'Hounds Go Back-to-Back ... Franchise's Best All-Time?
The RockHounds wrote another chapter in franchise history Friday night, completing a sweep of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals to win the 2015 Texas League championship - - - the first-ever back-to-back titles in 44 years of Cubs, Angels and RockHounds baseball.
With a record-setting season now capped with the Texas League title, a strong case can be made that the 2015 RockHounds are the best club in franchise history. A 35-35 first half was followed by the franchise's best (by five games) half-season ever (48-22). The 'Hounds then went 6-1 in the playoffs, defeating an outstanding Corpus Christi team (3-1) to win the South Division Championship Series before sweeping the Naturals.
Parker Frazier's complete game three-hit shutout ... another franchise postseason first ... was backed by an 11-hit attack, one in which every RockHounds hitter reached base. Josh Whitaker, Renato Nuñez, Ryon Healy and Beau Taylor had two hits each to lead the club.
The RockHounds broke a scoreless tie in the fourth. Anthony Aliotti was hit by a (1-2) pitch and Nuñez singled to center. Healy and Matt Olson followed with back-to-back RBI doubles and Whitaker capped the pivotal rally with a two-run single.
The 'Hounds added three more runs in the sixth, including Whitaker's third monster home run of the postseason, a towering drive to left field. A bases-loaded walk from Colin Walsh and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Anthony Aliotti produced the game's final two runs.
Whitaker, who returned to the lineup after missing three games due to a right hand injury, picked up where he left off in the division series. The 'Hounds left fielder led the club with three RBI in the final game and the home run was his third in four playoff games (see below).
Frazier's road to the title-clinching shutout was remarkable. Released at the end of spring training by the San Diego Padres, Parker found himself pitching for the Bridgeport Bluefish of the (independent) Atlantic League to open the season. After a short stint with Arizona, he was traded to Oakland in mid-June and assigned to the 'Hounds, going 4-3 with a 3.22 in 11 starts (including three combination shutouts).
After struggling against Corpus Christi in the opener of the divisional playoff series (5.0 IP …. 9 H … 7 R / ER), Frazier was outstanding Friday night, scattering three hits with two walks and striking out a (personal) season-high nine batters. Only twice did the Naturals get a runner into scoring position, the last of those in the ninth. Parker Morin singled (he had two of Northwest Arkansas' three hits) and advanced to third base with two outs. Jorge Bonifacio then sent a sinking line drive to left field, where Whitaker's outstanding catch sealed the shutout and the title.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY 1: Including the postseason (6-1), the RockHounds went 40-14 in the last 54 games … a winning percentage of .741.
STAT OF THE DAY 2: The last time the 'Hounds lost consecutive games in 2015 was July 18 and 19.
STAT OF THE DAY 3: The shutout was the third in postseason franchise history (including 2014's game 5) and the first complete game shutout.
- The RockHounds hit .301 as a team with a 3.34 ERA in the 2015 Texas League playoffs.Among the club's top hitters in the playoffs:
Josh Whitaker: .500 (7-14) 5 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K
Jaycob Brugman: .429 (9-21) 7 R, 3 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K
Renato Nuñez: .407 (11-27) 4 R, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 HBP
Anthony Aliotti: .407 (11-27) 5 R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HBP
Ryon Healy: .355 (11-31) 5 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 7 K
Beau Taylor: .333 (4-12) 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, 3 K … had the club's only SB in the playoffs
- Renato Nuñez led the Texas League playoffs with 12 RBI … Jaycob Brugman's four home runs (hit in four consecutive games, each at Security Bank Ballpark) set a franchise mark for a single postseason … the previous mark was three, set by Jeremy Brown (2005) and Josh Donaldson (2009) … Josh Whitaker tied Josh & Browny with three HR (in four games) home runs.
Texas League Champions
- The 'Hounds are just the 12th club since 1902 to win two (or more) consecutive Texas League titles and just the sixth in the last 60 years.
- The Texas League championship captured by the 2015 RockHounds is the fifth in franchise history and the fourth outright title - - - (Midland Cubs in 1975 and the RockHounds in 2005, 2009, 2014 and 2015). All four outright championships have come during the RockHounds / Oakland A's era (which began in 1999) and all four have come in the last 11 seasons.
- The sweep was the first ever by a Cubs, Angels or RockHounds team in a postseason series.
- Ryan Christenson joins Von Hayes (2005), Darren Bush (2009) and Aaron Nieckula (2014) in guiding the club to a Texas League crown.