Texas League All-Star Game (And Laundry) Break
Published on June 28, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Josh Whitaker of the Midland RockHounds
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
The RockHounds' four-game win streak ran headlong into the Texas League's top pitcher Sunday afternoon in San Antonio and while the 'Hounds did more damage than he usually allows, Missions right-hander Colin Rea prevailed. San Antonio broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning and went on to a 7-2 win at Nelson Wolff Stadium, avoiding a series sweep, in the final game of the RockHounds' 12-game road trip.
The 'Hounds now "scatter" for three days, with eight players headed for Corpus Christi and the All-Star Game, many others taking the opportunity to head home for a breather and pretty much every member of the club (players and otherwise) looking for a place to catch up on two weeks worth of laundry. In their dozen-game road trip (at San Antonio and Frisco), the RockHounds finished 7-5 (winning both series' with the Missions by a 3-1 margin), with no worse than a share of first place in the early going of the second half South Division pennant race.
Rea, who entered the game with a league-leading 1.06 ERA, had not allowed an earned run in either of his first two starts against the RockHounds, giving up only five hits and one walk while striking out 15 batters in a combined 13 innings. This time the 'Hounds got to Rea early when Josh Whitaker singled and stole second base with two out in the first. He then scored on Renato Nuñez's RBI single.
After the Missions responded with a two-run third inning, the 'Hounds tied the game at 2-2 on Bruce Maxwell's RBI single.
San Antonio took the lead on three straight hits and a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and put the game away in the seventh, scoring three runs on four consecutive hits. Hunter Renfroe did the most damage, with a leadoff double (and a run scored) in the fourth and an RBI two-bagger in the seventh. All seven runs came at the expense of RockHounds' starter Chris Jensen, and both 'Hounds scores came against Rea, whose ERA went up to 1.20 in the win. He gave up the two runs (earned) on six hits, with no walks and five strikeouts.
The RockHounds
... are 4-2 in the second half and 39-37 ... have won four-of-five ... finished 7-5 on the longest road trip of the season ... went 6-2 at San Antonio and 1-3 at Frisco ... won their second straight (3-1) series at San Antonio ... are 12-8 versus the Missions (5-3 at Security Bank Ballpark and 7-5 at Nelson Wolff Stadium) ... are 21-15 at Security Bank Ballpark and 18-22 on the road ... are 27-25 vs. the South Division and 12-12 vs. the North.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT of the DAY: Following the All-Star break (June 29-July 1), the eight clubs of the Texas League get back to work ... big time. The upcoming schedule has the teams playing 38 games in 39 days between July 2 and August 7.
- Colin Walsh (0-for-3, hit by pitch) was robbed of a double by Missions left fielder Alberth Martinez, but was hit by a pitch in the eighth, extending his on-base streak to 19 games (23-64, .359). One of the eight-man contingent representing the RockHounds and Oakland A's at the Texas League All-Star Game, Colin is among the league leaders in ten offensive categories. He has now reached base in 28-of-his-last-30 games (.340) and in 48-of-his-last-51 contests (.303).
- Renato Nuñez (1-for-4, RBI) has hit in seven straight game (13-for-34, .382) and in 11-of-his-last-12 games (17-54, .309).
- Matt Angle (1-for-3) has reached base safely in 22 straight games (.262 with a .424 OBP). RockHounds hitters have three of the Texas League's top five on-base streaks this season - - - Angle and Nuñez (tied for third, 22 games) and Matt Olson (fifth, 21 games).
- Chad Pinder was not in the lineup Sunday, but reaches the All-Star break as one of the league's top hitters over the past five weeks (he ranks among the TL's top 10 overall at .302). Chad has hits in 14-of-his-last-16 games (.366) and is hitting .349 in his last 34.
Texas League: The annual All-Star Game is set for Tuesday, June 30, at Corpus Christi's Whataburger Field (first pitch at 7:30 p.m.). Play resumes Thursday with the third of four sections of cross-division on the 2015 schedule (12 games per team).
Images from this story
 Josh Whitaker of the Midland RockHounds (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds) |
Texas League Stories from June 28, 2015
- Cardinals Collect Series Win with 6-4 Victory in Arkansas - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Lose But Enter Break in First Place - Tulsa Drillers
- Mier, White, Pitchers Key Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- RoughRiders Drop Series Finale to Hooks - Frisco RoughRiders
- Texas League All-Star Game (And Laundry) Break - Midland RockHounds
- Reed Dominant in Double-A Debut - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Rea Helps Missions Snap Skid - San Antonio Missions
- Finger Lickin' Good - Midland RockHounds
- Cards Sweep Saturday Doubleheader 8-3, 6-1 - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Winning Streak Ends with Extra-Innings Loss - Tulsa Drillers
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