AAA: Round Rock 10, at El Paso (SDG) 4
Round Rock: 16 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 75-63, 2 GB
SP Kolby Allard: 5 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 4 R, 4 BB, 9 SO, 99 P / 61 S, 5.00 ERA
RP Grant Anderson: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 6.75 ERA
2B Ezequiel Duran: 2-5, 2B, .264/.298/.491
1B Yohel Pozo: 3-5, 2B, .344/.379/.507
DH Blaine Crim: 5-5, 2B
SS Ryan Dorow: 1-5, HR (5), .241/.327/.355
Blaine Crim went 5-5. Only two balls were hit in excess of 74 MPH, but they all count. (Sometimes Statcast is a spoilsport.) In any case, the performance serves to remind that Crim is actually a fairly well-rounded hitter, not an all-or-nothing type. His career professional batting average is .308.
Kolby Allard made what I consider a quality start for the Mountain Time Zone.
AA: Frisco 3, at NW Arkansas (KAN) 6
Frisco: 5 hits, 9 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 36-29, 2.5 G up, 72-62 overall, magic number 1
SP Seth Nordlin: 4 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 63 P / 41 S, 3.44 ERA
CF Evan Carter: 2-3, SB (2)
Down 3-0 in the 6th, Frisco tied the game on just two singles plus three walks. Northwest Arkansas quickly responded with three off Marc Church, and the Riders were quiet afterwards. Church maintained his previous dominance in his first four appearances upon promotion to AA, but since then: 9.2 innings, nine runs, four homers, a .333/.417/.643 opposing line. In terms of the upcoming postseason, the Riders could use another reliable arm. Four of the top five in both games finished and saves (Ozuna, Anderson, Lee, Jacobsen) have moved on to Round Rock.
Only newcomer Evan Carter had two hits. Jonathan Ornelas, Aaron Zavala and Trevor Hauver drew two walks apiece.
Midland also lost. One Frisco win or one Midland loss in the next three days will secure the second-half division title. The Riders last reached the postseason in 2014.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Winn
AA: Englert