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Texas Winter League Update

February 10, 2013 - North American League (NAmL)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


ROADRUNNERS 14, THUNDER 0

Aryo Fleming flirted with a no-hitter for 5 1/3 innings, Mike Mobbs collected four hits, and Phil Rowland scored four runs as the Edinburg Roadrunners whitewashed the McAllen Thunder, 14-0, in the first game of Texas Winter League baseball Sunday afternoon at Harlingen Field.

Fleming utilized his hard slider to not allow a hit until pitching counterpart Leo Madrid grounded a double down the first base line with one out in the sixth inning for the only hit the Thunder (3-2-1) would net in the game.

By that time the Roadrunners (4-2) had a 13-0 lead, buoyed by the self destruction of the Thunder.

In the first inning alone Thunder pitcher Takati Sato (0-2) threw seven wild pitches, one more than the major league record for wild pitches in an inning, walked three batters, hit another and saw his infield commit two errors behind him.

As a result, the Roadrunners scored six runs on just one hit, an infield single from Rowland, before the Thunder ever came to bat.

Rowland also had a 2-run double off Eric Sheridan in the Roadrunners' 5-run fifth inning and finished with three hits in four at bats.

But the story of the game was Fleming (1-0).

"My teammates [big innings] kept me pumped," he said before turning superstitious. "They never told me about the no-no, which was a good thing."

A one-time Atlanta Braves draft choice from Baton Rouge, La.,the 25-year-old right-hander was a late arrival to the Texas Winter League. Fleming literally quit his job as a furniture salesman to pursue a baseball career one more time.

"My family pushed me to do it," he said. "I'm hoping to get a shot at the pros and 'A' ball."

Fleming struck out six batters and only walked one before being relieved by Donald Whitt, who threw 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

The victory moved the Roadrunners into first place in the Texas Winter League.

GAME TWO

STARS 7, WHITEWINGS 3

Cole Stephens threw five shutout innings and Justin Juneau drove in two runs to lead the Brownsville Stars to a 7-3 victory against the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings in the second game of the four-team doubleheader.

Stephens, who led the United League WhiteWings in starting pitching appearances in 2012, struck out seven hitters, including four consecutively in the early going as the Stars (3-3) jumped out to a comfortable 5-0 lead behind him.

"It's different pitching against a WhiteWings jersey and [manager] Eddie [Dennis], who gave me my first opportunity to play pro ball. said Stephens (1-1), who had struggled in his first outing, a 15-9 loss to Edinburg on Wednesday.

The 6-3, 230-pound right-hander, who scattered four hits and walked one in his victory, said he needed that start to get in shape.

"I'm just getting out again, my arm loose, and my body in shape and rhythm."

Juneau and Dave Angle both had run-scoring doubles in the first inning off Taihei Fukudomi (0-1) to give the Stars a 2-0 lead, while Juneau, Austin Fraker, and Eric Sheridan each drove in runs with a sacrifice fly and two singles, respectively, to give the Stars a 5-0 lead.

Two unearned runs in the top of the seventh netted the Stars a 7-0 lead before the WhiteWings (1-3-1) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning off Austin Abbato, highlighted by Cody Bishop's third hit of the game, a 2-run double to left center. Bishop also doubled in the third inning.

But Abbato was able to strike out Brandon Merrill with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The Texas Winter League will take two days off before resuming again at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

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