Mendez quiets Corpus Christi in 3-1 Riders triumph

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (June 9, 2017) - Yohander Méndez , the Texas Rangers' top-rated pitching prospect, led the Frisco RoughRiders, Texas' Double-A affiliate, to a 3-1 win over the Corpus Christi Hooks Friday night in the series finale at Whataburger Field.
BIG MOMENTS

• Yohander Mendez fanned a season-high nine batters over six innings en route to his fourth win of the season. The southpaw surrendered one run on five hits and two walks.
• Michael O'Neill extended Frisco's lead to 3-1 in the seventh with a solo home run, his third in as many games.
• The Riders scored on a wild pitch in the third and grabbed a 2-0 lead on Juremi Profar's run-scoring single in the fifth.
• Reed Garrett earned his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.

KEY RIDERS PERFORMERS

• Yohander Mendez: W, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
• Michael O'Neill: 1-3, home run, RBI, run, walk
• Michael De Leon: 1-3, double, run, walk
• Cody Palmquist: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K

NEWS AND NOTES

• With another long ball Friday, Michael O'Neill homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. It was the first such feat for the Riders since Lewis Brinson did it July 9-11, 2016.
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa extended his on-base streak to 16 games with a walk in the first inning.
• With 12 more strikeouts Friday, Riders pitching has fanned 54 batters over the past five games, striking out at least 10 hitters in each contest.

WHAT'S NEXT
RoughRiders at Midland, Saturday, 7:00 p.m.
Probables: RHP Connor Sadzeck (3-4, 4.86 ERA) vs. RHP Grant Holmes (4-5, 5.50 ERA)
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 130 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].