Valenzuela's Eighth-Inning Homer Secures Series Split for San Antonio
May 12, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release
SAN ANTONIO - Brandon Valenzuela started the two-week homestand with a walk-off homer against Corpus Christi last Tuesday, and he finished it with a game-winning homer in the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon to give the San Antonio Missions (17-16) a 2-1 victory and series split against the Frisco RoughRiders (20-13).
San Antonio only tallied two hits, but that's all they needed thanks to tremendous pitching. Six pitchers combined to allow just three hits and one run with eight strikeouts. Braden Nett, the starter, threw five scoreless innings while Bradgley Rodriguez got the win and Manuel Castro the save.
Ripken Reyes put the Missions up early with a line drive single into right field that brought home Marcos Castañon. Frisco starter Trey Supak stranded two, but the Missions led 1-0.
After gaining the lead, Nett dealt with some traffic after an error and hit-by-pitch placed a pair of runners on base in the third. Nett struck out two consecutive RoughRiders to defuse the situation and keep the 1-0 lead.
Nett again faced trouble in the fourth when Frisco had two runners in scoring position with two outs. The righty forced Luis Mieses into a weak flyout and held onto the 1-0 advantage for San Antonio.
Other than the early run allowed, Supak kept up with Nett. Nett exited the game to start the sixth as Ryan Och took over the 1-0 game. Och allowed the first two men to reach before getting a 4-6-3 double play to put him on the edge of escaping. However, a wild pitch scattered away and allowed Frisco to tie the game at one.
Supak remained in the game and completed the sixth inning while keeping the game tied. The Missions turned to José Geraldo out of the bullpen. Geraldo walked one and left with two outs in the frame for José Espada to take his turn on the mound. It took three pitches for Espada to set down Alejandro Osuna and send Wolff Stadium into the seventh inning stretch.
Travis MacGregor tossed a clean seventh as he replaced Supak, and Rodriguez followed with a crisp eighth for San Antonio. The calls to the bullpen continued when Gavin Collyer took the mound for Frisco in the bottom of the eighth. Collyer earned two quick outs before Valenzuela swatted a solo homer down the right field line. The go-ahead homer went 380 ft and was hit 103.6mph off the bat.
With a 2-1 lead in hand, San Antonio summoned Castro for the save. Castro swiftly put down the RoughRiders and secured a 2-1 win for San Antonio along with a series split.
UP NEXT:
The Missions head to the Permian Basin to start a six-game series with the Midland RockHounds. First pitch on Tuesday is at 11:00 a.m. Starters have yet to be announced. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com.
Texas League Stories from May 12, 2025
- Valenzuela's Eighth-Inning Homer Secures Series Split for San Antonio - San Antonio Missions
- Drake Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week - Frisco RoughRiders
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