Watch That First Step.....
September 8, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Watch That First Step â=80=A6 It's a Doozy
(Midland RockHounds)
The RockHounds scored three runs in the third inning and three more in the ninth to defeat the Corpus Christi Hooks, 6-2, in the opener of the best-of-five Texas League South Division Series at Whataburger Field (and on a wild opening night of the league's postseason - - - see below).
Beau Taylor drove in half the RockHounds' runs with a two-run single in the third and an RBI single in the ninth, leading a 14-hit attack in which seven 'Hounds collected at least one hit with a run, a RBI, or both. The clubs combined for 26 hits, with the Hooks stranding 15 base runners.
Max Schrock led off the third with a double (on an eight-pitch at bat) and Richie Martin turned a sacrifice bunt into a single (he did it again in the fourth inning) to set the table. Brett Vertigan's single to right scored Schrock and, after J.P. Sportman's sac bunt moved them to second and third, respectively, Martin and Vertigan scored on Taylor's single to right-center.
Joel Seddon escaped four threats (two of them with the bases-loaded and another with runners at second and third), earning the win with five scoreless innings. The victory, in which he allowed five hits and three walks with for strikeouts, was Seddon's 10th overall of the season. The 'Hounds' first three runs came against Francis Martes, Houston's top-rated prospect. The 20-year-old right-hander allowed 10 hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings.
The Hooks got on the board against the RockHounds' bullpen with a solo home run to left from Nick Tanielu (off Trey Cochran-Gill) in the sixth. Drew Ferguson's triple and an RBI single from Garrett Stubbs cut the 'Hounds lead to 3-2. Cochran-Gill later got Tanielu to fly out to right with the bases loaded to end the inning. The Hooks then put their first two batters on base against Kyle Finnegan and Jake Sanchez (in the eighth and ninth, respectively), but the 'Hounds relievers both came back to retire the next three hitters.
Yairo Munoz singled to center and Schrock drew an eight-pitch walk to lead off the ninth. A wild pitch by Hooks reliever Kevin Comer was compounded by a throwing error by catcher Roberto Pena, which allowed Munoz to score. Sportman's two-out infield single to third drove in Schrock to make the score 5-2 and (after Sportman stole second) Taylor's single to center off Jacob Dorris capped the three-run inning.
Game two is Thursday night in Corpus Christi with the series then moving to West Texas on Friday night.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: Combined, the North and South Division Series openers produced 23 runs on 52 hits (each of the four teams had double-digit hit totals). Northwest Arkansas defeated Springfield, 9-6, in the North Division's game one.
- The series is the third playoff meeting between the RockHounds and Hooks.
2006: Corpus Christi, defeated the RockHounds, 3-games-to-0, on the way to the Texas League championship. 2015: The RockHounds, after falling in the series opener, came back to win the next three games and went on to win the TL championship. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
Images from this story
 Watch That First Step â=80=A6 It's a Doozy |
Texas League Stories from September 8, 2016
- Watch That First Step..... - Midland RockHounds
- Naturals Take Game 1 of North Division Championship Series, 9-6 - Springfield Cardinals
- Midland Takes Game 1 of Division Series - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Toups, Naturals Club Cardinals in North Division - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
