Marty McFly 5, Captain Kirk 1

'Hounds benefit from Frisco miscues in series opener

By Bob Hards

June 12, 2016

The Frisco RoughRiders had a Star Trek night at the ballpark on Saturday night (and the graphics were outstanding, by the way), while the RockHounds had more of a Back to the Future theme. The 'Hounds won the "cinematic battle" (and the game), 5-1, at Dr Pepper Ballpark.

Chris Jensen returned to the form that made him a Texas League All-Star in 2014 and Matt Chapman broke out of big time slump (see "Stat of the Day," below), looking very much like the hitter who was named the Texas League Playoff MVP in that same (championship) 2014 season.

Jensen turned in a quality start, going seven innings and allowing one earned run on five hits and one hit batsman, while striking out a (personal season-high) seven batters and "Chappy" went 3-for-5, driving in two key insurance runs with a ninth-inning single.

The RoughRiders committed four errors, leading to four unearned runs, and the RockHounds took advantage, scoring in the first (on a Viosergy Rosa RBI double), fourth (on Josh Rodriguez's infield single) and ninth (Chapman's two-run single), each set up by a Frisco miscue. Rosa has now hit in three straight games (5-for-11, with three doubles, three RBI and two walks).

The loss was costly for Frisco, as Corpus Christi, on Alex Bregman's 10th-inning walk-off home run, defeated San Antonio, 5-4. The Hooks now lead the RoughRiders by 3.5 games with 10 to play in the South Division first half race.

The RockHounds

… are 29-31 (14-14 at Security Bank Ballpark and 15-17 on the road) … have won two straight … have dropped six of eight … are 2-3 on their eight-game road trip … are 3-6 versus Frisco (3-2 at Dr Pepper Ballpark and 0-4 at Security Bank Ballpark) … are 17-19 versus the South.

… are nine games behind front-running Corpus Christi in the Texas League South, with 11 games (10 days) remaining in the first half race.

… continue their eight-game road trip, taking on Frisco on Sunday (6:05 p.m.), Monday (7:05 p.m.) and Tuesday (11:05 a.m.) at Dr Pepper Ballpark. The 'Hounds then return home next Wednesday (June 15) to open a 12-day, 13-game homestand at Security Bank Ballpark.

Kibbles & Bits

STAT of the DAY Matt Chapman entered Saturday night's game in one of "those" slumps - - - 4-for-50 (29 strikeouts). On Saturday night, "Chappy" had THREE hits in FIVE at-bats, with two of the hits coming on 0-2 pitches (and a two-run single on an 0-1 pitch).

ALUM of the DAY Daniel Mengden's remarkable season continued Saturday when the right-hander made his Major League debut, making the start for Oakland against the Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The "best moustache in baseball" took the loss, but the final score was 2-1 and Mengden was more than solid, going 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and four walks, while striking out five.

Acquired by Oakland in a trade with Houston last July, Mengden opened the season (his first at the Double-A level) with the RockHounds and was dominate, going 2-0, 0.78 in four starts (15 hits, 12 walks and 28 strikeouts in 23 innings). Promoted to (AAA) Nashville on May 1, he continued a breakthrough season with a 3-1 record on 1.39 ERA in seven starts.

The winning pitcher in Cincinnati's 2-1 win was also a former RockHound - - Dan Straily. As a member of the 2012 'Hounds, Straily set a franchise record, striking out 15 batters (May 18, against Corpus Christi at Security Bank Ballpark). Straily has been outstanding for Cincinnati - - - while the Reds are 24-38 overall, the former RockHound is now 4-2 with a 3.18 ERA.