Riders rout Naturals in series finale with four homers
FRISCO, TEXAS (July 11, 2016) - The Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, hit four home runs and put together an eight-run first inning in a 15-9 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in the series finale Monday afternoon at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
The RoughRiders (44-43 overall, 6-12 second half) scored eight runs against Naturals starter Ashton Goudeau (2-8), who only recorded one out in the first inning before exiting. Alberto Triunfel capped the scoring with his first home run of the season, a grand slam to left field, that made it 8-0 Riders. Frisco sent a season-high 12 batters to the plate in the inning.
Frisco continued to add to its run total with solo home runs from Preston Beck, Lewis Brinson, and Ryan Cordell in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, respectively. Brinson hit a home run in all three games of the series, and Beck and Cordell both hit homers Sunday as well. The RoughRiders finished the series with a total of 11 home runs as a team, the most in a series this season.
Although the Riders had an eight-run cushion after the first inning, Northwest Arkansas (39-49, 10-8) rallied and pulled as close as 10-7. The Naturals had three-run innings in both the third and sixth, including a three-run homer by Corey Toups off Yohander Mendez in the third. However, the Riders regained their eight-run cushion, thanks to Cordell's homer and a four-run seventh, and Mendez (4-0) earned the victory in his return from Triple-A Round Rock.
Mendez allowed four runs in five innings, with five hits, one walk and two strikeouts in the victory. Luis Ortiz worked the final four innings, surrendering five runs, three earned, on five hits to earn a four-inning save in his first relief appearance with the Riders.
Frisco's 15 runs and 17 hits were both season-highs. The 15 runs were tied for the third-most in known team history and the most since scoring 19 on July 22, 2011 against Corpus Christi.
With the victory, the Riders won their first series since June 3-5 vs. Springfield.
The Riders have an off day Tuesday before heading to Corpus Christi for a four-game series against the Hooks beginning Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Live coverage can be heard on the Frisco RoughRiders Radio Network, on the TuneIn Radio App, and the MiLB First Pitch App.
The RoughRiders return home Sunday, July 17 for a four-game series against the San Antonio Missions at Dr Pepper Ballpark. The four-game series features Christmas in July on Sunday. Tickets are available online at RidersBaseball.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (972) 731-9200, or in-person at the RoughRiders box office.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their games at beautiful Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance in each of the last 11 seasons (2005-2015). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg and Scott Sonju. The new ownership group, together with the city of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise improvements over the past two seasons, investing over $7 million in wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including the new state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store, and the newest and biggest creation, the 174-foot Choctaw Lazy River. The improvements made prior to the 2015 season earned the Riders and the City of Frisco "Best Ballpark Renovation" of 2015 by Ballpark Digest. More than 130 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including All-Stars Chris Davis, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Gonzalez, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, and C.J. Wilson as well as current Rangers stars Derek Holland, Rougned Odor, and Mitch Moreland. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders and Dr Pepper Ballpark, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact Nathan Barnett at (972) 334-1976 or via e-mail at [email protected].
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