San Antonio Missions Game Notes: July 14 vs. Frisco (7:05 PM CST)
July 14, 2014 - Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release
TONIGHT'S GAME: Tonight is game two of a four-game set between the San Antonio Missions and the Frisco Rough- Riders at Wolff Stadium. San Antonio (47-46, 11-12), which enters play mired in a season-high six-game losing streak, currently sits fourth in the South Division, second-half standings, 3.5 games back of Midland (52-40, 14-8). The Missions have dropped their last four games to the RoughRiders. San Antonio will be looking to keep their overall record over .500 with a win tonight. The last time the Missions were at .500 (overall) was after a 3-2 loss to Midland on June 12 (33-33).
First-half champion Frisco (52-39, 12-10), owners of the best overall record in the Texas League, enter play having won two in a row and six of their last 10 games.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Trying to get San Antonio back on track tonight is Leonel Campos, who will be making his 7th start of the season and just the 8th of his career. The 26-year-old right-hander is coming off a rough start on July 9 at Midland, where he allowed career-highs in both runs (6) and walks (4) over just an inning and a third. His rocky outing against the RockHounds came after a four-start stretch in which he had not allowed a run (15.1 IP). Campos has faced the RoughRiders three times this season (all in relief) and has allowed just three hits and no walks, while fanning six over five scoreless frames.
The Valera, Venezuela native has been incredibly dominant at the Wolff in 2014, pitching to a minuscule 1.66 ERA (4 ER/ 21.2 IP), while sporting a K:BB ratio of 30:8. In his last home start, Campos struck out a career-high eight over a career-high four and two-thirds innings. Frisco will counter tonight with All-Star lefty Edwar Cabrera, who is 4-6 with a 3.14 ERA (11th in TL) in 20 games (15 starts) this season. In three games (two starts) vs. San Antonio this season, Cabrera is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.
LAST GAME: Frisco extended San Antonio's season-high losing skid to six games following an 11-2 rout in Sunday night's series opener at Wolff Stadium. The RoughRiders grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first against Missions' starter Josh Geer when rehabber Jim Adduci followed an Odubel Herrera one-out triple with a sacrifice fly to center. After doubling their lead in the top of the third on Herrera's run-producing fielder's choice, Frisco made the score 3-0 an inning later courtesy of a two-out, RBI single to left by Hanser Alberto. Frisco opened up a commanding 9-0 lead in the fifth when they touched Geer (5-8) for six runs on seven hits. Five of the seven 'Riders hits were of the extra-base variety. The run and hit totals in the fifth matched season-highs for a San Antonio opponent this season. Adduci (2-for-3 with four RBI) gave Frisco a 10-0 lead in the sixth with a solo homer to right off reliever Jeff Ibarra. San Antonio spoiled the shutout bid in the bottom of the sixth when Frisco reliever Kyle Lotzkar walked Brian Bixler with the bases loaded. Designated hitter J.T. Wise pushed the RoughRiders' lead back to 10 in the top of the seventh with an RBI double. It was the team's fifth two-bagger of the game, which matched a season-high for a Missions' opponent. Missions' left fielder Rymer Liriano capped the game's scoring with a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Francisco Mendoza. Frisco starter Alex Gonzalez (3-3) was impressive in his five shutout frames, allowing just five hits and one walk, while fanning four.
TROUBLE IN THE CLUTCH: After going just 7-for-40 (.175) with runners in scoring position during the Midland series, San Antonio went 1-for-8 in the category last night, leaving 12 men on the bases. The Missions are hitting .188 (12-for-64) with RISP over their last eight games.
HOMER HAPPY: San Antonio has hit 79 homers in 2014, which is tied with both Harrisburg (WSH) and New Hampshire (TOR) for the 3rd -most at the Double-A level (Binghamton: 87 and Altoona: 82). The Missions have out-homered their opponents by 31 (79-48) this season and have a 32-17 edge at the Wolff. San Antonio leads the Texas League in homers by 9. They have not led the TL in the category since 1992 when they hit 92. Last season, the Missions had just 69 homers through July. Ironically, that power hasn't carried over to other categories as San Antonio is last in the TL in doubles with 130 and tied for the second-fewest triples with 14.
STARTING WELL: Geer's rough outing last night was a rare sight for San Antonio, which is once again in contention thanks to their starting pitching staff. During their last 28 games, the starters have pitched to a 2.56 ERA (44 ER/154.2 IP). Starters have allowed no more than one earned run in 14 of their last 21 games. Since June 12, the Missions have three starters in the TL's top 17 in ERA: Bryce Morrow 1st at 1.38, James Needy 9th at 2.27 and Geer 17th at 3.32. Geer had led the TL in ERA over that stretch heading into last night's start.
ERA GOAL: The Missions' season ERA of 3.14 is the second-lowest at the Double-A level (Mobile: 3.13) and the 7th lowest among all full-season teams. No Texas League club has finished with a sub-3 ERA since Arkansas in 1992 (2.89).
Texas League Stories from July 14, 2014
- Drillers Survive Sloppy Game in Springdale - Tulsa Drillers
- Monday's Game in Arkansas Postponed - Springfield Cardinals
- Travs and Cards Rained out Monday - Arkansas Travelers
- San Antonio Missions Game Notes: July 14 vs. Frisco (7:05 PM CST) - San Antonio Missions
- Jason Adam Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- Marte Grabs Player of the Week Honors - Midland RockHounds
- Corpus Christi Breaks Hounds Win Streak - Midland RockHounds
- Hooks Hammer Midland - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Lead Wire-To-Wire for Third Straight Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Travs Hang on in Wild Opener, 6-4 - Springfield Cardinals
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.
