RoughRiders Lose In Midland
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MIDLAND, TEXAS – Two days after the Frisco RoughRiders won with a walk-off sacrifice fly, they were handed a loss via the walk off, a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Midland RockHounds Sunday afternoon at Citibank Ballpark. The loss ended Frisco’s winning streak at three games and took them out of a tie for first place in the Texas League.
Midland (14-16) did to Frisco (17-13) what the RoughRiders did on Saturday-score big in the first. All three runs scored by the RockHounds off starter Carlos Pimentel came in the first inning. Three of the first four runners reached base, including a three-run home run from Jeremy Barfield to make it 3-0 Midland.
Pimentel really settled in after that. All three of his walks came in the first two innings. In total, the right-hander went six innings, allowing just the three runs on four hits. He fanned eight to go along with the three walks and leads all Rangers minor leaguers in strikeouts (42). His effort allowed Frisco to get back into the game.
On the other side, Murphy Smith cruised to begin the afternoon for Midland. The RockHounds starter faced just one over the minimum in the first three frames. In the fourth, however, Frisco go to him.
Hanser Alberto and Jared Hoying led off with back-to-back singles. Brett Nicholas followed with a walk to load the bases. Tomas Telis brought two home when he hit a ball off the
glove of the first baseman Anthony Aliotti. Two batters later, Teodoro Martinez brought another with an RBI single to tie the game at three apiece.
Midland took a 4-3 lead in seventh inning. Phil Klein allowed a lead off back-to-back singles and faced a second-and-third situation with just one out after a sacrifice bunt. He got consecutive strikeouts to end the inning, but not before a wild pitch put Midland ahead 4-3.
Frisco rallied to tie it in the next half-inning on Hoying’s second single to make it 4-4. It stayed that way into the ninth inning. Frisco went three up, three down against Kyler Newbie in the top half.
Ryan Rodebaugh couldn’t keep Midland from ending the game in the regular nine innings. Dusty Coleman led off the inning with a single and Beau Taylor walked. After a sacrifice bunt, Frisco elected to intentionally walk D’Arby Myers to load the bases for Chad Oberacker. The left-fielder, who knocked in both of Midland’s runs Saturday, lined a base hit to center to score Coleman, ending the game in walk-off fashion, 5-4 RockHounds.
Rodebaugh (1-1) took the loss, while Newbie (1-3) notched his first win of the year in relief.
Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez (0-0, -.– ERA) makes his first rehab start Monday, taking the ball for the RoughRiders, as they continue their series in Midland at 6:30 p.m. Opposing Frisco is Midland starter Zach Neal (2-0, 2.06 ERA). Fans can tune in to the play-by-play broadcast on www.RidersBaseball.com beginning at 6:10.
Frisco will return to Dr Pepper Ballpark Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. when they host Midland. For information on tickets to see the RoughRiders in 2013, please call (972) 731-9200, email info@ridersbaseball.com or visit www.ridersbaseball.com.
