TL1 Midland RockHounds

"Walk-Off" Wade / "Mariano" Kirkland

May 22, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release


In the first series of the season between the RockHounds and Corpus Christi (April 25-28 at Corpus), infielder Wade Kirkland earned a save. Sunday afternoon, in the 11th meeting of the year between the 'Hounds and Hooks, Wade added a walk-off hit to his Corpus Christi résumé.

Kirkland's fourth hit of the game, a career high, was a single to center field that brought J.P. Sportman home with the game-winning run in the last of the 10th inning to give the RockHounds a 7-6 win over the Hooks at Security Bank Ballpark.

The clubs combined for 13 runs on 30 hits, with only Conrad Gregor's solo homer in the seventh leaving the ballpark.

The RockHounds took a 3-1 lead in the second with five consecutive batters reaching base and Sportman, Andy Paz and Kirkland each driving in a run. Tyler Marincov's first Double-A RBI (he joined the club this week from Stockton) built the lead to 5-2 in the fifth and a critical error by Hooks second baseman Nick Tanielu allowed the 'Hounds' sixth run to score. The Hooks rallied back to tie the game at 6-6 (with Gregor's home run triggering a three-run seventh) and scored the tying run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth.

Leading off the last of the 10th, Sportman doubled down the left field line against (former RockHound) reliever Brendan McCurry. In attempting to bunt Sportman to third, Paz (2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and the pickoff throw defensively) then took a foul ball to the face and was forced to leave the game (he left under his own power). Danny Oh replaced him, inheriting an 0-1 count. Oh missed on his first bunt attempt, then got down a perfect sacrifice on the 0-2 pitch. On McCurry's next delivery, Kirkland sent a fly ball to center for a game-winning, walk-off single.

Kirkland's four-hit game led both clubs, with Hernandez (3-4, RBI, two SB, two CS, one pick-off) and J.D. Davis (3-5, two doubles, RBI) both collecting three hits for the Hooks. Marincov and Sportman did the same for the RockHounds (each going 3-4 with two runs and an RBI).

The RockHounds

... are 22-20 (12-9 at Security Bank Ballpark and 10-11 on the road) ... are 8-3 against the Hooks ... have won two straight.

... host Corpus Christi on Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. to close the homestand. The 'Hounds then immediately depart for a six-game road trip to Springfield, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The road swing opens on Tuesday night, against the Cardinals at Hammons Field in Springfield.

Kibbles & Bits

STAT of the DAY It's from our "Department of Redundancy Department," but it's also a remarkable streak - - - each of the RockHounds' last 15 games has been decided by three runs or fewer. Only two of the 15 (including a 15-inning loss to Frisco) have been three-run games ... seven have decided by a single run and six have been two-run contests. The total run differential in the 15 games is 25 (1.66 per game). In addition, four of the RockHounds' last six games have gone to extra innings.

- Three base runners were picked off in Sunday's game. The RockHounds' Brett Vertigan was caught off first base (by Evan Grills) ... Corpus Christi's Alex Bregman was caught off first base by Ben Bracewell ... and 'Hounds catcher Andy Paz threw out Teoscar Hernandez at second base with a laser of a throw in the top of the ninth inning.

- In his first two appearances, Sam Bragg allowed 11 hits and 15 runs (14 earned) in 4.2 innings (29.06 ERA and a 3.69 WHIP). Since then, the RockHounds reliever has been to the mound four times (he was sidelined for three weeks with a right hip injury) and has allowed one run on three hits over 7.1 innings, walking three batters and striking out 14. That's a 1.23 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP.

- Define "frustration?" RockHounds' starter Joey Wagman, in his second start for the club this season, pitched five strong innings and went to the hill for the sixth. At the end of his warm-up tosses, and before throwing a pitch in the inning, he was forced to leave the game (with an apparent blister). Pitching almost exclusively in relief, Wagman had not gone more than three innings in any of his nine appearances with (Advanced-A) Stockton prior to his call-up to the 'Hounds. He went four frames in his initial start (May 17 versus Frisco, facing Yu Darvish) and had allowed just two runs on six hits and one walk (striking out three) before leaving the game Sunday.

Check out the Midland RockHounds Statistics



Texas League Stories from May 22, 2016


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