Riding Through the Farm: May 27
“Riding Through the Farm” is your weekly look at what’s going on in the Rangers organization outside of Frisco.
TEXAS RANGERS (27–20, 2nd place, AL West)
The Rangers tallied two consecutive wins to take a three-game home series from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Tuesday night, former Rider Nomar Mazara blasted a monstrous home run to right field that traveled a projected 491 feet, according to Statcast™. It was the longest home run of the 2016 season so far, traveling 16 feet farther than Giancarlo Stanton’s 475-foot home run on May 6.
Wednesday afternoon, the Rangers offense totaled new season-highs in runs (15) and hits (18) to defeat the Angels 15–9 in the series finale. The team begins another three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Yu Darvish expected to make his first MLB start of the 2016 season Saturday. Darvish made five Minor League rehab starts, including three with the RoughRiders.
Tonight: vs. Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m. CT (SP: LHP Cole Hamels)
TRIPLE-A ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (25–21, 2nd, PCL American Southern Division)
While Frisco took 3-of-4 from the San Antonio Missions in the last home series at Dr Pepper Ballpark, the Express won three games against the Padres affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. Round Rock scored 46 runs on 66 hits in the four-game series against El Paso.
After Monday’s win against Tacoma, the Express were shut out by the Rainiers in back-to-back games. The team finally snapped its 27-inning scoreless streak Thursday when former Rider Brett Nicholas came through with a two-run single in the sixth inning. Round Rock defeated Tacoma 4–1 to split the series.
Tonight: vs. Reno, 7:05 p.m. CT (SP: LHP Michael Roth)
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CLASS-A ADVANCED HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (30–18, T-1st, California League South Division)
High Desert finishes out the month of May with a four-game road series against Lancaster. Despite losing two starting pitchers, Luis Ortiz and Yohander Mendez, and two relievers, John Fasola and Joe Filomeno, to Frisco, the Mavericks still lead the California League with 17 saves and are second with 421 strikeouts (8.8 Ks per game).
Travis Demeritte still leads the circuit with 13 home runs, 42 runs scored, and a .601 slugging percentage. Outfielder Scott Heineman is the only player hitting above the .300 mark, with a .307 average in 46 games played.
Tonight: at Lancaster, 8:35 p.m. CT (SP: TBD)
CLASS-A HICKORY CRAWDADS (28–19, 2nd, South Atlantic League Northern Division)
The Crawdads are in a bit of a slump, losing seven of their last 10 games. Hickory opened a four game series Thursday with a 3–1 loss to Greensboro. The ‘Dads play three more against the Grasshoppers before heading on the road to face the Delmarva Shorebirds, wrapping up the May slate.
Eric Jenkins leads the league with 24 stolen bases, and Dylan Moore is right behind him with 21. As a team, the Crawdads are first in the SAL with 103 stolen bases, 41 more than the second-place team Lexington. Hickory ranks second in the category in all of Minor League Baseball, trailing Salem by eight.
Tonight: vs. Greensboro, 6:00 p.m. CT (SP: RHP Dillon Tate)
- Steve
Baseball term of the day: punch drunk — Said of a player who has become overconfident or arrogant as the result of a string of hits.
(term from The Dickson Baseball Dictionary)
