... is third in slugging (.523) ... and, despite playing in just 51 games, is tied for third in RBI (42) and tied for sixth in home runs (9). Josh was activated from the D-L Sunday after being sidelined with a laceration over the left eye, sustained June 11 (at San Antonio).

- D'Arby Myers has re-joined the RockHounds after a brief stint (for all intents and purposes a re-hab assignment) with the Arizona Rookie League A's. D'Arby suffered a fractured left wrist April 15 (at Northwest Arkansas) and was out until joining the AZL A's June 20. At the time of his injury, he was hitting .324 for the 'Hounds and went 1-for-3 with a walk, run and stolen base in his return (still at .324 for the season). In 2013, "D" had professional baseball's longest hit streak, a 33-gamer that stretched form July 21 through August 30.

- Drew Granier improved to 4-3, 3.29, escaping after allowing leadoff hits in three of his first four innings (see above). He allowed five hits and walked just one, striking out five. In 14 starts since allowing seven runs in 1.2 innings on a wind-blown Opening Night, Drew's ERA is 2.55.

- Jefry Marte (0-3, run, RBI, walk) lost an eight-game hit streak, but has reached base hit in nine (10-29, .345) ... Max Muncy (1-4, walk, run, double, RBI) has reached base in 36-of-39 games and has hits in 7-of-8 (9-27, .333) ... Dusty Coleman (1-4, triple, run, two RBI) is hitting .313 (15-48) in his last 13 games with three home runs and 14 RBI ... the two-run triple gave Dusty 40 RBI for the season.

Next Game

vs. NW Arkansas (Kansas City Royals' AA Affiliate)

Thursday, June 26 - 7:00 p.m. (Radio at 6:53 p.m.)

Security Bank Ballpark

Probable Starters

NW Arkansas: Andy Ferguson (RH, 5-6, 3.68)

RockHounds: Shawn Haviland (RH, 4-4, 3.18)

Check out the Midland RockHounds Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 26, 2014


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