Profar, Cardona power RoughRiders' victory

Juremi Profar had been slumping. Jose Cardona had been on a roll. Both players were locked in on Tuesday.
Profar homered and drove in four runs, while Cardona collected a season-high four hits as Double-A Frisco topped Midland, 6-3, at Security Bank Ballpark. The duo accounted for five of the RoughRiders' six runs.

Profar, the Rangers' No. 26 prospect, opened the scoring in the first inning with a three-run blast to right field off third-ranked A's prospectGrant Holmes. It was the first time he went deep since April 9 and ended a 1-for-13 funk that spanned four games.
"Just trying to put the barrel on the ball," Profar said. "I've been struggling a little bit, so the only thing I'm trying to do is put the barrel on the ball."
Box score
The 21-year-old infielder produced another run with a one-out double to left in the eighth. In between, he popped to first base in both the third and fifth innings. Both hits came in at-bats that lasted two pitches or fewer.

Profar snapped a 14-game RBI drought. The native of Curacao came into the game with a .250/.270/.330 slash line in 28 games in his first Double-A season, but RoughRiders hitting coach Jason Hart did not feel any adjustment was warranted.
"The guys, they've got to understand that it's a big jump to Double-A," Hart said. "Guys make adjustments. You just have to stick with the process, you got to trust yourself and have a nice approach every day. The results haven't been there as much as we'd like them to be there, but I've been really happy with his at-bats."
Hart also said that a hot streak could be around the corner for the 2012 international signee.
"He's got the ability, we all know, to get really hot at any time," Hart said.
"I'm practicing a lot. I'm doing my work in the cage, staying with my plan, and it's been working," Profar added.
Cardona, meanwhile, recorded his fourth straight multi-hit game. The 23-year-old outfielder singled to right in the first, doubled to right in the third and fifth, then singled to third in the eighth. With 11 hits in 16 at-bats over his last four contests, Cardona has raised his average 46 points to .337, a mark that ranks sixth in the Texas League.

"He's just locked into his approach right now," Hart said. "He's trying to drive the ball hard through the middle. He's sticking to it and he's not trying to do too much. It's really good for all the other guys to see how convicted he is to try and accomplish what he's trying to do."
"He's on fire, man," Profar said with a laugh. "I'm so happy for him. I hope he keeps doing that."
Ariel Jurado (2-3), Texas' third-ranked prospect, picked up the win after allowing two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings.
Holmes (2-2) surrendered five runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts in five innings for the RockHounds.