'Riders' Mendez, Wiles each go the distance

Double-A Frisco pitching coach Brian Shouse was confident he had the horses to get through Saturday night's doubleheader against Arkansas.
He may not have expected both of his starters to go the distance. 
Yohander Méndez tossed the first complete game of his five-year career in the RoughRiders' 7-0 victory in the opener before Collin Wiles went seven scoreless in a 2-0 win in the nightcap at Dr Pepper Ballpark.

"I think this was a first, so it was a good day for the team and for both of them," Shouse said. "I thought they just attacked the zone, they went after the hitters. I thought they did a good job of going in and out with the fastball and changing eye levels at times and just kept guys off-balance and got some quick outs."
Mendez, the Rangers' No. 2 prospect and ranked No. 49 overall by MLB.com, matched the longest outing of his career by scattering three hits, striking out five and walking one. 
"I know that Yohander was looking to establish the fastball early on and try to get some quick outs," Shouse said. "For the most part, I felt like he kind of attacked and kept things down. When you do have a chance to go 0-2, 1-2, make that good pitch off the plate."

In 11 starts this season, the 22-year-old has a 3.52 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 69 innings while holding opponents to a .196 batting average. Saturday's outing marked the third time this season that the left-hander went seven innings without allowing an earned run, including a no-hit bid through seven scoreless frames in May.
True to his 1.06 WHIP, Mendez notched just two clean innings, but allowed only one runner into scoring position. After plunking Chuck Taylor to open the game, he got a strikeout and a flyout before the Travelers' center fielder swiped second.
"What he's able to do when guys get on there is that he focuses a little bit more," Shouse said. "[Mendez is] just really able to execute the pitches when he needs to. He's able just to come up with that big pitch ... to help him get out of those innings."
The native of Venezuela surrendered a two-out single to Jeff Kobernus in the second and a leadoff hit to Tyler Marlette in the fourth before getting Kyle Waldrop to bounce into a double play. He gave up another single to Keury De La Cruz to start the fifth and walked Marlette with two outs in the sixth.
Mendez retired the final four batters he faced, capped by back-to-back strikeouts. The Rangers' top pitching prospect has relied heavily on his above-average changeup this season, but he's recently developed a better feel for his fastball and slider.
"He's able to throw really just about any pitch that he wants to right now for that big pitch," Shouse said. "He's got the confidence in his fastball now. He's been going to the fastball, he's been going to the slider, now the hitters can't sit back on that changeup anymore, they got to respect the other pitches as well."

In the nightcap, Wiles surrendered two hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Mendez and Wiles lost in their previous starts against Arkansas on May 27 and May 28, respectively. 
"I think they both remembered what they were able to do and what they weren't able to do, and I think they kind of stuck with that game plan," Shouse said. "I think they both accomplished what they set out to do."

Of the nine runs the RoughRiders scored Saturday, eight came via the long ball, including three from Royce Bolinger. The first baseman, who had gone yard twice this season, belted a solo shot and a two-run blast in the opener before going deep to lead off the fifth in the nightcap. 
Luke Tendler contributed a solo shot and Isiah Kiner-Falefa added a three-run homer in the first game. Kiner-Falefa also doubled home a run in the first inning of the second game,