Late offense spurs comeback win for RoughRiders

WICHITA, Kansas (April 7, 2024) – The Frisco RoughRiders came from behind twice on Sunday afternoon, eventually topping the Wichita Wind Surge 12-8 from Riverfront Stadium. The win captured the series for Frisco, taking it two-games-to-one.

Box score

Trailing 6-3 into the seventh, RoughRiders (2-1) grabbed a pair of runs, starting with a Scott Kapers solo home run for the first Riders long ball of the year. Liam Hicks then doubled in another run to push the Riders within one run, 6-5.

In the top of the eighth, Frainyer Chavez singled home the game-tying run and Geisel Cepeda gave the Riders the 7-6 lead with an RBI single of his own. Both hits were their first hits of the season.

Wichita (1-2) retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run throwing error by first baseman Abimelec Ortiz, but he atoned for it immediately, lacing a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the ninth for Frisco. It was a five-run ninth, featuring a Josh Hatcher RBI single, a double steal which produced a run and a Kapers sacrifice fly.

Maximo Acosta led the way for the Riders with three hits, including two doubles.

In the first, the Riders jumped out in front with three quick runs. Ortiz started the scoring with an RBI double, his first RBI of his Double-A career, and Hatcher added another RBI two-bagger before Cody Freeman scored on a balk to make it 3-0.

The Wind Surge then answered with six runs of their own in the bottom of the first, but Frisco was able to return from the 6-3 deficit.

Aidan Anderson (1-0) was both charged with the blown save and given the win in relief while Miguel Rodriguez (0-1) was saddled with the loss after pitching in the ninth.

Next, the RoughRiders head home to start a six-game series with the Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros) at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9th. RHP Ryan Garcia (0-0, -.--) will take the ball for Frisco against RHP Jaime Melendez (0-0, -.--) for Corpus. Get to the ballpark early for a 2024 Schedule Poster giveaway and stay late for a postgame fireworks show powered by Pyro Shows of Texas.

The RoughRiders host their 2024 Home Opener on Tuesday, April 9th at 6:35 p.m. with tickets starting at just $11. For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.

About the RoughRiders

The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team celebrated its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, Bullpen Bar, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 190 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Evan Carter and Leody Taveras. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].