TL1 Texas League

Texas League update

Published on August 25, 2008 under Texas League (TL1) News Release


PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Neftali Feliz - Frisco RoughRiders

2 G, 2 GS, 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 10 IP

3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 K, 4 BB

For the second time this season, a Frisco pitcher takes home Pitcher of the Week honors after being involved in a no-hit game. On a soggy night in San Antonio on August 19, Feliz pitched five innings of a rain-shortened no-hitter in Frisco's 7-0 shutout win over the Missions. The Dominican right-hander earned his third victory after overpowering the Missions with a glut of mid-to-high 90s fastballs. Feliz fanned three, while issuing two bases on balls. The game was called after teammate Trey Hodges pitched 1/3 of an inning in the sixth.

Feliz follows in the footsteps of Frisco's Matt Harrison, who no-hit the same Missions during the first game of a double header on May 18.

Feliz earned his second win of the week in Frisco's 9-3 victory over Midland on August 24. Again, Feliz pitched five strong innings, holding the 'Hounds to two runs, three hits and two walks. With the win, the 19-year-old improved his Texas League record to 4-2.

In two games, Feliz registered a 1.80 ERA, allowing only three hits in 10 innings of work. Only one of the three hits he allowed went for extra-bases.

Over nine starts for Frisco, the 6"3" right-hander has posted a 3.12 ERA and has compiled 41 strikeouts in 40.1 innings.

ALUMNI REPORT

ARKANSAS TRAVELERS

Durham first baseman Chris Richard ('97-'99) has been hot in August, hitting .329 with three homers, 18 RBIs and 14 runs scored in his first 22 games this month. Richard, who begins the week with a six-game hit streak, also has collected eight walks for a .383 on-base percentage for August. On the season, Richard is batting .295 with 23 homers, 76 RBIs and 75 runs scored in 122 games. Albuquerque third baseman Dallas McPherson ('03-'04) is closing in on the Minor League home run title -- through Saturday he had 40, three more than Oklahoma's Nelson Cruz -- despite being in a rut at the plate for much of the month. McPherson was batting .169 (13-for-77) in 20 games during August with just one home run, hit August 14 against Omaha. The 28-year-old had built up a big lead however, slugging 11 homers in July, and was helped in his quest when his closest competition, Cruz went on the disabled for much of the month. Despite the slump, McPherson had a four-game hitting streak through Saturday...Salt Lake catcher Bobby Wilson ('06-'07) had a .432 average (16-for-37) over his last nine games...Salt Lake outfielder Bradley Coon ('07) batted .375 (6-for-16) with six runs scored over five games.

CORPUS CHRISTI HOOKS

Durham RHP Mitch Talbot ('06) has won his last six decisions and hasn't lost since July 6. Talbot is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in four August starts...Norfolk outfielder Tike Redman ('06) has hit .342 in his last nine games with two home runs, six RBIs and six runs scored...Round Rock third baseman Mark Saccomanno ('05-'06) hit .372 (16-for-43) over a 10-game stretch....When he started for San Diego on August 16, Chad Reineke ('06) became the 19th ex-Hook to make his major-league debut since 2005.

FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS

Oklahoma first baseman Nate Gold ('05-'06) batted .471 (8-for-17) over his last five games...Oklahoma shortstop Casey Benjamin ('06-'08) isn't much of a home run hitter, entering Saturday's game against Iowa with four on the season. In fact, he had struggled at the plate overall, carrying a .232 average into the game. But Benjamin played a big role in the RedHawks' 10-9 victory over the Iowa Cubs, slugging two home runs and driving in five runs in a win that clinched the American South Division title. The 28-year-old had not homered since July 14 against Colorado Springs, but his recent performance at the plate suggested a surge -- Saturday marked the fifth consectutive game in which he had a hit, and he raised his average from .217 to .236 in that span...With three saves in August, Portland RHP Edwin Moreno ('03-'04) is making a push to claim the saves lead in the PCL before the end of the season. With 17 through Friday, he was two behind Tacoma's Jared Wells -- who began the season with the Beavers and was a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities for them. Moreno, meanwhile, did not pick up his first save until June 1, but since then, the 28-year-old native of Venezuela was 17-for-23 in save opportunities. Overall, Moreno was 5-5 with a 4.24 ERA in 41 appearances for the Beavers this season.

MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS

Durham designated hitter Dan Johnson ('03) has hit .293 in his last 10 games with three homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored...Norfolk first baseman Oscar Salazar ('00-'01, Wichita '03, Arkansas '03) has batted .333 in his last nine contests with seven RBIs...Sacramento shortstop Gregorio Petit ('07) hit .424 (14-for-33) in an eight-game span.

SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS

Leigh Valley outfielder T.J. Bohn ('04-'05) struggled in April and May, entering the month of June with a .162 batting average, two home runs and only four RBIs in 32 games. Things got better for Bohn the next two months, hitting .250 in June and .270 in July. But Bohn's struggles began in August as he is batting .172 in 17 games. On the season, he is hitting .209 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 88 games...Louisville LHP Adam Pettyjohn ('06) has won his last two starts and five of his previous six starts to give him 14 wins, tied for first in the International League. Pettyjohn has been consistent for the Bats, allowing three earned runs or less while covering six innings or more in seven of his last nine starts. Pettyjohn is 14-5, with a 4.66 ERA this season...Portland shortstop Brett Dowdy ('07-'08) had a .326 average (14-for-43) over 10 games...With three saves in August, Portland RHP Edwin Moreno ('07-'08) is making a push to claim the saves lead in the PCL before the end of the season. With 17 through Friday, he was two behind Tacoma's Jared Wells -- who began the season with the Beavers and was a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities for them. Moreno, meanwhile, did not pick up his first save until June 1, but since then, the 28-year-old native of Venezuela was 17-for-23 in save opportunities. Overall, Moreno was 5-5 with a 4.24 ERA in 41 appearances for the Beavers this season.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS

Memphis RHP Mitchell Boggs ('07) continued on track to claim the PCL's ERA title, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday against Omaha in his eighth win of the season. Boggs improved to 8-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 19 starts (113.1 innings), and currently leads the league in ERA, having only picked up enough innings to qualify with his August 16 outing. Since being sent down by the Cardinals in late July, Boggs was 2-2, with a 4.34 ERA in five starts, and eight of the 29 earned runs he has allowed in that span came in an August 4 start against Sacramento. Without that outing, he would have a 2.16 ERA since rejoining the Redbirds...Mississippi outfielder Reid Gorecki ('06-'07) had a four-hit game with two doubles and two RBIs at Carolina before landing on the disabled list with a strained hamstring. He was batting .292, with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 62 games. He also had 16 stolen bases in 20 attempts. Gorecki, 27, was signed by Atlanta after being released by St. Louis. He played four games with Triple-A Richmond, going 7-for-13.

TULSA DRILLERS

Rochester infielder Matt Macri ('05-'07) has hit .343 in his last 10 games with five home runs, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored...On August 19, Brandon Knight ('97-'98) started against Taiwan in the 2008 Olympics and tossed 6 1/3 innings of the U.S.A.'s 10-5 win. The 32-year-old struck out five, walked two and gave up five hits and two runs, including a homer... In Taiwan's 10-5 loss on August 19, Chin-Hui Tsao ('03-'04) pitched two scoreless innings, while striking out two.

OTHER TEXAS LEAGUE ALUMNI

Buffalo outfielder Todd Linden (Shreveport '02) has batted .344 in his last nine contests with three homers, six RBIs and six runs...Charlotte first baseman/designated hitter Royce Huffman (Round Rock '00-'03) has batted .381 in his last six games and begins the week with four hits in his last seven at-bats...Indianapolis catcher Carlos Maldonado (Round Rock '00-'02) has hit .417 in his last four games...Louisville first baseman Kevin Barker (El Paso '97-'98) has hit .400 in his last eight games with a home run and five RBIs...Pawtucket outfielder Jason Lane (Round Rock '01) made an immediate impact upon joining the PawSox August 23, smacking a two-run homer in his first at-bat with the team. Lane was released by the Yankees on August 18, signed with Boston the next day, and will provide some offensive punch for Pawtucket in the playoffs. Who will the PawSox face? Scranton/Wilkes Barre, the team Lane played 97 games for before gaining his release...New Orleans second baseman Andy Green (El Paso '03) batted .450 (9-for-20) with four home runs and nine RBIs over his last five games...Round Rock shortstop Danny Klassen ('97, "02) had .381 average (8-for-21) over nine games.

This Week in Texas League History

This Week, August 26 - September 1

August 26, 1967...Arkansas did the nearly impossible as they limited El Paso to just seven hits while sweeping a double header from the, usually, heavy hitting Sun Kings. In the opener, Dave Backenhaster shut out El Paso 3-0, allowing the losers just one hit, a second inning single by Don Wilkinson. In the second contest, Brian Sinnot blanked the Sun Kings over the first five innings, eventually settling for a 5-3 win.

August 27, 1928...Waco lost to Houston 14-4, in spite of a terrific day by their left fielder Paul Johnson. Johnson drove in all four of his club's runs in the one-sided loss with a single, double and two home runs. Houston battered Waco pitcher Oscar Tuero for 19 hits, including four by the Buff's lead-off man Eddie Hock.

August 28, 2002...Shreveport batters tied a Texas League record as every batter to come to the plate struck out at least once during the Captains 3-0 loss to Midland. A total of 15 Shreveport hitters were K's in the game. Starter Rich Harden fanned 11 Shreveport batters during his seven innings of work, while Shane Bazzell collected four whiffs over the final two innings of the contest.

August 29, 1930...In a game that featured 38 hits, of which six were doubles and another six were homers, Fort Worth pounded Waco 20-6. The Panthers, who had four each of the two-baggers and round-trippers, were led by Joe Bonowitz, who had four hits, a single, two doubles and a home run. Fort Worth lead-off hitter Eddie Moore was nearly perfect in the game, collecting five singles in six at-bats, while scoring three times. Oddly, pitchers from each team socked home runs in the game, Dick Whitworth for Fort Worth and Henry Becker for the Cubs.

August 30, 1925...After dropping their 17th consecutive game the previous day, Houston rode the arm of Frank Barnes who fired a four-hit, 1-0 win over Dallas.

August 31, 1925...For the second consecutive day, Houston shut out Dallas 1-0, allowing the Steers just four hits. Larry Jacobus gave the Buffaloes their second shutout win in a row after 17 straight losses.

September 1, 1931...Dizzy Dean recorded his 26th win of the season when he led Houston over Shreveport 7-1. Dean limited the Sports to just six hits, while striking out 13. "Ol' Diz" was active at the plate, too, going 2-for-5, with a pair of RBI's.

Individual Texas League Leaders

( through August 24)

Batting Average

Home Runs

Runs Batted In

Miller (TUL) .344

Kaaihue (NWA) 26

Everidge (MID) 110

Fowler (TUL) .337

Cor. Smith (ARK) 23

Blanks (SA) 92

Blanco (TUL) .331

Blanco (TUL) 22

Miller (TUL) 87

C. Johnson (CC) .324

Craig (SPR) 21

Blanco (MID) 87

Cunningham (MID) .317

Zeringue/Everidge (MID) 21

Zeringue (MID) 85

Earned Run Average

Strikeouts

Saves

Mazzaro (MID) 1.90

Inman (SA) 138

Salas (SPR) 24

Buschmann (SA) 2.90

Buschmann (SA) 112

Carignan (MID) 22

Simmons (MID) 3.29

Simmons (MID) 111

Burke (SA) 19

Faris (SA) 3.66

Garrison (SA) 108

Mattheus (TUL) 15

Inman (SA) 3.66

Cortes (NWA) 106

Hayes (NWA) 12

For Texas League stats and standings, please visit http://texas-league.com/stats/.

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Texas League Stories from August 25, 2008


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