Frisco Loses 3rd Straight
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SPRINGFIELD, MO. – The Frisco RoughRiders led early but fell to the Springfield Cardinals by a 3-2 score on Wednesday night at Hammons Field. It was the third straight loss for the RoughRiders, all of them coming by one run.
Rougned Odor gave the RoughRiders (18-28, 57-59) an early lead, clubbing his first Double-A home run to give Frisco a 1-0 lead. The 19-year-old second baseman hit five with Myrtle Beach before his promotion last Thursday. Springfield’s starting pitcher Richard Castillo settled in after that, retiring the next two batters to end the top of the first. It was the beginning of a stretch of nine in-a-row set down by the right-hander.
Earlier in the day, the RoughRiders activated right-handed pitcher Neil Ramirez off the disabled list, and he made the start on Wednesday. Ramirez tossed two scoreless innings in his first outing since July 19. He allowed one base hit and faced the minimum.
Springfield (23-23, 56-58) faced Frisco’s Arlett Mavare next. The ‘Riders’ first reliever faced the minimum in the third and fourth despite allowing two singles because of the help of his defense. In the third, Frisco turned a 4-6-3 double play, and Tomas Telis threw out Ruben Gotay attempting to steal in the fourth.
The score remained 1-0 ‘Riders into the bottom of the fifth, but the Texas League’s second-most prolific home run hitter, Xavier Scruggs, blasted his 24th long ball to lead off the frame against Mavare. The homer tied things up at 1-1.
That tie was short lived. Frisco’s home run leader Brett Nicholas answered with a solo blast of his own in the next half frame. With two outs in the top of the sixth, the ‘Riders first baseman blasted his 19th to retake the lead at 2-1.
The Cardinals answered right back against Mavare in the sixth. Jordan Ramsey coaxed a
leadoff walk. With one out in the inning, Colin Walsh singled to put men at the corners. Mavare then balked, sending Walsh to second and Ramsey home to tie things up at 2-2. Mavare then walked the bases loaded to end his night. Jimmy Reyes induced a groundout off the bat of Cody Stanley to end the inning and keep the game tied.
After a perfect seventh, Reyes surrendered a leadoff walk to begin the eighth. After retiring Walsh on a pop up, Reyes exited the ballgame. Lisalverto Bonilla entered to try and keep the contest tied. Former major leaguer Ruben Gotay went after the first pitch from Bonilla, doubling over Joe Benson’s head in center field. The double brought home Ramsey and gave the Cardinals their first lead of the night at 3-2.
The ‘Riders got Nicholas aboard to begin the ninth but could not bring him home. Benson was caught stealing at second to end the contest.
Justin Wright (1-1), who pitched a perfect eighth and hit Nicholas to begin the ninth inning, earned the win. Reyes (1-4) suffered the defeat. Jose Almarante picked up his first save as a Cardinal, getting the last two outs in the ninth.
The RoughRiders complete their set in Springfield against the Cardinals on Thursday night at 7:09 p.m. Luke Jackson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start as a RoughRiders pitcher against the Cardinals’ Tim Cooney (6-7, 4.34 ERA). Fans can tune in to the play-by-play broadcast on www.RidersBaseball.com beginning at 6:45.
The ‘Riders return to Frisco for a six-game home stand on Tuesday, August 13 against the Cardinals. Tickets remain available and may be purchased at the Dr Pepper Ballpark box office, at www.RidersBaseball.com or by calling (972) 731-9200.
