TL1 San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions Game Notes: June 29 at Springfield (6:10 PM CST)

Published on June 29, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME: Tonight is the opener of a three-game series between the San Antonio Missions and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field. Last night's postponement now means that the series will end with a doubleheader on Monday, beginning at 4:30 PM. This is the first meeting between the clubs since April 12, when the Missions avoided a sweep at the Wolff with a 3-2 win. San Antonio opened their 2014 season by taking two of three from Springfield at Hammons Field. As a team, the Missions hit .221 in their first six games with the Cardinals. Most of their production came from former shortstop Jace Peterson (now with El Paso), who hit .524 (11-for-21) with two doubles, a homer, six RBI and seven runs scored. San Antonio (41-38, 5-4) is currently tied with Midland (lost to Arkansas 10-4 last night) for first in the South Division second-half standings. Since the beginning of May, the Missions own the Texas League's best record at 31-23. The Cardinals, winners of six of 10, enter play a half game behind first-place Arkansas in the North Division, second-half stand- ings. Springfield (39-40, 5-4) is 19-20 this season at Hammons Field, which happens to be the best home record in the North.

PITCHING MATCHUP: On the hill for San Antonio in tonight's opener is James Needy, who will be making his 14th start of the season. The 6'6 right-hander has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the Texas League, entering tonight's start with the fourth-lowest ERA at 2.38. He will be taking a four-game win streak into this start, but has not received a decision since June 1. In his four starts since, Needy has allowed just five earned runs over 24 innings. Needy is 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA in his nine outings (eight starts) since May 9. During that stretch, he's 2nd in the TL in ERA, T-7th in innings (54.2) and 10th in strikeouts with 43. On the road this season, James is 2-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a K:BB ratio of 20:10 over 31.1 innings (six starts). Needy's mound opponent this evening will be fellow righty Kurt Heyer, who is 3-4 with a 4.86 ERA in 13 starts.

Heyer took the loss on Opening Night vs. San Antonio after allowing six runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings. Though it was a rough night, Heyer did strike out a season-high seven against no walks. The Huntington Beach, CA native is having a solid June, going 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA and a K:BB ratio of 21:5 through four starts. St. Louis selected Heyer in the 6th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona.

LAST GAME: Tulsa outlasted San Antonio 1-0 Friday night at ONEOK Field thanks to Taylor Featherston's solo homer off Jeff Ibarra in the bottom of the 14th . The loss snapped the Missions' season-high, five-game road winning streak. San Antonio pitching matched their season high (6/7 @ CC) with 15 strikeouts, including a season-best five from reliever John Hussey, who allowed just three hits over four scoreless frames. Starter Leonel Campos struck out four in a career-high four innings of work. The Missions outhit the Drillers 9-7, but grounded into three double plays and were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. San Antonio got multi-hit efforts from Reymond Fuentes, Cody Overbeck and Lee Orr. The 14-inning marathon matched the club's longest game (for innings) of the season (4/10 vs. Springfield). It was the longest scoreless game for San Antonio since a 3-0, 15-inning loss to El Paso on August 24, 1993. The Missions are just 3-10 in extra-inning games this season.

HOMER HAPPY: San Antonio has hit 53 home runs in their last 56 games after hitting just 12 in their first 23 contests. Since April 29 (start of 56-game run), the Missions are T-2nd in Double-A in homers in addition to being T-16th in all of MiLB. San Antonio has hit 65 homers in 2014, which is the fourth-most at the Double-A level.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: The Missions have performed well this season when they've traveled to the Texas League's Northern cities, entering tonight's contest with a 10-5 record. San Antonio is one of just three TL teams (Arkansas, Tulsa) with a winning road record (overall) this season.

WEEKEND WORRIES: The weekends have not been kind to the Missions so far this season. San Antonio is just 15-22 in their games played from Friday-Sunday. In comparison, they are 10 games over .500 (26-16) during their week night contests.

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 14 games, the Missions have pitched to a MiLB best 1.56 ERA. During that stretch, San Antonio pitching has allowed just 103 hits (only five homers) in 133 innings to go along with a K:BB ratio of 132:37. The 23 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 14 games, the starters have pitched to a minuscule 1.00 ERA (10 ER) and have a K:BB ratio of 72:20 over 89.2 innings. A San Antonio starter has had at least five strikeouts in eight of the 14 games. Since June 12, the Missions have three starters in the TL's top 7 in ERA: Josh Geer 2nd at 0.90, Bryce Morrow 3rd at 0.95 and Needy 7th at 1.42.

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