The Blair Witch Bat Project
July 1, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Midland RockHounds Catcher Carson Blair
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo)
After opening the season with the RockHounds, Carson Blair was sidelined by an oblique strain in late April and would miss two months (almost to the day). Blair is back ... and appears to be making up for lost time.
In Thursday night's series (and road trip) opener, Blair hit a pair of home runs, the second of them a line shot to left with a man on in the sixth. The two-run laser erased a 3-2 deficit and would be the game-winning swing in the 'Hounds 5-3 win over Northwest Arkansas.
After the Naturals took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Blair's solo home run, a fly ball just inside the right field foul pole, put the RockHounds on the board in the top of the second. The Naturals answered with an unearned run in the fourth, but Matt Chapman's solo homer in the fifth cut the lead back to one run. "Chappy's" solo shot, a 3-2 drive to right-center, was his Texas League-leading 18th of the season. He later walked to lead off the sixth, and Blair ripped Matt Strahm's next pitch out over the left field bullpen, giving the 'Hounds a 4-3 lead.
While errors allowed each team to score one unearned run, defense also played a key part in the game, including an unusual "quartet" of double plays turned by the RockHounds' infield (see "Stat of the Day," below).
Ben Bracewell continued his outstanding season, going five innings for the win (he allowed just two earned runs and his ERA went up ... from 1.88 to 2.08). Trey Cochran-Gill and Kyle Finnegan earned holds and Bobby Wahl closed the door in the ninth (two K's) for his second save.
The RockHounds
... are 5-2 in the second half and 38-39 overall ... are 21-20 at Security Bank Ballpark and 17-19 on the road ... have won two in a row and five of their last six ... are 4-3 versus Northwest Arkansas (1-3 at Arvest Ballpark and 3-0 at Rocky Town) ... are 13-12 versus the North Division.
... continue their six-game North Division road trip Friday at Springdale, Arkansas, against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (7:05 p.m. first pitch). The clubs also meet Saturday (7:05 p.m.), followed by a three-game set with the Arkansas Travelers in North Little Rock (July 3-5).
Kibbles & Bits
STAT of the DAY: 5-4-3 The RockHounds turned four "around the horn" double plays Thursday night (Matt Chapman to Yairo Munoz to Viosergy Rosa) ... and did it in four consecutive innings (fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh).
CONGRATS! ... to former RockHounds Ryon Healy and Chad Pinder (each a member of the 2015 Texas League championship club).
Healy, who also opened the '16 season with the 'Hounds, has been selected for the All-Star Futures Game, held annually in conjunction with the Major League All-Star Game. Healy, who returned to the Double-A level simply because there was no room on the (AAA) Nashville roster, hit .338 in 36 games with the 'Hounds, ranking among the Texas League leaders in more than a dozen offensive categories, and has continued that high level of excellence with the Pacific Coast League Sounds, hitting .340 in 40 games. The Futures Game will be held at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on Sunday, July 10, site of the 87th MLB All-Star Game (Tuesday, July 12).
Pinder, the 2015 Texas League Player of the Year, has been named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star Team and will represent the Oakland A's in the Triple-A All-Star Game (PCL versus the International League), set for Wednesday, July 13, at Charlotte, North Carolina. Pinder is hitting .266 with nine home runs and 37 RBI in 71 games for the Sounds, who now hold a six-game lead in the PCL American Southern Division.
Images from this story
 Midland RockHounds Catcher Carson Blair (Frank Longobardo) |
Texas League Stories from July 1, 2016
- Yu Darvish Rejoining Riders on Rehab Assignment Monday in Springdale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers Use Late Rally to Top Missions - Tulsa Drillers
- Cardinals Win Fourth Straight - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Defense Costs Missions in Loss to Drillers - San Antonio Missions
- Riders Return Favor & Blank Travs Friday - Arkansas Travelers
- Rodriguez and Cardinals Slam Hooks, 11-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Midland Blasts Past Northwest Arkansas, 6-4 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Sadzeck Stymies Travs as Riders Begin July with Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Yu Darvish Rejoining Riders on Rehab Assignment Monday in Springdale - Frisco RoughRiders
- The Blair Witch Bat Project - Midland RockHounds
- Elmore and Yarbrough Elected to TL HOF - San Antonio Missions
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