Ticket Punched ... RockHounds Are Back in the Dance
August 28, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Midland RockHounds Celebrate Playoff Berth
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
The RockHounds clinched a spot in the 2015 Texas League Playoffs with their 10-1 win over the Corpus Christi Hooks on Thursday night at Security Bank Ballpark. (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
The RockHounds' magic number to clinch a playoff berth was "one" entering Wednesday night's game, but Corpus Christi put that digit on ice with a come-from-behind (5-3) win. Thursday night the 'Hounds left no doubt, defeating the Hooks, 10-1, at Security Bank Ballpark.
The win puts the RockHounds back in the Texas League playoffs for the second straight season and gives the club the opportunity to defend its Texas League championship.
Jaycob Brugman and Anthony Aliotti led a 16-hit attack, each with four hits. Brugman was perfect at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring one run and driving in three. "Ali" went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, a run and an RBI. Wade Kirkland added a 3-for-3 night (plus a walk), scoring one run and driving in another, and Renato Nuñez, in his first game back since August 6 (hamstring) went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBI. Dillon Overton went five scoreless innings to earn his fourth win of the season.
The 'Hounds batted around in both the second and seventh innings, and eight of nine RockHounds hitters scored a run, drove in a run, or both.
One "magic number" remains - - - two. Thursday's win actually reduced the number by three, as the 'Hounds lead the second half season series with Corpus Christi, 9-6 (one game to play). Because head-to-head within the half is the tie-breaker, the 'Hounds only need to match the Hooks in the second half. So - - - the RockHounds would capture the second half crown with a win over the Hooks in Friday's series finale.
The RockHounds
... are 41-18 in the second half and 76-53 overall (matching their season-high water mark at 23 games over .500) ... have won seven of their last eight games and 14-of-17 ... are 30-11 in their last 41 games (a .732 winning percentage) ... are 14-17 versus Corpus Christi in 2015 (7-8 at Security Bank Ballpark and 7-9 at Whataburger Field) ... are 43-23 at Security Bank Ballpark (the league's best home mark) and 33-30 on the road ... are 47-34 vs. the South Division and 29-19 vs. the North.
- Barring any weather issues, the RockHounds need three wins to eclipse the best half-season mark in franchise history (43-27 in 2001).
Texas League Player of the Year & All-Stars
Chad Pinder has been named the 2015 Texas League Player of the Year, leading a contingent of four RockHounds selected for the Postseason All-Star Team. Joining him among the league's elite are pitcher Ryan Dull and infielders Ryon Healy and Colin Walsh. Pinder becomes the sixth player in the franchise's 45-year history (and the fourth during the RockHounds/Oakland Athletics era) to earn Player of the Year honors. He joins Karl Pagel (Cubs, 1977), Jeff Manto (Angels, 1988) and RockHounds Adam Piatt (1999), Andre Ethier (2005) and Chris Carter (2009).
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: Big innings have been critical in the first three games of the RockHounds-Hooks series. The 'Hounds scored four runs in the eighth inning Tuesday (erasing a 3-2 deficit) ... Corpus Christi scored five times in the eighth on Wednesday (in a 5-3 win) and the 'Hounds put five on the board in the second and four more in the seventh Thursday night. Of the 28 runs scored thus far in the series, 18 have come in a combined two innings of play ... with 10 runs scored in the other 24 innings.
- IRONIC STAT OF THE DAY - - - On the day he was named to the Texas League Postseason All-Star Team, Ryon Healy went 0-for-5 for the first time since June 3. Oh, by the way, he has still hit in 10-of-12 games and 22-of-25, with an average of precisely .375 in that stretch.
The RockHounds have 11 games to play in the regular season: Frisco (six, three home and three road), San Antonio (four, road) and Corpus Christi (one, home).
Images from this story
 Midland RockHounds Celebrate Playoff Berth (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds) |
Texas League Stories from August 28, 2015
- Naturals Close Series with Friday Night Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Complete 4-Game Sweep of Cardinals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Chad Bell Dominant in Shutout Victory - Frisco RoughRiders
- Former RoughRiders Andrew Faulkner & Alec Asher Headed to the Big Leagues - Frisco RoughRiders
- Former Big-League Pitcher Chad Smith to Join Riders - Frisco RoughRiders
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Night September 3 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Weekend Highlights: August 28 - August 31 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Ticket Punched ... RockHounds Are Back in the Dance - Midland RockHounds
- Hounds Punch Playoff Ticket - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Naturals Slip by Cardinals, 5-4 - Springfield Cardinals
- Stults, Drillers Hault Travs Winning Streak - Arkansas Travelers
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