TL1 San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions Game Notes: July 7 vs. Springfield (7:05 PM CST)

Published on July 7, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME: Tonight is the finale of a three-game series between the San Antonio Missions and the Springfield Cardinals at Wolff Stadium. This will be the final regular season meeting between the clubs in 2014, with the Missions clinching the season series with last night's win. San Antonio (47-40, 11-6) is currently first in the South Division second-half standings, 1.5 games ahead of Midland (47-39, 9-7). Since the beginning of May, the Missions own the Texas League's best record at 37-25. San Antonio enters play having won eight of their last 11. With a win tonight, the Missions would take their fourth straight series. Springfield (40-47, 6-11), which has dropped seven of 10, is currently 4th in the North Division, second-half standings, three games behind leader Northwest Arkansas (34-53, 9-8).

PITCHING MATCHUP: On the hill for San Antonio this evening is Josh Geer, who will be making his 18th start of the season. After a terrific beginning to his 2014 season, Geer suffered through a rough seven-start stretch (May 6-June 10), during which he went 1-3 with a league-worst 6.31 ERA (25 ER/35.2 IP). The veteran right-hander has returned to form over his last four outings, allowing just three earned runs on 22 hits and six walks, while striking out 17 over 26 innings (each start he's gone at least six). During that stretch, Geer is T-1st in the TL in wins with three, 3rd in ERA at 1.04 and T-3rd in innings pitched. Geer's mound opponent in tonight's series finale will be fellow righty Mike Mayers, who is 1-2 with a 3.79 ERA in three starts for the Cards. The Grove City, OH native began 2014 with High-A Palm Beach, where he went 2-7 with a 3.72 ERA and an impressive K:BB ratio of 61:13 over 12 starts (72.2 IP). St. Louis selected Mayers in the 3rd round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Mississippi. Mayers has given Springfield at least six innings in each of his first three starts with the club.

LAST GAME: Brian Bixler's two-out, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth gave San Antonio a thrilling, 2-1 win over Springfield Sunday evening at Wolff Stadium. San Antonio starter Justin Hancock looked sharp in his first appearance with the club since April 18. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed just two hits and two walks, while fanning a pair over three scoreless innings. Cory Spangenberg gave the Missions a quick 1-0 lead when he opened the bottom of the first with a homer to left off Sam Gaviglio. It was the third time this season San Antonio had led off a game with a homer and their first time doing so at the Wolff. Springfield took advantage of Hancock's exit in the fourth, tying the game at one with Breyvic Valera's RBI single to right off John Hussey. It would be the only run charged to Hussey, who struck out a season-high, tying five over four clutch innings of relief. The Missions wasted a golden chance to take the lead in the fifth, loading the bases with just one out on singles by Cody Overbeck, Hussey and Spangenberg. However, Gaviglio kept the game tied at one by striking out both Adam Buschini and Casey McElroy. Springfield missed chances of their own throughout the game, going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and leaving a total of 12 men on the bases. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the ninth, when Austin Hedges ignited a Missions' rally with a one-out double off reliever Ryan Sherriff (2-4). After Sherriff intentionally walked Yeison Asencio, he was replaced by Chris Thomas. The Cards' right-hander quickly retired Overbeck on a fly out to center for the second out of the frame. However, Bixler helped the Missions avoid extra innings when his single into right scored Hedges with the game-winning run. Bixler's heroics made a winner out of Luis De La Cruz (4-6), who fanned four over two scoreless innings. Missions' pitching racked up 11 strikeouts in the victory.

ROSTER MOVEMENT: Earlier today, the Missions received RHP Eric Yardley from Class A Fort Wayne. In 24 games out of the pen for the TinCaps, Yardley was 1-2 with a 3.73 ERA over 31.1 innings pitched. The 23-year-old hurler held Midwest League hitters to a .232 AVG in addition to allowing just five walks, while striking out 33. Yardley's addition comes a day after the team had to put fellow righty Adys Portillo (hamstring) on the DL.

HOMER HAPPY: San Antonio has hit 63 home runs in their last 64 games after hitting just 12 in their first 23 contests. Since April 29 (start of 64-game run), the Missions are tied for the 2nd most homers at the Double-A level, in addition to being T-14th in all of MiLB. San Antonio has hit 75 homers in 2014, which is tied with Harrisburg (WAS) for the 3rd most at the Double-A level. The Missions have out-homered their opponents by 31 (75-44) this season and have a 32-16 edge at home.

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: After allowing a total of 50 runs in an eight-game span from June 4-11, San Antonio pitching has certainly returned to form. In their last 22 games, the Missions have pitched to a full-season MiLB best 2.02 ERA. During that stretch, San Antonio pitching has allowed just 167 hits (only eight homers) in 205 innings to go along with a K:BB ratio of 197:67. The 46 earned runs allowed since June 12 are the fewest among full-season MiLB squads.

STARTING WELL: The main reason that the Missions have turned it around on the hill as been the dominant stretch their starting staff has been on. During the last 22 games, the starters have pitched to a minuscule 1.48 ERA (22 ER) and have a K:BB ratio of 102:35 over 134 innings. Since June 12, the Missions have three starters in the TL's top 4 in ERA: Geer 2nd at 1.04, Bryce Morrow 3rd at 1.41 and James Needy 4th at 1.42.

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