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TL1 San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions Game Notes: July 11 at Midland (7:00 PM CST)

July 11, 2014 - Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME: Tonight is game three of a four-game set between the San Antonio Missions and the Midland Rock- Hounds at Security Bank Ballpark. This is the first of two four-game series between the clubs over the next two weeks in Midland, with the Missions hosting Frisco for four in between. San Antonio (47-43, 11-9) is currently T-2nd in the South Division second-half standings, 1.5 games behind Midland (50-39, 12-7). The Missions have lost four of their last five games overall and four straight to the RockHounds. San Antonio is 4-6 this season at Security Bank Ballpark. The best the Missions can now do in this series is a split. They have not lost a road series since early June (Frisco). Right now there is no hotter team in the TL than Midland, which enters on a season-high, seven-game winning streak. The RockHounds are a season-best 11 games over .500. Last night's win was their 50th of the season, a milestone they didn't reach in 2013 until August 3 (credit RockHounds Game Wrap). Frisco (50-38, 10-9) is the only other team in the league with 50 wins. The RockHounds have a TL-best division record of 32-21 (Tulsa is 32-22 in the North).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Trying to get San Antonio back on track tonight will be right-hander Bryce Morrow. The Grand Rapids, MI native has been terrific since arriving from High-A Lake Elsinore in mid-June. In his five starts at the Double-A level, Morrow is 1-2 with a 1.41 ERA (5th best ERA in TL) and a K:BB ratio of 23:7 over 32 innings. Morrow struck out a career-high eight batters in his Double-A debut vs. Midland on June 14. On June 30, he picked up his first Double-A win at Springfield (Game 2) with six innings of two-run, five-hit ball. The former Central Michigan University hurler has given San Antonio length in each of his five outings, lasting at least five innings each time and going seven on three different occasions. This will be Bryce's third road start (1-0, 1.38) with the Missions. Midland will counter tonight with fellow righty Nate Long, who is 8-4 with a 3.24 ERA in 18 games (15 starts) this season. In four games (three starts) vs. San Antonio this year, Long is 2-2 with a 2.50 ERA (5 ER/18 IP). The Fort Worth, TX native is coming off a great start on July 5 at Arkansas, where he picked up his eighth win following six and two-thirds shutout innings of three-hit ball (a season-high eight strikeouts as well). Oakland selected Nate in the 26th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Texas at Arlington.

2014 SEASON SERIES: The Missions are just 8-14 against the RockHounds in 2014 thanks primarily to their offensive struggles. In their 22 games against Midland, San Antonio is hitting just .236 (175-for-742), while scoring a mere 3.4 RPG.

The RockHounds, which have outscored the Missions 92-75 this season, have won three of the first five series between the clubs.

LAST GAME: Jefry Marte did in San Antonio again as his walk-off homer off Frank Garces in the ninth gave Midland a 7-6 win Thursday night at Security Bank Ballpark. Marte followed his 5-for-5 performance in the series opener with another three-hit effort last night. The Missions got off to a strong start Thursday as Hunter Renfroe's three-run blast in the fourth gave the club a 3-1 lead. It was Renfroe's third dinger at the Double-A level and his second in as many nights. Midland was able to rally against San Antonio starter James Needy, who allowed four runs on eight hits in his four innings of work.

It was the shortest outing for Needy since he went three against the 'Hounds on April 28 at the Wolff. The four runs allowed by Needy tied a season high. Trailing 6-4 in the eighth, San Antonio got run-scoring doubles from Renfroe (Double-A high four RBI) and Yeison Asencio (4-for-4 with three doubles) to tie the game. Marte's homer was the first run allowed by Garces (San Diego's Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June) since May 30.

HOMER HAPPY: San Antonio has hit 79 homers in 2014, which is the 2nd most at the Double-A level. The Missions have out-homered their opponents by 33 (79-46) this season and have a 47-30 edge on the road. Last night was only the 15th time this season that they've lost a game when homering (33-15). Ironically, that power hasn't carried over to other categories as San Antonio is last in the TL in doubles (though did have a season-high, tying four last night) with 129 and second-to-last in triples with 13.

UNEXPECTED EXPLOSION: Offensive has usually been at a premium in the head-to-head matchups between two of the best pitching staffs in the TL, but over the last two nights the runs have been pouring in. In the first two games of the series, the teams have combined to score 29 runs on 43 hits (six of those leaving the park).

STARTING WELL: Though they've struggled over the last two nights, San Antonio is once in contention thanks to their starting pitching staff. During the last 25 games, the starters have pitched to a 2.09 ERA (34 ER) and have a K:BB ratio of 115:40 over 146.1 innings. Since June 12, the Missions have three starters in the TL's top 10 in ERA: Josh Geer 1st at 1.36, Morrow 3rd at 1.41 and Needy 10th at 2.27.

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