Riders use six-run third inning to hand Justin Verlander loss

FRISCO, Texas (April 13, 2024) – The Frisco RoughRiders defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks by a final score of 10-3 on Saturday night at Riders Field.

Box Score

Justin Verlander (0-1) took the mound for a rehab start on Saturday night against Frisco in front of 11,622 fans at Riders Field. It was the 13th-largest crowd in franchise history.

Nathaniel Lowe spent his second rehab game with the RoughRiders as well, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored over five innings.

In the first inning, Aaron Zavala and Liam Hicks opened the frame with back-to-back hits, but Verlander was able to maneuver his way through two scoreless innings.

Emiliano Teodo cruised through his first three innings, allowing just one baserunner. He finished his outing with 4.0 innings pitched giving up just one run on no hits, four walks and five strikeouts.

The RoughRiders offense then sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning against Verlander, scoring six runs. Frainyer Chavez opened the scoring with a double that plated Cody Freeman. An error, a pair of singles and an RBI double by Abimelec Ortiz brought five more runs across, giving the Riders a 6-0 lead.

Verlander finished with a final line of 4.0 innings pitched, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out three.

Jordan Brewer scored the first run of the contest for Corpus Christi on a wild pitch by Teodo in the top of the fourth inning.

Michael Knorr came on in relief in the fifth and allowed two runs to score on a double by Freeman, bringing home Kellen Strahm and Ortiz. He was tagged for two more runs on an opposite field homer off the bat of Zavala in the eighth.

The RoughRiders lineup consisted of five multi-hit performances, coming from Zavala, Hicks, Ortiz, Freeman and Chavez. Zavala and Freeman each recorded two RBI.

Aidan Anderson (2-0) earned the win after spinning 3.0 innings, conceding two runs on two hits with three punchouts.

Next, the RoughRiders conclude their six-game series with the Houston Astros affiliated Hooks at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday, April 14th. RHP Nick Krauth (0-1, 14.73) will take the mound for Frisco against RHP Tyler Guilfoil (0-1, 4.50) for Corpus Christi.

Sunday marks the final game of the homestand and the Riders will celebrate former RoughRider and current Ranger Josh Jung with a baseball card giveaway at the gates. It is also Kids Sunday Funday presented by Raising Canes with kids centered activities throughout Riders Field.

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].