Mr. Murphy? Meet Dinelson Lamet
A "Murphy's Law" of baseball is that, on a busy night (fireworks night, for example), the visiting team will steal the home club's thunder with a lop-sided victory ... a backside kicking.
One night after being shutout (on one hit) by the RockHounds, the San Antonio Missions returned the favor with a 16-0 bashing of the 'Hounds on a two-hit shutout.
The Missions scored four times in the first inning and never looked back. After the Missions added three more in the second, the RockHounds did have one good scoring opportunity in the second, loading the bases with one out, but failed to put a dent in the early deficit.
Dinelson Lamet, who went 7-1, with a 2.35 ERA for the Lake Elsinore Strom of the (Advanced-A) California League, earned his first Double-A win. The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native went six shutout innings, allowing just one hit (a second-inning single to Yairo Munoz), walking five batters and striking out nine.
Nick Torres, River Stevens and Gabriel Quintana led a 19-hit San Antonio attack (see below), driving in a combined 11 runs. Torres, one of the Texas League's top three hitters, went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs and two runs batted in. Stevens had the game's only home run (in the ninth off infielder-turned-reliever Wade Kirkland) and finished 4-for-5 with four runs, and four RBI. Quintana had a pair of doubles in a 3-for-5 night at the plate and drove in five runs for the Missions.
The RockHounds
… are 3-2 in the second half and 36-39 overall ... saw a three-game win streak snapped ... were shutout for the third time (the 'Hounds are 7-3 in shutout games) ... are 20-20 at Security Bank Ballpark and 16-19 on the road … are 9-10 versus San Antonio (7-5 at Rocky Town and 2-5 at Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio) ... are 6-6 entering Sunday's finale of the current homestand ... are 24-27 versus the South Division.
... host San Antonio Sunday to conclude their 12-day, 13-game home stand at Security Bank Ballpark. Sunday's first pitch is at 2:00 p.m. The Texas League All-Star Game (and break) follows Sunday's action.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT of the DAY: The last two games have been good old fashioned backside kickings (one each), with a combined winning score of 23-0 and the losing teams limited to a total of three hits.
INSULT to INJURY, Part 1 - - - Reliever Sam Bragg had not allowed a run in his last seven outings (11 innings). He entered the game in the sixth, with San Antonio leading, 7-0 and gave up five runs (earned) on seven hits over two innings of work.
INSULT to INJURY, Part 2 - - - Viosergy Rosa lost a 16-game on-base streak, going 0-for-4 (three strikeouts and grounded into a double play).
HISTORIC WHUPPINS - - - The last time the RockHounds lost by 16 runs was actually only a season ago ... and that was in seven innings. The 'Hounds fell, 16-0, at Arkansas in the opener of an April 20, 2015, doubleheader at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Sidebar: In the nightcap of that double-dip, Zach Neal and the RockHounds shut the Travelers out, 3-0. The 16-run margin of defeat in those two games is the largest dating back to at least 2005. In that same time frame, the RockHounds have three wins of 16 (or more) runs. The 'Hounds defeated Corpus Christi, 16-0 (June 12, 2010) and 24-6 (May 22, 2009), both at home and blasted the RoughRiders, 21-4, on September 5, 2015, at Frisco.
- Friday, San Antonio was shut out on one hit. Saturday, they scored three runs on two hits and a walk ... with their first three batters. The Missions established season highs in runs (16), hits (19) and RBI (19).
- Kyle McGrath's save lacked drama (other than maintaining the shutout), but he earned it by pitching the final three innings.