Texas League Newsletter

Transcription

1 Texas League Newsletter Vol. XXII, No. 8 5/19-5/25

2 Former Japanese star Nakajima toiling in West Texas By Mike Whitson -- Odessa American -- 5/24/14 MIDLAND Hiroyuki Nakajima had accomplished everything he wanted to in his baseball career back home in Japan. The 31-year-old middle infielder played 10 professional seasons, was an eight time all-star, won three gold gloves and had a career batting average of.302 with 162 home runs, 738 RBIs and 141 stolen bases. Nakajima also played on the 2008 Olympic team in Beijing, China, where Japan finished fourth, and in 2009 he helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic. It was time for a new challenge, however. In Japan I kept getting the same results every season, Nakajima said through his team-provided interpreter, Shun Okita. At the WBC, that was my first time playing in the stadiums over here and it really made me want to play in America. I wanted to come over here and play with all the other best players that come from all the other countries. That s why I came here. In December 2012, he took his first step toward the major leagues, signing a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Oakland Athletics, expecting to be the opening-day shortstop. After a difficult spring training, however, Nakajima started the 2013 season at Triple-A Sacramento, where he batted.283 in 90 games. Earlier this season, still falling short of the numbers he produced in Japan, Nakajima was removed from Oakland s 40-man roster and assigned to Double-A Midland, where he is now beginning to return to the form that brought his skills to the United States. Nakajima, who is the oldest and highest-paid player on the Midland roster, is batting.340 in 15 games for the RockHounds, and primarily playing second base while trying to work his way back up to Sacramento and eventually to the big leagues. With the big contract and big expectations, he s doing his best to handle the pressure that comes with it while continuing to make his transition in America. For full article, go to:

3 Bonifacio looks to break loose No. 3 Royals prospect finds himself at pivotal stage with Naturals By Todd Traub -- Special to MiLB.com -- 5/20/14 Jorge Bonifacio doesn't look like a player at a crossroads. Loping through the outfield, darting among his Northwest Arkansas teammates while shagging fly balls, Bonifacio looks right at home. But the No. 3 Kansas City prospect is coming off an injury year and, developmentally, is at a point where he and the Royals are trying to figure out the kind of hitter he's going to be. "I feel pretty good," Bonifacio said after a recent pregame workout. "I keep working hard, keep doing a good job and good things happen." There's little suspense over what position Bonifacio would play in the big leagues. With Wil Myers traded away in 2012, most scouts project Bonifacio to continue to play right field -- something of a problem position for Kansas City recently -- or at least one of the two corner spots. The lingering questions are over Bonifacio's offensive numbers. Scouting reports praise his short swing and ability to hit to all fields, but the Royals would like to see him shorten his stance and generate more power. It remains to be seen whether such adjustments will hurt or help. Bonifacio had three homers and was batting.253 entering Monday, and he brought a.289 average with 22 career homers into this season. His best power year was at Class A Kane County in 2012, when he hit 10 long balls and drove in 61 runs while batting.282. Bonifacio said he's just trying to be more productive at this pivotal stage while not worrying excessively about his power numbers. "I just try to hit the ball hard and make good things happen," he said. For full article, go to: =news_l109&sid=l109

4 RockHound's Forsythe catches Gold Glove Award By Adam Zuvanich-- Odessa American -- 5/22/14 MIDLAND As a minor league baseball player, Blake Forsythe is relatively anonymous. But the president and CEO of Minor League Baseball knows exactly who he is. In fact, Pat O Conner tried to track down Forsythe for more than a month. Forsythe was selected as the 2013 Rawlings Minor League Baseball Gold Glove Award winner among catchers, based on his performance last season with the Double-A Binghamton Mets. O Conner was scheduled to present him that award in Binghamton, N.Y., on April 17, but Forsythe was traded from the Mets organization to the Oakland Athletics only a few days earlier. O Conner finally caught up with Forsythe at Security Bank Ballpark, where he s now a catcher for the Double-A Midland RockHounds. Forsythe received his Gold Glove before Thursday s Texas League game against the Springfield Cardinals. I m chasing Blake a little bit, O Conner joked. We had a good laugh in the dugout, and he was very appreciative of the award and of me coming out. It s something that s a very special honor. Forysthe, a 24-year-old native of Memphis, Tenn., would agree with that statement. Even before receiving the award, he described it as an exciting experience. In 80 games behind the plate last year for Binghamton, Forsythe committed one error for a.999 fielding percentage. O Conner called that an unheard of statistic among professional catchers and said it was a major factor in Forsythe being judged as the best defensive catcher among 10 full-season minor leagues. It s a huge honor, Forsythe said. It s something I m really blessed to be receiving today. Though Forsythe has been a member of the Oakland organization and the RockHounds for a little more than a month he was traded April 13 for future considerations his defensive abilities already have endeared themselves to RockHounds manager Aaron Nieckula and the team s pitchers. For full article, go to:

5 Josh Geer still has the passion. Geer 's Passion Still Motivates Him Battling Cancer Has Helped Him Battle Hitters By Pat Turner - San Antonio Missions -- 05/21/14 It's been 10 years since his professional baseball career began in the San Diego Padres' organization but through the highs, lows and other challenges along the way, the Missions' 30- year-old right-hander's love for baseball and the dream of returning to the major leagues has remained stronger than ever. As the years go by that determination carries plenty of weight for Geer, who was on the Padres' pitching staff during the seasons. "I just love playing," Geer said. "It's fun to me. I love going out there and competing. My body still feels great. I still feel like I can pitch at the big league level. That's my goal. "I feel great like I did during the seasons. I'm going to keep going as long as I can." This season has been encouraging. His 1-5 record is misleading as the Missions' starter owns a 3.31 ERA with 26 strikeouts, while surrendering no home runs. That's quite an improvement for Geer, who gave up 11 homers last year while compiling an 8-5 record and 3.41 ERA with San Antonio. Though a better record would be nice, Geer can't complain about the overall effort. "It's going good so far," said Geer, who has spent most of the past three seasons with the Missions. "During spring training, I worked on getting my arm built up to be a starter. I'm staying consistent with my pitches. "I'm keeping the ball down and getting away from giving up home runs. That's something I have struggled with in the past. The main thing I'm keeping our team in the game. You can't control how many runs your team is going to score. I just want to give us a fighting chance each outing." The Missions are also pleased with Geer's work. He's been known as a reliable starter since the Padres drafted him in the third round out of Rice in Only now, the approach is more refined and experience is present. For full article, go to: =news_t510&sid=t510

6 Sign of the times the art of the Cards signature By Kary Booher -- Springfield News-Leader -- 5/24/14 When it comes to signing his autograph, Travis Tartamella is among the biggest, so-called offenders. He keeps his short and sweet with Tart, meaning that he s saving 12 letters a signature, or 144 per box of baseballs. Over the course of a season, say the Springfield Cardinals catcher signs 48 items, including bats, hats and baseballs. That s 576 words saved over the course of a summer. Pretty clever, huh? However, it may not be as clever as the scribbles of other players. Penmanship be damned, to the point that third-grade teachers who taught cursive might weep. Because, in the minor leagues, it s all about a cool signature and sometimes one-upping the guy in the next locker. Well, that and making sure that every youngster gets an autograph. Otherwise, these guys could be there all night, with ailing hands, too. Prospect outfielder James Ramsey notes a Bible verse under his and a cross over the J. Prospect outfielder Mike O Neill squeezes in the No. 11 within the O, because he is Mike O Neill II and it also looks like his jersey number. Others take great care, too. Left-hander Marco Gonzales, a 2013 first-round draft pick who joined the club just last weekend, clearly takes great care with something straight from a CEO s desk. Just gorgeous cursive. But others? Not so much. Take reserve outfielder David Popkins. You re getting a DP and a line. Or, 10 letters saved, or 120 a box. Around the sixth grade was when I came across it, Popkins said with a sheepish grin. I figured I could save a lot of time with my cursive writing if I just put a big D and big P. It s cool when someone asks for an autograph, right? For full article, go to:

7 Ron Gideon enjoying new role with Drillers By Barry Lewis -- Tulsa World -- 5/25/14 TULSA DRILLERS supervisor Ron Gideon spent 15 seasons as a manager in pro baseball, including his last two with Tulsa in Gideon was reminded of the ups and down of managing last weekend when he filled in for Kevin Riggs, who was attending his son s high school graduation in Phoenix. Tulsa went 3-1 while Gideon was running the games. Those were stress-filled, but all of them were interesting, Gideon said. The supervisor is a more relaxed position than when you re the manager and making all the decisions. Gideon was glad to hand the managerial reins back to Riggs when the Drillers began their current road trip in Frisco on Wednesday. Gideon is enjoying the supervisor s role and being back in Tulsa on a full-time basis for the first time since ONEOK Field s inaugural season in In , Gideon was solely the Colorado Rockies roving field coordinator and made occasional visits to Tulsa. Last year he was the supervisor at short-season Tri-City. Before this season, Gideon and Duane Espy traded supervisors jobs to be closer to their families. Gideon, who lives in Hallsville, Texas (located 55 miles west of Shreveport), can return home on offdays and has a daughter who lives in Frisco. It s a lot of fun; what could be better? Gideon said about being the Drillers supervisor. Being a supervisor is a lot like being the roving field coordinator, except you re with one team all the time. Gideon, 50, watches most of the games from the side of the dugout. Espy viewed most of the games from the stands or press box. I like being around the action, although I may watch some games from the stands, Gideon said before adding with a smile, You ll never know where I m going to be. Gideon keeps in contact with the supervisors of all the other Rockies minor league teams. The supervisors oversee each team and work with players before games. For full article, go to;

8 Former Royal Maier Begins Road Back to MLB in NWA By Andrew Hutchinson -- Northwest Arkansas Times -- 5/21/14 SPRINGDALE -- Coming off an injury-plagued season, Mitch Maier knows he still has good baseball ahead of him. The former big leaguer joined the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on May 1 despite playing only 31 games for Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate, in "I was healthy through my entire career until last year, when I got hurt in spring training," Maier said. "Then it was a spiral the rest of the season." Maier missed games with left wrist and hamstring injuries, but put up solid numbers in his limited action. He hit.310 with three home runs, including a walk-off home run in his first game with Pawtucket. The outfielder also had 22 RBIs and scored 32 runs. That production gave Maier, who has played parts of six seasons for the Kansas City Royals, reason to believe his career wasn't over. "When I played last year, I did really well," Maier said. "For me, it was just a matter of getting healthy because I know I can still play as a high level." In December, Maier signed a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs, but a herniated disc in his back prevented him from participating in spring training and he was released in March. Just over a week after being released, he had surgery. A month and a half later, he was back with the organization where he spent the first 10 years of his career and that drafted him in the first round of the 2003 MLB Draft. "I have a good relationship here," Maier said. "It was kind of a mutual thing when my agent was speaking with one of the farm directors about my situation." Maier's agent and the Royals created a plan that would allow Maier to rehab with the Naturals, as well as serve as a coach. Whether the Naturals are at home or on the road, he is rehabbing and working toward playing again in early July. During that time, Maier will be available to answer other players' questions and help coach the outfielders. For full article, go to:

9 Drillers' Butler continues string of zeros No. 2 Rockies prospect hasn't allowed earned run in last three starts By Sam Dykstra -- MiLB.com -- 05/25/2014 His future skipper in the Majors says the young hurler's "real close." Eddie Butler's results are saying the same thing. Heck, even he's saying the same thing. The Rockies' No. 2 prospect tossed seven scoreless innings Sunday afternoon to lead Double-A Tulsa to a 2-1 win over Midland. He scattered five hits and one walk while striking out three in the gem. He hasn't allowed an earned run since May 6, a streak that extends over three-plus starts and 22 2/3 frames. "I'm feeling really good right now," said the right-hander, who put up a 1.80 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 149 2/3 innings across three levels in "I'm basically back to how I felt last year. I'm not trying to be something I'm not any more and really settling back to where I was. "Today really felt like last year. I've got a better angle on my fastball, and I've been doing a better job of keeping it down in the zone. Everything's finally coming together, and I'm feeling more comfortable out there." Butler delivered a six-pitch first inning, aided by Anthony Aliotti's inning-ended double play that erased Hiroyuki Nakajima's single in the previous at-bat. He needed only 24 pitches to get through the first three frames before a 23-pitch fourth, which included a walk to Aliotti and Josh Whitaker's single, put an end to that high level of efficiency. The right-hander allowed two more singles -- one to Beau Taylor in the fifth and another to Whitaker in the sixth -- before exiting after seven. He finished with 93 pitches (58 for strikes) and threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of the 27 RockHounds he faced on the afternoon. Despite all the results, though, Butler added he didn't believe he had his full arsenal Sunday. "We did a good job of moving the fastball around," he said. "But the slider was a real strike pitch, and we used it a lot later to get some strikeouts.... I threw my curveball early and in my bullpens, but I never got the feel for it, so we went the slider instead." For full article, go to: =news_l109&sid=l109

10 The Texas League Baseball Almanac Compiles a Wealth of History Fans of the Texas League remember opening up their weekly League Newsletter and catching a glimpse of "This Week in Texas League History" on the back pages. The feature included stories of the League's historic no-hitters, cycles, and multi-homerun games and even wild events like Midland's attempt to use a home plate at second base or a batter's 4-for-4 game after he accidentally swallowed chewing tobacco and a fly at the same time. The feature has been noticeably absent in the Newsletter this season, though, but not for lack of memory or effort. Texas League President Tom Kayser and baseball writer David King came together to bring all of that information and more in a special piece of literature for fans and historians of the TL. The pair's second collaboration in print became The Texas League Baseball Almanac, which was officially released this year. In the Almanac, readers will discover the same type of narratives that were found in the pages of the TL Newsletter. With the book, though, fans can have that history in one location at their disposal throughout the entire year, instead of a handful of stories once a week. For the Texas League fans throughout the region and country, The Texas League Baseball Almanac, published by The History Press, is a must-have. Copies of the book can be found at each of the Texas League clubs' merchandise stores, as well at the Texas League online store at texas-league.com and at your favorite online booksellers, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BooksAMillion.com, and even itunes.

11 Player of the Week, May OF Yeison Asencio, San Antonio Missions.500 AVG (12-for-24), 4 runs, 5 RBI, 2 HR, 2 2B, 1 SB, 4 XBH, 20 TB,.500 OBP,.833 SLG, OPS San Antonio outfielder Yeison Asencio broke out of his season long slump with an unbelievable day at the plate in the Missions 12-0 shellacking of Northwest Arkansas on May 23 rd. In San Antonio s 22-hit attack, Asencio recorded or matched career highs in hits (five), homeruns (two) and RBIs (five). He also scored a season-high three runs in the win, making Asencio a clear choice for Texas League Player of the Week. Entering the game with just one homer and five RBIs (lowest in Double-A among players with at least 150 at-bats), Asencio tripled his homerun total and doubled his RBIs this season. With the Missions ahead 4-0 in the fourth, Asencio blasted his first homerun of the night, a three-run shot to left field. Two innings later, he led off the sixth with a solo shot to left, his second of the night. Asencio added three more hits and an RBI, while he reached safely in all six plate appearances. Asencio also recorded multi-hit games on May 21 st and May 24 th. In the Missions 2-0 win against Northwest Arkansas on the 21 st, the Dominican Republic native stroked a pair of singles and a double. The day after his career game on the 24 th, Asencio followed with a pair of hits including a double and one of the Missions two runs in a 4-2 loss at Arkansas.

12 During the big week, the outfielder led the league in hits (12), total bases (20), and slugging percentage (.833), while his four extra base hits matched the league lead. Hitting safely in half of his at-bats, his batting average (.500) and OPS (1.333) were both good for second in the league. He recorded the second most homeruns (two) and third most RBIs (five) last week, while the performance raised his batting average 42 points to.237. The Padres signed Asencio as a non-drafted free agent out of the DR on July 2, Following the 2011 season, Baseball America rated him the top prospect in the Arizona League. Asencio was also honored with a selection for the 2013 Futures All-Star game. This year, Baseball America ranks him as the number 24 overall prospect in the Padres organization.

13 Pitcher of the Week, May LHP Thomas Shirley, Corpus Christi Hooks 1-0 (W-L), 0.00 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 hit, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts,.053 BAA Corpus Christi starter Thomas Shirley earned Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors after an incredible outing in the Hooks 7-2 win at Arkansas on May 21 st. Shirley made just one appearance during the week, but made the most of the start versus the Travs. The southpaw tossed six shutout innings with five strikeouts, earning his league-lead, tying fifth win of the season. He led the league with a perfect 0.00 ERA and a microscopic 0.17 WHIP, after he allowed just two baserunners on a second inning hit-by-pitch and a fourth inning double. After the remarkable start last week, Shirley lowered both his WHIP (0.88) and ERA (1.51), both good for second lowest in the league. Through 10 games (seven starts) this season, Shirley, who is now 5-2, has struck out 51 batters (third) in just 47.2 innings. The Astros selected Shirley with their ninth round pick of the 2010 draft out of Xavier University.

14 North Division Notes 5/19-5/25 Arkansas Travelers Los Angeles Angels Affiliate This Week: 3-3; Overall Record: nd Place North Division Monday, May 19: L, Springfield Arkansas scored a run each in the first and second frames, but were shutout over the remaining seven innings of a 6-2 loss at Springfield. Travs starter Mark Sappington (1-4) allowed all six Cards runs on six hits and six walks in his four innings of work, while the Travs were able to muster just three hits after the second inning. Arkansas first baseman Brian Hernandez drove in the first run of the game on an RBI single, while he and Vance Albitz each collected a pair of the Travs eight hits in the loss. Wednesday, May 21: L, 7-2 vs Corpus Christi Outhit in the contest12-5, Arkansas struggled in the game, losing to Corpus Christi 7-2. The Travs offense was mastered by Corpus starter Thomas Shirley, producing just one hit off the lefty through the first six frames. Arkansas starter Kramer Sneed (4-4) was unable to make it out of the fifth inning after he gave up the Hooks' first six runs on seven hits. The Travelers' runs came in the seven inning when Zach Borenstein, who recorded two of the Travs five hits, led off the frame with a moonshot to right field, his fifth homer this year. With two outs in the inning, left fielder Kyle Hudson drove in Kaleb Cowart with an infield bunt single, but the Travs uprising ended there. Thursday, May 22: L, 3-1 vs Corpus Christi In a 3-1 loss to Corpus Christi, Travs starter Drew Rucinski shutout the Hooks over six innings of six-hit ball, but the bullpen and the Arkansas offense were unable to back his outstanding performance. Travs centerfielder Adam Melker led off the bottom of the first with a double to right field. Moments later, he came around to score on Brian Hernandez' soft groundout down the first base line. Unfortunately for Rucinksi and the Travs, they were shutout over the final eight frames, unable to have a runner reach as far as second base. A pair of Arkansas relievers, Travis Sisk and David Carpenter allowed all three Hooks runs in the seventh. Carpenter entered in relief after Sisk loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, double and a walk. Carpenter promptly recorded the second out on an infield fly, but then gave up the tying run after he uncorked a wild pitch. Later in the at-bat, Carpenter surrendered the final runs of the contest when he gave up a two-run single to right. Melker, Zach Zaneski, and Alex Yarbrough, who improved his league-leading total to 56, each recorded a pair of the Travs seven hits.

15 Friday, May 23: W, 7-1 vs Corpus Christi Backed by strong pitching and a pair of three-run frames, Arkansas salvaged the finale of its series against Corpus Christi with a 7-1 win. After starter Orangel Arenas allowed a run in the top the first, he and relievers Buddy Boshers and Cam Bedrosian combined to shutout the Hooks over the final eight frames. Arenas (4-1) allowed just four hits, while striking out two through 5.2 innings. Arkansas produced their first run in the third when Jimmy Swift scored on a groundout. In the fifth, the Travs took the lead for good when they scored three more runs. Catcher Jett Bandy sparked the rally with an RBI double to left field that scored Swift with his second run of the game. One batter later, Vance Albitz followed with his first homerun of the season, a two-run shot over the left field wall. Arkansas pulled away with three more runs in the bottom of the eighth after Jett Bandy stroked a three-run homerun to left field, scoring Swift again and Brian Hernandez. Boshers and Bedrosian tossed the final 3.1 scoreless innings of one-hit baseball. Swift recorded three hits of the Travs 12 hits, while Bandy, Albitz, Hernandez and Zach Borenstein each collected a pair. Saturday, May 24: W, 4-2 vs San Antonio Arkansas starter Michael Roth (3-3) led the Travs to a 4-2 win over San Antonio after he tossed 8.1 remarkable innings, the most by any TL starter this season. After Roth surrendered a double and a run in the fourth, he then retired 18 consecutive batters, while the Travs built a 4-1 lead with three runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh. Zach Borenstein highlighted the sixth inning with a two-run ground-rule double that plated Alex Yarbrough and Adam Melker. Later in the frame, Kaleb Cowart drove in Borenstein with a single to right. In the seventh, Maikol Gonzalez, who was making his Double-A debut, capped the Arkansas scoring when he drove in Vance Albitz with a line drive that deflected off San Antonio pitcher Devin Jones. In the top of the ninth, Roth gave up a one-out, solo homerun that cut the lead to two, the first hit he had allowed since the fourth. After giving up a single to the next batter, Travs reliever Nick Maronde entered and struck out the final two batters of the game, earning his first professional save. Alex Yarbrough, who recorded two of the Travs seven hits, increased his league-leading total to 59, while his sixth inning double gave him sole possession of the league lead with 15. Sunday, May 25: W, 3-1 vs San Antonio In his Double-A debut, Arkansas starter Nate Smith tossed seven outstanding innings of five-hit, one-run baseball, leading the Travs 3-1 win over San Antonio. The lefthander struck out eight Missions, while the Travs bats produced enough offense for Smith and the pitching staff to win the game. In the sixth with the score knotted at one, Arkansas scored twice, capping the scoring in the game. Drew Heid led off the frame with his first triple of the season before Brian Hernandez drove him in with a single to right field. Later in the inning, Hernandez moved to second on a wild pitch, before a Missions throwing error allowed him to score from second. Danny Reynolds, who entered the game in the eighth, and Cam Bedrosian (S, 6) each tossed a perfect inning of relief to close out the win. In the third inning, Arkansas shortstop Maikol Gonzalez scored the first run of the game when he stole home on the front end of a double-steal. Hernandez led the way at the plate with three of the Travs five hits in the win.

16 Monday, May 19: L, Tulsa Northwest Arkansas Naturals Kansas City Royals Affiliate This Week: 1-5; Overall Record: th Place North Division Although Northwest Arkansas rallied to score twice in the top of the ninth, they could not complete the comeback, dropping a 4-3 decision at ONEOK Field. NWA starter J.C. Sulbaran (1-3) allowed all four Tulsa runs on nine hits through five innings. Only two of Tulsa's runs were earned, as the Naturals struggled defensively in the contest, committing three errors. Northwest Arkansas mustered just three hits in the loss, but took advantage of Drillers command issues and a pair of errors, to score their three runs. In the ninth inning, the offense used two walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch to score both their runs. Wednesday, May 21: L, 2-0 vs San Antonio Northwest starter Sam Selman recorded multiple season-highs with eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings, but the Naturals offense was unable to back his outstanding performance, taking a 2-0 loss to San Antonio. NWA mustered just four hits and were able to place just two runners in scoring position during the shutout loss. Northwest reliever Matt Murray (0-2) surrendered the first run of the game, a two-out solo homerun in the eighth, while Wilking Rodriguez, who entered in the ninth, also gave up a two-out solo shot that capped the night's scoring. Thursday, May 22: L, 2-1 vs San Antonio In a 2-1 loss to San Antonio, Northwest Arkansas was unable to take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities in the game. Naturals starter Andy Ferguson (2-4) struggled over his four innings of work, allowing both San Antonio runs on six hits, including a homerun on the first pitch of the night. NWA responded in the bottom of the frame, getting the tying run when Naturals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert drove in Justin Trapp with a sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, the Naturals were unable to plate another run over the final eight frames. NWA threatened to score throughout the contest, but were just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. The final opportunity came in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and two Naturals on base when Orlando Calixte, who produced two walkoff homeruns last week, drove a ball to deep center field that was caught just short at the wall for the final out of the contest. Northwest catcher Juan Graterol and left fielder Ethan Chapman each collected a pair of the Naturals nine hits in the loss. Friday, May 23: L, 12-0 vs San Antonio Northwest Arkansas suffered a 12-0 blowout loss to San Antonio, allowing the Missions to collect 22 hits. Starter Jason Adam (0-5) surrendered the first seven Missions runs on 11 hits through four innings. His relief Noel Arguelles allowed two more runs over his two innings of work, before Andrew Triggs gave up the final three San Antonio runs on five hits over two frames. Naturals shortstop Orlando Calixte, who recorded three of NWA' five hits, was one of very few bright spots for the home side in the loss.

17 Saturday, May 24: L, 7-4 vs Corpus Christi With a 7-4 loss to Corpus Christi, Northwest Arkansas suffered their sixth defeat in a row and ninth in the last 10 games. After he entered the contest in the eighth with a 3-2 lead, Naturals reliever Cody Fassold (1-1) gave up five Hooks runs over the final two frames, four of them coming in the eighth. In the Naturals half of the frame, shortstop Orlando Calixte responded with his fourth homerun in just 13 games with the Naturals, a solo shot to left, but the comeback ended there. In the third inning, left fielder Edinson Rincon gave the home side an early lead with a solo homerun to left field. After Naturals starter Tim Melville surrendered a pair of Hooks runs in the top of the fourth, NWA responded with two of their own in the fifth. Mark Threlkeld led off the frame with a double to left, before he scored one batter later thanks to a Hooks throwing error. With one out in the inning, Rincon scored on Ethan Chapman s single to right, giving Northwest their second and final lead of the night, 3-2. Rincon, who stroked a pair of the Naturals' seven hits, was the only batter in the lineup who had more than one hit. Sunday, May 25: W, 7-4 vs Corpus Christi Northwest Arkansas scored six runs over the first four frames, and then withstood a Corpus Christi comeback attempt to take a 7-4 win. In the second inning, Naturals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert opened the scoring in the game with a solo homer to right field, his seventh this season. One inning later, Northwest added four runs, recording a team cycle in the frame. After Ethan Chapman led off the inning with a single, Orlando Calixte drove him in with a triple to center field. Lane Adams then plated Calixte when he stroked a double to right. Juan Graterol capped the four-run frame with his first homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left. Micah Gibbs added a solo homerun in the fourth, his first of the year. NWA starter J.C. Sulbaran (2-3), who gave up seven hits over 5.2 innings, allowed Corpus to chip away at the lead when he allowed three runs in the sixth. One inning later, Calixte added an insurance run when drove in Justin Trapp with a sacrifice fly. With one-out in the eighth, the Hooks scored on bases-loaded walk, before Northwest reliever Malcom Culver put out the threat, getting the last two outs in the eighth, then setting the Hooks down in the ninth to earn his fourth save of the year. Adams, who swiped his league-lead tying 19 th base in the win, and Graterol paced the Naturals 10-hit attack with two apiece.

18 Monday, May 19: W, 6-2 vs Arkansas Springfield Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals Affiliate This Week 4-2; Overall Record: rd Place North Division Springfield starting pitcher Kyle Hald (3-0) paced the Cards to a 6-2 victory over Arkansas after he tossed seven outstanding innings. The lefty allowed the Travs runs in each of the first two innings, then settled down to strike out a season-high eight batters, while shutting out Arkansas over his final five innings. The Cardinals offense provided early run support for Hald, scoring all of their runs over the first four frames. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the third, David Popkins tied the game at two with an RBI double. One batter later, Pat Wisdom gave the home side their ultimate lead when he drove in Popkins with a single to left field. Catcher Cody Stanley paced the team with two of Springfield's seven hits, including an RBI double in the fifth that capped the game's scoring, while leadoff batter Mike O'Neill scored twice and drove in a run. Wednesday, May 21: W, Midland In a 5-2 win at Security Bank Ballpark, Springfield blasted three homeruns, two of them coming in the first, while starter Sam Gaviglio produced a stellar outing. Gaviglio (2-6), who had allowed at least two runs in each start this year, tossed 5.2 shutout innings, allowed just four hits while notching a season-high seven strikeouts. The Cardinals jumped to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first providing Gaviglio with all of the run support he would need. After second baseman Jacob Wilson drove in the first run of the night with an RBI double, David Popkins (two-run) and Patrick Wisdom (solo) hit back to back homeruns, their third and fourth this season, respectively. After Midland cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, Cards Cody Stanley pulled a leadoff homerun in the ninth over the right field wall, his fourth this year, capping the game's scoring. Springfield reliever Joey Donofrio (S,3), who entered in the eighth to shut down the 'Hounds rally, prevented another scoring chance in the ninth after he stranded Midland runners on first and third. Stanley, who collected two of Springfield's seven hits, was the lone Cards batter to have more than one hit in the win. Thursday, May 22: L, Midland In a 6-1 loss at Midland, Springfield was unable to comeback after starter Jonathan Cornelius gave up five runs in the first two innings. Cornelius (3-5) allowed all six Midland runs on 13 hits over his six innings of work. The Cardinals were held to just four hits, and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. First baseman Curt Smith produced two of the Cards four hits, including an RBI double in third, which gave the Cards their lone run.

19 Friday, May 23: W, Midland Springfield pitchers Marco Gonzalez and Ryan Sheriff combined for a two-hit, 1-0 win over Midland. Gonzalez (1-0) did not allow a hit through 5.2 innings, and allowed just four total baserunners through seven innings, while striking out seven in the second Double-A start of his career. In the fifth, Cardinals designated hitter Curt Smith drilled a one-out triple to center field before Patrick Wisdom drove him in on a sacrifice fly with the game s only run. Ryan Sheriff (S,1) closed Springfield s shutout victory with three strikeouts over two perfect frames. Smith and catcher Cody Stanley each recorded two of Springfield s seven hits in the game. Saturday, May 24: W, Frisco In Springfield s 8-6 win against Frisco, the Cardinals trailed twice in the game, then rallied for the win after scoring two runs in both the fifth and seventh innings. The first four batters in the lineup, Mike O Neill (two), Rafael Ortega (three), Cody Stanley (three) and Curt Smith (two) paced the comeback with 10 of the Cards 13 hits. Trailing 6-4 in the fifth with O Neill on first, Ortega tied the contest with a two-run homerun to rightfield, his fourth longball of the season. Two innings later, the Cardinals completed the uprising when Smith poked a single to left field that scored Ortega and Stanley. Springfield starter Seth Blair struggled in his four innings of work, allowing all six Frisco runs, five earned, on eight hits and a pair of walks. However, his relief, Anthony Ferrara (2-1) combined with Lee Stoppelman and Joey Donofrio (S, 4) to shutout the Riders over the final six frames, the trio striking out a total of eight batters. O Neill scored three times, while Ortega, who missed the cycle by just a double, scored twice. Ortega recorded four RBIs in the win, including a two-run triple in the second inning that gave the visitors a 4-3 lead. Sunday, May 25: L, Frisco Springfield starter Kyle Hald (3-1) gave up just four hits over five innings, unfortunately three were solo homeruns, which led to a 3-2 loss at Frisco. The Cardinals scored the first run of the game in the second inning when third baseman Jacob Wilson drove in catcher Curt Smith with a sacrifice fly to left field. Hald surrendered the homers in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, allowing Frisco to build a 3-1 lead. In the seventh, Springfield cut the lead in half after Mike O Neill plated Greg Miclat with a two-out, RBI triple, but the Cards were unable to score another. O Neill and Cody Stanley each recorded a pair of Springfield s six hits in the loss.

20 Monday, May 19: W, 4-3 vs Northwest Arkansas Tulsa Drillers Colorado Rockies Affiliate This Week: 3-3; Overall Record: st Place North Division After allowing Northwest Arkansas to score twice in the top of the ninth, Tulsa held on to take a 4-3 win at ONEOK Field. Drillers starting pitcher Eddie Butler (3-4) allowed just one unearned run on three hits over his 5.2 innings of work, exiting with a 4-1 lead. After relievers Ryan Arrowood and Nelson Gonzalez preserved the Drillers' three run lead over the next 2.2 innings, Cole White struggled with command issues in the ninth, allowing two runs on two walks, a hit batsman, and a wild pitch, but he was able to halt the NWA uprising, earning his first of the year. At the plate, Tulsa scored one run in the first when Joey Wong pulled a line drive RBI single to left field. The Drillers added three more in the bottom of the third on Jared Simon's RBI ground-rule double and a two-run double to left by Jose Rivera. Wednesday, May 21: L, Frisco In a 2-1 loss at Frisco, Tulsa starter Daniel Winkler, the league leader in wins, strikeouts and ERA, tossed seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball with four strikeouts, but the Drillers bats were unable to capitalize on his outstanding pitching performance. In the seventh, Drillers outfielder Delta Cleary Jr stroked an RBI double to centerfield, that produced Tulsa's lone run in the game. With the game tied at one in the bottom of the eighth, Ken Roberts (2-2) relieved Winkler and surrendered a two-out solo homerun, which proved to be the difference in the pitcher's duel. Cleary, Jr. and Jayson Langfels each collected a pair of Tulsa's nine hits in the loss. Thursday, May 22: W, Frisco Drillers starter Jon Gray (5-2) tossed six marvelous innings of one-run baseball, leading Tulsa to a 7-2 victory at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. The Tulsa offense backed Gray's five-hit, four-strikeout performance by scoring three runs in fifth and four more in the seventh. Catcher Ryan Casteel began the Drillers' three-run fifth inning with a leadoff homerun to centerfield. Following Casteel's fourth homer of the season, Brian Humphries and Joey Wong, who recorded a pair of doubles in the win, each hit back-to-back two-baggers. Wong later came around to score the final run of the frame on a double-play later in the inning. In the seventh, first baseman Jayson Langfels mashed his first homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left field, before Christhian Adames drove in the final two runs of the game with a single through the middle. Wong and right fielder Tyler Massey each stroked a pair of Tulsa's nine hits, while Wong scored twice in the win. Gray lowered his ERA to 2.79, which places him fifth in the league, while his five wins ties him with teammate Daniel Winkler and Corpus Christi's Thomas Shirley at the top of the league. Four of the top five TL ERA's this season belong to the Tulsa starting rotation, Winkler (1.46, first), Tyler Anderson (2.48, third), Eddie Butler (2.68, fourth), and Gray. Since his one shaky start on April 16, Gray has led the league with a miniscule 1.30 ERA, allowing just six earned runs over his last 41.2 innings.

21 Friday, May 23: L, Frisco Tulsa suffered its biggest defeat of the season, a 13-0 loss at Frisco. Drillers starter Tyler Anderson (3-2), who entered play with the third lowest ERA in the league (2.48), was unable to make it past the third inning after he allowed the first four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks. Anderson s relief, Ryan Arrowood entered in the fourth and promptly gave up five Riders runs in the frame, capped by a grand-slam homerun. One inning later, Ken Roberts surrendered two more runs. The Drillers offense fared no better than the pitching staff as they gathered just four hits in the loss. Left fielder Brian Humphries was one of the few bright spots for Tulsa, as he recorded two of the Drillers four hits. Saturday, May 24: L, Midland In a 3-2 loss at Midland, Tulsa recorded just three hits and none until the sixth. Tulsa starter Richard Castillo allowed all of Midland s runs on four hits through his four innings of work, while the Drillers bats were baffled by Hounds starter Nate Long until after there was one out in the sixth inning, when Tyler Massey broke up his nohitter with a deep homerun to left field, his fourth of the season. One inning later, the Drillers added the final run of the game when Christian Adames poked a homer to right field that just cleared the wall in right field. Two batters later, Brian Humphries got the final Tulsa hit after he laid down a perfect bunt single. Sunday, May 25: W, Midland Tulsa starter Eddie Butler (4-4) tossed seven outstanding innings of five-hit, shutout baseball, leading the Drillers to a 2-1 win at Security Bank Ballpark. While they had just eight hits, Tulsa didn't need much offense after Butler's efforts. In the third, right fielder Jared Simon gave Tulsa a 1-0 lead when he drove in Tyler Massey with a two-out base hit to left. In the fifth, Massey struck again, driving an RBI double to left field that scored Jayson Langfels. In the eighth, Butler s relief, Kraig Sitton allowed the Hounds lone run (unearned), before Drillers closer Scott Oberg earned his 10th save of the year after pitching a perfect ninth inning.

22 South Division Notes 5/19-5/25 Monday, May 19: W, 7-0 vs Midland Corpus Christi Hooks Houston Astros Affiliate This Week: 4-2; Overall Record rd Place South Division Corpus Christi starter Luis Cruz (4-4) and his relief Jordan Jankowski combined to toss a two-hit, 7-0 victory over Midland. Cruz struck out nine RockHounds, including seven in a row at one point, over his 6.1 innings of one-hit baseball. After Cruz retired the first batter of the seventh, Jankowski entered in relief and closed out the final 2.2 innings of the shutout win, allowing just one hit while striking out three. The first two batters in the Corpus lineup, Delino DeShields, Jr. and Nolan Fontana paced the Hooks seven-run, nine-hit attack, combining for six hits and two doubles, three runs scored, and five RBIs. In the bottom of the fourth clinging to a 3-0 lead, Corpus Christi exploded for four runs in the frame, highlighted by DeShields' two-run double that skipped around the infield after being deflected 'Hounds shortstop Dusty Coleman. Wednesday, May 21: W, Arkansas Corpus Christi starting pitcher Thomas Shirley (5-2) continued his remarkable start to the season with five strikeouts over six scoreless innings of one-hit baseball, helping the Hooks cruise to a 7-2 win over Arkansas. The Corpus bats sprayed 12 hits en route to their seven runs, including Rene Garcia's two-run homerun in the second inning, and Preston Tucker's solo shot in the ninth, his fourth in five games and 10th this season. Clinging to a 2-0 lead, Corpus struck for four runs in the fifth, sparked by Nolan Fontana, who drove in the first two runs with his league-lead tying 14th double to left field. Tucker and M.P. Cokinos capped the scoring in the frame with back-to-back RBI singles. Tucker's RBIs improved his total to 30, tied for second in the league with teammate Matt Duffy. Tucker (three), Duffy (two), Garcia (two) and Delino DeShields, Jr. each recorded a multi-hit night. With the victory, Shirley won his fifth game, even with Tulsa's Daniel Winkler for the most in the TL this season. Furthermore, the outing improved his strikeout total (51) and ERA (1.51), each good for second behind Winkler.

23 Thursday, May 22: W, Arkansas In a 3-1 win at Dickey-Stephens Park, the Hooks produced all three runs in the top of the seventh, backing outstanding efforts from a trio of Corpus pitchers. Starter Kyle Smith (1-2) allowed just one Travs run on four hits and struck out five batters through his six innings of work. After he surrendered Arkansas' lone run in the bottom of the first, Smith, Pat Urckfitz and Michael Dimock (S,1) combined to shutout the Travs over the final eight innings. In addition, the trio did not allow Arkansas to place a runner in scoring position the rest of the way. In the decisive seventh frame, Corpus Christi loaded the bases, before a two-out wild pitch from Travs reliever David Carpenter gave the Hooks their first run of the game. Later in the at-bat, Nolan Fontana capped the scoring in the game when he stroked a two-run single to right field. Dimock then pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first career Double-A save. Matt Duffy, who recorded two of the Hooks' nine hits in the game, was the lone Corpus Christi batter to have more than one hit in the win. In the first inning, Delino DeShields, Jr. stole his 14th base of the year, placing him third in the league even after he had missed a month of the season. Friday, May 23: L, Arkansas a 7-1 loss at Arkansas, Corpus Christi scored a run in the first inning but they were shutout over the final eight frames. Delino DeShields, Jr. led off the game with a single to center field, then stole his 15 th and 16 th bases of the season, before Andrew Aplin drove him in with a groundout to the right side of the infield, his 30 th RBI of the year. That was the lone Hooks run in the loss. After that, Brady Rogers (1-6) and David Rollins surrendered seven unanswered Travelers runs. Rogers suffered his league-high sixth defeat after he gave up the first four runs on eight hits through 4.2 innings. Rollins entered in the fifth and allowed three more Travs runs on four hits over the final 3.1 innings. The Hooks collected just five hits from five different players. Saturday, May 24: W, Northwest Arkansas After the Hooks scored four times in the top of the eighth, Corpus Christi escaped with a 7-4 win in their first game of the season against Northwest Arkansas. Corpus Christi catcher Taylor Heineman highlighted the big frame when he stroked a bases loaded triple to center field. One batter later, Heineman scored on a squeeze bunt by Delino DeShields, Jr, that capped the Corpus rally. After Hooks reliever Troy Scribner (2-0) surrendered a solo homerun in the bottom half of the eighth, Andrew Robinson entered the contest and tossed the final 1.1 innings of scorless baseball, earning his second save of the year. Trailing by a run in the fourth, Hooks designated hitter Preston Tucker blasted his league-lead tying 11 th homerun of the year, a solo shot onto the right field berm. Corpus Christi starter Mike Hauschild, who was making just his third Double-A start, allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits in five innings, with six strikeouts. DeShields, Tucker and Telvin Nash, whose fourth-inning, RBI single gave Corpus their first lead, each recorded a pair of the Hooks 11 hits in the win. Sunday, May 25: L, Northwest Arkansas In a 7-4 loss at Arvest Ballpark, the Hooks were unable to comeback from a six-run deficit. Corpus Christi starter Luis Cruz (4-5) struggled in his five innings of work, allowing the six early runs on nine hits, including three homeruns. Trailing 6-1 in the sixth, the Hooks scored three runs, sparked by Matt Duffy s fifth homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Jio Mier capped the scoring in the frame when he stroked an RBI single to left field. Down four runs in the eighth, Mier drove in the Hooks' final run when he drew a bases loaded walk. Duffy, whose 32 RBIs are second-most in the league, Mier, Joe Sclafani and Tyler Heineman paced the Hooks nine-hit attack with two apiece.

24 Monday, May 19: L, San Antonio Frisco RoughRiders Texas Rangers Affiliate This Week: 3-3; Overall Record st Place South Division With a 4-0 loss at San Antonio in the series finale, Frisco was shutout for the first time this season. 'Riders starter Alec Asher (3-4), who held the Missions hitless through three innings, surrendered a leadoff homerun in the fourth, then three more runs in the sixth on three hits and a walk, before he was pulled with two outs in the inning. The RoughRiders offense mustered just six hits in the loss, three coming from first baseman Trever Adams. Wednesday, May 21: W, 2-1 vs Tulsa With the score knotted at one in the bottom of the eighth, Frisco catcher Pat Cantwell's solo homerun to left field broke the tight pitcher's duel and gave the 'Riders a 2-1 victory over Tulsa. The longball, Cantwell's first of the year, came with two-outs in the frame, after both starting pitchers were dominant through the first seven innings. Facing his former Tulsa club, RoughRiders starter Edwar Cabrera tossed seven outstanding innings of one-run ball on seven hits and four strikeouts. Unfortunately, he did not factor into the decision, as the 'Riders bats were stymied by Tulsa starter Daniel Winkler through the first seven frames. Frisco was able to scratch a run off Winkler in the fifth inning when Teo Martinez and Guilder Rodriguez poked back-to-back, two-out singles. Francisco Mendoza (2-0), who tossed a scoreless eighth, recorded the win, while Phil Klein worked around a base hit in the ninth to close out the game and earn his third save of the season. Frisco managed just five hits in the win, as Rodriguez registered the 'Riders only multi-hit night with two. Thursday, May 22: L, 7-2 vs Tulsa In a 7-2 loss to Tulsa, the RoughRiders were unable to overcome a brilliant performance from Jon Gray and the Drillers pitching staff. Frisco managed just six hits total in the contest, three by first baseman Trever Adams. 'Riders starter Jerad Eickhoff (3-3) was unable to match his mound opponent, as he allowed five runs on six hits, including a pair of homeruns, through 6.1 innings. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Frisco outfielder Drew Robinson blasted a leadoff solo homerun to rightfield. Unfortunately for the home crowd of more than 10,000, Eickhoff and his relief Ryan Rodebaugh were unable to keep the score close, giving up four more runs in the seventh that allowed Tulsa to take a 7-1 lead. Frisco added their second and final run in the bottom of the eighth when Adams stroked an RBI double to rightfield.

25 Friday, May 23: W, 13-0 vs Tulsa Backing another impressive outing by Luke Jackson with 13 hits, Frisco cruised to a 13-0 victory over Tulsa. Jackson (5-2) allowed just three hits over seven scoreless frames, while his four strikeouts in the game improved his total this season to 53, second in the league. The RoughRiders offense used timely hitting to produce their 13 runs, including Trever Adams grand-slam homerun in the fourth inning. With one out in the fourth, Adams, who had a pair of hits and six RBIs in the game, drilled a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall, collecting his fifth homerun of the season. The longball capped a five-run inning and made the score 9-0. Jackson s relief, Jimmy Reyes closed the win with two scoreless innings of one-hit ball. All nine batters in Frisco s starting lineup recorded at least a hit or a run in the blowout win. Six Frisco batters had more than one hit in teh contest. In addition to Adams, Pat Cantwell (three), Guilder Rodriguez (two), Ryan Rua (two), and Jake Skole (two) also had multi-hit games. Rodriguez, Cantwell, Jake Smolinski and Tomas Telis scored twice, while Adams also paced the game s scoring, three times. Saturday, May 24: L, 8-6 vs Springfield After they led twice in the game, the RoughRiders lost a heartbreaking 8-6 decision to the visiting Springfield Cardinals. Led by Odubel Herrera s three hits and three RBIs, the Riders scored all six runs over the first four innings, taking a 6-4 lead. Unfortunately for the more than 10,000 Frisco faithful, relievers Kyle Lotzkar and Ryan Bores (1-2) were unable to hold the lead, the pair surrendering two runs each in the fifth and seventh innings. Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers, making his first rehab appearance with Frisco, started and allowed one run in his one inning of work. Frisco responded with three runs on four straight hits in the bottom of the frame, then added two more in the second inning when Herrera cracked a two-run double to left field, before the bullpen failed to come through. In addition to Herrera s trio of hits, Tomas Telis and Trever Adams each collected two of the RoughRiders 12 hits in the loss. Sunday, May 25: W, 3-2 vs Springfield Frisco used three solo homeruns to produce its 3-2 winning margin over Springfield. In the third inning trailing by a run, Teo Martinez stroked his first longball of the season, a shot to left field tying the game one all. One inning later, Jake Smolinski gave Frisco a 2-1 with a homerun to left, his seventh of the year. Ryan Rua capped the trio of homers, with this fifth inning shot to left center, his eighth this season. RoughRiders starter Alec Asher (4-4) pitched six excellent innings, allowing just one unearned run on five hits with three strikeouts. After his relief, Wilmer Font surrendered a run in the seventh, Jimmy Reyes and Phil Klein (S, 5) preserved the win when they combined to shutout Springfield over the final 2.1 innings. Martinez was the lone Frisco batter to record a multi-hit game with two of the Riders eight.

26 Monday, May 19: L, Corpus Christi Midland RockHounds Oakland Athletics Affiliate This Week: 2-4; Overall Record: nd Place South Division After being held to just two hits in the game, Midland lost their series finale at Whataburger Field, 7-0. 'Hounds starter Chris Jensen (2-3) gave up nine hits and all seven Corpus runs through the first four innings. The RockHounds never mounted a scoring threat in their first shutout loss of the season, reaching first safely just four times. Wednesday, May 21: L, 5-2 vs Springfield In a 5-2 loss to Springfield, the RockHounds were unable to comeback after starter Andrew Werner gave up four runs in the first inning. Werner (2-3) allowed six hits over eight innings, but four of them came in the first frame, including a pair of Cards homeruns. The lefty settled down and shut out the visitors through the next seven innings, before Midland mounted a late comeback attempt. In the bottom of the eighth, RockHounds first baseman Anthony Aliotti cracked a two-run homerun, his third of the season that cut the deficit to 4-2. That was as close as Midland would get after giving up a run in the ninth, then having a rally fizzle in the bottom of the frame, stranding two runners when the game ended. Aliotti, Conner Crumbliss, Kent Matthes, and Dusty Coleman each recorded two of the RockHounds nine hits in the game,. While Midland outhit Springfield, 9-7, they were unable to take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities, going 0-for-8 with RISP in the game. Thursday, May 22: W, 6-1 vs Springfield In a 6-1 win over Springfield, Midland scored two runs in the first inning and three more in the second, providing starter Drew Granier (2-1) with a comfortable lead. RockHounds speedster Billy Burns led off the game with a single to center, his first of four hits in the contest. Later in the frame, designated hitter Miles Head poked a single up the middle, scoring Burns and Kent Matthes. One inning later, catcher Blake Forsythe, who received his 2013 Rawlings Gold Glove Award during a ceremony before the game, continued the Midland onslaught, pounding a one-out, solo homerun to right field, his third this season. Burns, who missed the cycle by a homerun, then followed Forsythe with his first triple of the year, before Dusty Coleman knocked him in with a double to left field. Matthes made the score 5-0 when he stroked a two-out double to right field, scoring Coleman. Granier allowed just one run on three hits and three strikeouts through seven innings of work, earning just his second win in 10 starts this season. His relief Tucker Healy, who made his second appearance at the Double-A level, tossed the final two scoreless innings to close out the win. Matthes, who added a double and scored the final run of the night in the fifth, collected three hits, including two of the 'Hounds five doubles while scoring twice. Head, Forsythe, and Josh Whitaker each collected a pair of Midland's 14 hits in the win.

27 Friday, May 23: L, Frisco Midland was shutout against Springfield, 1-0 after the RockHounds recorded just two hits. Midland starter Shawn Haviland (1-4), who carried a perfect game through 4.1 innings, was brilliant, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five in eight innings of work. Unfortunately, the Hounds bats were foiled by a pair of Cards pitchers, including starter Marco Gonzalez, who made just his second Double-A start. The Hounds did not record their first of two hits until two outs in the sixth inning when Hiroyuki Nakajima stroked a line drive single to left. Saturday, May 24: W, 3-2 vs Tulsa An outstanding performance from Midland starter Nate Long led the RockHounds to a 3-2 win over the visiting Tulsa Drillers. Long (4-1) allowed just one hit during his six inning outing, a homer to Tyler Massey with one out in the sixth. The Hounds scored a run each in the first, third, and fourth innings, all the offense that would be required by the pitching staff. In the first, Josh Whitaker drove in Conner Crumbliss with a double to left field. After Billy Burns stole his league leading 19 th base of the season, Max Muncy plated him in the third inning with an RBI single to right. The final RockHounds run came in the fourth when Hiro Nakajima scored on Dusty Coleman s sac fly to center. While Midland was unable to score again in the contest, Long and his relievers Frank Gailey and Seth Frankoff (S,9) held Tulsa to just one more run to preserve the game. After Gailey surrendered a seventh-inning leadoff homerun that just cleared the short right field wall, he and Frankoff allowed just one more hit over the final three innings. Six different batters recorded one of the RockHounds six hits in the win. Sunday, May 25: L, 2-1 vs Tulsa In a 2-1 loss to Tulsa, the 'Hounds were able to muster just six hits and one unearned run. Midland starter Chris Jensen (2-4) allowed just two runs on six hits, with four strikeouts in seven innings of work. Unfortunately, his fine outing was unsupported by the offense. Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Max Muncy's sacrifice fly drove in Hiroyuki Nakajima with Midland's lone run. Right fielder Josh Whitaker collected three of the RockHounds six hits in the game.

28 San Antonio Missions San Diego Padres Affiliate This Week: 4-2; Overall Record: th Place South Division Monday, May 19: W, 4-0 vs Frisco San Antonio notched their first shutout victory and three-game winning streak of the season after defeating Frisco 4-0 at Nelson Wolff Stadium. Padres rehabber, Casey Kelly (1-0), who made his second start in a Missions uniform this season, gave up just four hits while striking out six over the first six innings. Following Kelly, Frank Garces, two innings, and Adys Portillo, one inning, preserved the shutout, striking out five batters over the final three innings. After they were held hitless through the first three innings, San Antonio second baseman Casey McElroy led off the fourth with a homerun over the right field wall, his second of the year, giving the Missions' pitching all the run support they would need in the contest. San Antonio added some padding in the sixth, when they used three hits, a stolen base and a Frisco error. Seven different Missions registered a hit in the win, while the third through sixth batters in the lineup, McElroy, Rymer Liriano, Jason Hagerty and Austin Hedges each scored one of the Missions four runs. Wednesday, May 21: W, Northwest Arkansas San Antonio starter Odrisamer Despaigne, making just his second professional start in the US, combined with four Missions relievers to hurl a four-hit, 2-0 victory at Northwest Arkansas. In a tight pitcher's duel, Despaigne struck out six Naturals through 4.2 innings of two-hit ball. His relief, Matt Branham retired the final out of the fifth inning before he, Luis De La Cruz (1-4), Frank Garces, and Johnny Barbato (S, 12) each tossed a scoreless inning of relief over the final five frames. The Missions bats remained quiet as well, though, after they were shutout through the first seven innings. Center fielder Reymond Fuentes broke the scoreless tie in the top of the eighth when he poked a two-out solo homerun to right field, his first of the year with San Antonio. One inning later, First baseman Jason Hagerty added his own solo shot, his fourth this season, before Barbato closed out the win with his league-leading 12th save. Missions rightfielder Yeison Asencio collected three of the visitor's seven hits in the win.

29 Thursday, May 22: W, Northwest Arkansas Backed by timely defense and another remarkable outing from the pitching staff, San Antonio escaped with a 2-1 win at Northwest Arkansas, their fifth in a row. Missions' centerfielder Reymond Fuentes drove the first pitch of the game over the centerfield wall with his second longball of the season. Missions' starter James Needy (2-3) promptly allowed a NWA run in the bottom half of the frame, but he and relievers Leonel Campos and Johnny Barbato combined to shutout the home side through the final eight frames. In the fourth, San Antonio shortstop Brian Bixler drilled a sharp line drive to centerfield, plating Jason Hagerty with the eventual game-winning run. The Missions received a scare with two outs and two Northwest runners on base in the ninth when Barbato faced Naturals shortstop Orlando Calixte, who had already drilled two walkoff homeruns last week. However, Barbato recorded his Double-A leading 13th save of the season when Fuentes was able to pull down Calixte's long fly ball to the center field wall. Eight of the nine batters in the SA lineup recorded one of the team's eight hits in the win, including Austin Hedges, who recorded their lone XBH with his team-high 13th double of the year. Rymer Liriano stole a pair of bases, as he has silently climbed into the top-5 of the league lead this season with nine. Friday, May 23: W, Northwest Arkansas San Antonio swept a series at Arvest Ballpark for the first time ever with a season-high 22-hit, 12-0 blowout of the Naturals. Each of the Missions starting nine recorded a hit in the big win, but none had a bigger night than Yeison Asencio. Entering the game with a.208 batting average and just one homerun and five RBIs (the fewest in Double- A for a hitter with 150+ PAs), Asencio broke out of his season-long slump with five hits, including a pair of homeruns and five RBIs, all career highs. Asencio, who scored three times, reached base in all six plate appearances, using the two homeruns, three singles and an error, to improve his batting average to.230. Rymer Liriano (four hits), Jason Hagerty (four), Reymond Fuentes (three) and Brian Bixler (two) also had multi-hit nights. Fuentes, who was 3-for-6, scored three runs and hit his third homerun of the season, a two-run shot to right field in the seventh which put the Missions ahead Perhaps overshadowed by the offensive onslaught, but no less impressive was San Antonio starter Josh Geer (2-5), who struck out five batters through six scoreless innings of three-hit baseball. Jeff Ibarra and Adys Portillo clinched the shutout victory with the final three innings of scoreless relief. Saturday, May 24: L, Arkansas With a 4-2 loss to Arkansas at Dickey-Stephens Park, San Antonio had their modest six game winning snapped. In the fourth inning The Missions scored the game s first run when Rymer Liriano drove in Yeison Asencio with a sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, they were unable to record another baserunner against Travs starter Michael Roth until the ninth inning. San Antonio starter Jesse Hahn tossed four scoreless frames of two-hit baseball, but his relief, Devin Jones was unable to do as well. Jones (4-3) allowed all four Travs runs (three earned) on five hits over the next 2.1 innings. In the ninth, San Antonio left fielder Adam Buschini drilled a one-out homerun to left field, before Asencio followed with a single to right field. Unfortunately for the visitors, the uprising ended there when the final two batters struck out swinging. Buschini, whose homerun was his first this year, and Asencio each collected two of the Missions six hits in the loss. Sunday, May 25: L, Arkansas In a 3-2 loss at Arkansas, Missions batters struck out 12 times while recording just five hits. San Antonio starter John Hussey (1-3) allowed all three Travs runs (two earned) on five hits in 5.2 innings of work. The Missions bats lone run came in the fifth when Casey McElroy blasted a solo homer. Five different batters recorded one of the Missions five hits, including McElroy s third longball of the year.

30 Information Texas League Standings - Texas League Attendance - Texas League Batting Leaders - Texas League Pitching Leaders - Texas League Website - Copyright 2014 Texas League, All rights reserved