Ibanez's monster night vaults Riders to 13-2 win over Naturals

FRISCO, Texas (May 31, 2017) - Andy Ibáñez went 4-5, hit two home runs, and drove in a career-high six runs as the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, erupted for a 13-2 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Wednesday night at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
BIG MOMENTS

• Andy Ibanez blasted three-run homers in the second and third innings, driving in six runs as part of a 12-0 Riders onslaught over the first three innings.
• Frisco added a solo blast from Eric Aguilera and a two-run homer from Jose Cardona in the six-run third inning.
• Ariel Jurado tied a career-high, firing seven innings for the first time since May 22, 2016. The right-hander earned his fifth-consecutive win, yielding two runs on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.

KEY RIDERS PERFORMERS

• Andy Ibanez: 4-5, double, two home runs, six RBIs, two runs, walk
• Jose Cardona: 4-5, home run, two RBIs, run
• Eric Aguilera: 3-5, double, home run, RBI, three runs
• Ariel Jurado: W, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

NEWS AND NOTES

• Andy Ibanez set a new career-high driving in six runs, and tied a career-high with two homers.
• The Riders set season-highs in runs (13), hits (18), home runs (4) and extra-base hits (8) in Wednesday's win. The six runs in the third inning were also the most scored in a single inning this season.
• The Riders hit four home runs in a game for the first time since cranking four against Northwest Arkansas on July 11, 2016.
• Ariel Jurado finished the month of May 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA, bouncing back from a 1-3 record and 6.41 ERA in April.
• Jose Cardona extended his hitting streak to eight games with his second four-hit performance of the season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to nine games with a double in the eighth.

WHAT'S NEXT
RoughRiders vs. Northwest Arkansas, Thursday, 7:05 p.m.
Probables: RHP David Ledbetter (1-2, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Zach Lovvorn (2-3, 4.89 ERA)
Tickets: Click here
Video: MiLB.tv
Audio: RidersBaseball.com, TuneIn Radio App, MiLB First Pitch App
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their games at beautiful Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance in each of the last 12 seasons (2005-2016). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. The new ownership group, together with the city of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise improvements over the past two seasons, investing nearly $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a new state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store, and the newest and biggest creation, the 174-foot Choctaw Lazy River. The upgrades made prior to the 2015 season earned the Riders and the City of Frisco "Best Ballpark Renovation" of 2015 by Ballpark Digest. The same publication also honored the Choctaw Lazy River as the best ballpark improvement over $1 million for the 2016 season. More than 140 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including All-Stars Chris Davis, Adrián González, Ian Kinsler, and Nelson Cruz, as well as current Rangers stars Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders and Dr Pepper Ballpark, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact Art Garcia at [email protected] or Ryan Rouillard at [email protected].
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