Keyber Rodriguez delivers go-ahead grand slam in Riders 8-5 win

SPRINGDALE, Arkansas (August 29, 2024) – The Frisco RoughRiders defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 8-5 on Thursday evening from Arvest Ballpark.

Box Score

Northwest Arkansas (25-28, 60-62) opened the scoring against Frisco (31-23, 75-48) starter Mitch Bratt. After a one-out error, Josh Lester belted a two-run homer to left to help the Naturals to a 2-0 lead in the first inning for the second consecutive night.

In the home half of the second inning, Jack Pineda delivered a two-run double to extend the Naturals lead to 4-0.

The Riders found the run column in the top of the fourth inning. Cody Freeman mashed a leadoff double before scoring on an RBI single by Abimelec Ortiz. Luis Mieses made it a 4-2 game, driving in Ortiz with a single to left.

After allowing four runs (three earned) in his first two innings Bratt settled in to spin 6.0 innings, surrendering just the three earned runs on five hits and two walks while fanning five.

The Naturals extended their lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI groundout by Tyler Tolbert against Ricky DeVito (4-0).

Trailing 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning, Keyber Rodriguez mashed a go-ahead grand slam against Anderson Paulino. Two batters later Alejandro Osuna added a 403-foot solo homer to give Frisco a 7-5 lead and make it three consecutive multi-hit games for the lefty.

Seth Clark worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth, allowing a leadoff single before getting out of the inning with a double play and a groundout.

Ortiz padded the Riders lead with an RBI single in the top of the ninth, plating Freeman to push the lead to 8-5.

Skylar Hales worked a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout, extending the Riders winning streak to four games with his third save of the season.

Offensively, Frisco logged 12 hits as Mieses led the charge with three. Osuna, Freeman and Ortiz each collected two hits and Rodriguez paced the team with four RBI.

The RoughRiders continue a six-game set on the road against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City Royals affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, August 28th. The Riders will turn to RHP Nick Krauth (8-5, 5.60) against RHP Steven Zobac (5-2, 2.33) for the Naturals.

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 and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team celebrated its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. 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, Bullpen Bar, 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 200 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Evan Carter and Leody Taveras. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].