The Energizer Bunny
July 3, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Jake Sanchez and Bruce Maxwell of the Midland RockHounds
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
Starting pitcher Jake Sanchez (left) threw six scoreless innings and catcher Bruce Maxwell (right) drove in three runs as the RockHounds shutout the Arkansas Travelers, 4-0 on Thursday night at Security Bank Ballpark in the first game of a three-game series. (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
... has nothing on the RockHounds' own "Double-A battery." Jake Sanchez turned in his second consecutive quality start, this one part of a combined five-hit shutout, and catcher Bruce Maxwell drove in three of the club's four runs, as the RockHounds defeated the Arkansas Travelers, 4-0, at Security Bank Ballpark.
The 'Hounds scored three times in the second inning against Travelers starter Michael Brady (see below). Renato Nuñez extended his hit streak to eight games with a double to center leading off the inning, followed by a Chad Pinder walk and Matt Olson's line drive single to center to load the bases. Ryon Healy lined a 1-2 pitch to right for a sacrifice fly and, after Jaycob Brugman walked to re-load the bases, Maxwell singled to right, driving in a pair of runs. Bruce's "unusual" RBI ground out (see below) capped the scoring in the fourth.
On June 26, Sanchez allowed two runs on three hits (with no walks and five strikeouts) over eight innings at San Antonio. Thursday night, the right-hander turned in his second straight quality outing, tossing six shutout innings, giving up just four hits and one walk while whiffing five. Combined, Jake has allowed two runs on seven hits over his last 14.0 innings (a 1.29 ERA) with one walk (one hit batsman) and 10 strikeouts.
Tucker Healy, Seth Frankoff and Omar Duran pitched one inning each to complete the club's eighth shutout of the season.
The RockHounds
... are 5-2 in the second half and 40-37 overall ... have won five-of-their-last-six ... posted their eighth shutout of the season (the club is 8-6 in shutouts) ... won for the first time at home against Arkansas in four tries (the Travs swept the first series, April 12-14)... are 3-4 versus the Travelers (1-3 at home and 2-1 on the road) ... are 22-15 at Security Bank Ballpark and 18-22 on the road ... are 27-25 vs. the South Division and 13-12 vs. the North ... lead the South Division by one game over Corpus Christi (4-3) and by two over San Antonio and Frisco (both 3-4).
Thursday's games marked the start of: (a) a 12-game stretch of cross-division play and (b) the first of 38 games in 39 days for the Texas League.
Kibbles & Bits
THIS GAME IS GOOFY, Part 1 - In his first 19 appearances in 2015, Arkansas starter Michael Brady had walked just three batters (with 44 strikeouts) over 47.2 innings ... and had walked one batter (while whiffing 33) in 28.2 innings as a starter. He walked four batters in his first three-and-two-thirds innings Thursday night.
THIS GAME IS GOOFY, Part 2 - Bruce Maxwell's third RBI came via the "time-honored 3-2-3 fielder's choice." With runners at second third and one out, Bruce sent a bouncer to first. First baseman Brian Hernandez made the play, coming toward the bag, but elected instead to throw home, where Matt Olson narrowly beat the tag. We're assuming Bruce thought Hernandez had touched the bag for the force out, as he turned for the dugout. Catcher Raywilly Gomez threw back to first base for the out. Run scores ... RBI ... score the play 3-2-3.
STAT OF THE DAY - Including Maxwell's three-RBI game, every batter in the RockHounds lineup Thursday night has driven in 28 runs or more this season: Oberacker (28), Walsh (29), Whitaker (35), Nuñez (30), Pinder (40), Olson (37), Healy (29), Brugman (33) and Maxwell (28).
- Renato Nuñez (2-for-4, double, run) has hit in eight straight games (15-38, .395) and 12 of his last 13 games (19-59, .322).
- Matt Olson has hit in five straight games, going 8-for-21 (.381) with a double, four runs and three RBI.
- Colin Walsh (0-for-3, walk) became the fourth RockHound to reach in base in 20 or more consecutive games. With his 20-gamer, Colin joins Nuñez (22 games), Matt Angle (an active 22-gamer) and Olson (21 games).
Images from this story
 Jake Sanchez and Bruce Maxwell of the Midland RockHounds (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds) |
Texas League Stories from July 3, 2015
- Missions Power Past Cards 4-1 - San Antonio Missions
- Missions Capitalize on Cards Errors in 4-2 Win - San Antonio Missions
- Cotton Hems Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cotton Leads Drillers to 5-0 Shutout Victory - Tulsa Drillers
- Late Rally Drives Frisco Past Naturals, 9-6 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- San Antonio Snags 4-2 Win on Friday - Springfield Cardinals
- Riders Use Big Frame to Defeat Naturals - Frisco RoughRiders
- Jake Skole Traded, Zach Cone to Join RoughRiders - Frisco RoughRiders
- The Energizer Bunny - Midland RockHounds
- Sanchez, RockHounds Shutout Travs - Arkansas Travelers
- Hernandez Living on Tulsa Time - Corpus Christi Hooks
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