Jared & The '27 Yankees Win, 8-3

RockHounds 8, Frisco RoughRiders 3

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Momentum Bank Ballpark

It was “Foyle, Schwarz & White” instead of “Ruth & Gehrig,” but the RockHounds produced eight runs on three home runs Sunday afternoon to back a tremendous performance from starter Jared Koenig in an 8-3 win over Frisco RoughRiders at Momentum Bank Ballpark.

The RockHounds struck quickly, taking a 2-0 lead just two batters into the game. Max Schuemann (see “Kibbles & Bits,” below) singled to lead off the last of the first and Devin Foyle followed with a line drive, two-run home run into the right field bullpen.

The score was still 2-0 in the fifth when Jonah Bride drew a two-out walk and JJ Schwarz lifted a two-run home run over the left field wall.

The RoughRiders got on the board in the sixth and added two more runs in the top of the eighth, drawing to within 4-3, but the ‘Hounds answered with one last (and decisive) swing of the bat.

Reliever Alex Speas (who flirted with 100 mph on the radar gun) walked Jake Suddleson and Logan Davidson to open the last of the eighth and Edwin Diaz punched an 0-2 pitch into right field to load the bases. Mikey White then unloaded on a 1-2 delivery, sending a grand slam home run out to deep left-center field to blow the game open.

Koenig, who was roughed up (pun intended) by the Riders in Tuesday’s series opener was in an early jam after giving up a one-out double to Josh Smith in the top of the first. The left-hander not only escaped, he retired the next 14 batters he faced before giving up a run on two hits in the sixth. Koenig allowed one run on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts in a six-inning quality start, earning his sixth win and lowering his ERA to 3.40 (second-best in the Double-A Central).

The victory gave the ‘Hounds a split of the (six-game) series and back-to-back wins as they hit the road for Corpus Christi next week.

Kibbles & Bits

Max Schuemann ripped an 0-2 pitch into center field in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 28 games.

He finished the game just 1-for-5 but … and It is NOT “cheerleading” … should have been 2-for-5. Max sent an absolute laser toward the left field line in the fifth inning, only to have Frisco third baseman Davis Wendzel make a tremendous catch (brilliant thievery) on the line drive.

Max is hitting .410 in the 28-gamer and … oh, by the way … is now also on a 10-game hit streak (16-45, .356).

Next Up

Monday, September 6 is a league-wide off day.

September 7-12 vs. the Hooks at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, TX

Back at Rocky Town to Open the Final Homestand of the Season – Tuesday, September, 14

September 14-19 RockHounds host the Tulsa Drillers to close the 2021 season. Highlights include:

Thirsty Thursday ( September 16) … RockHounds Cap Night (Friday, September 17) … and Saturday night fireworks (September 18).