Riders use late comeback in Opening Day win
FRISCO, Texas (April 8, 2022) – The Frisco RoughRiders used a two-run eighth inning to vault themselves to an Opening Night victory 5-4 over the Arkansas Travelers on Friday night from Riders Field. Box score With Frisco (1-0) trailing 4-3 to start the eighth, Josh Stowers knotted the score with
FRISCO, Texas (April 8, 2022) – The Frisco RoughRiders used a two-run eighth inning to vault themselves to an Opening Night victory 5-4 over the Arkansas Travelers on Friday night from Riders Field.
With Frisco (1-0) trailing 4-3 to start the eighth, Josh Stowers knotted the score with a ringing RBI double down the left field line. After a Dustin Harris strikeout, Ezequiel Duran ripped an RBI double into the left-center alley to give the Riders the lead, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch the double into a triple.
Chase Lee then earned his first save of the season by striking out a pair of Travelers (0-1) in a 1-2-3 inning.
To begin the scoring, the Riders jumped out in front early on in the third when J.P. Martinez hammered his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to give Frisco a 2-0 lead.
Arkansas struck right back in the fifth when Tanner Kirwer ripped an RBI single and Cade Marlowe plated another run on an RBI groundout to tie the game at 2-2.
Matt Whately then reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth and an error from Arkansas shortstop Jose Caballero allowed Kellen Strahm to come across and give the RoughRiders a 3-2 advantage.
In the top of the sixth, the Travs pushed across a pair of runs to nab the lead right back on an RBI double from Joe Rizzo and the go-ahead run scoring on a throwing error, making it 4-3 Arkansas, before the Riders mounted their comeback.
Throwing a scoreless eighth, Fer Ozuna (1-0) earned the victory while Devin Sweet (0-1) was saddled with his first loss for Arkansas.
The RoughRiders and Travelers will do battle on Saturday, April 9th at 6:35 p.m. for the second game of the three-game series from Riders Field. Rangers No. 1 prospect RHP Jack Leiter (0-0, -.--) will take the ball for the RoughRiders in his MiLB debut against RHP Levi Stoudt (0-0, -.--) for the Travelers.
Saturday marks the continuation of Division Champions Weekend with a pennant giveaway at the gates! After the game, the Riders will host fireworks for Sky-Leit Saturday, presented by Dr Pepper.
For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance for 15 consecutive seasons (2005-2019). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 170 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].