White's Three RBIs Lead RockHounds to Win

RockHounds 6, Corpus Christi Hooks 2
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Security Bank Ballpark
A four-run seventh inning, built on on a barrage of extra-base hits, was the difference Thursday night as the RockHounds broke a 2-2 tie to defeat the Corpus Christi Hooks, 6-2, in the opener of a four-game series at Security Bank Ballpark.
Back-to-back triples started the "stretch inning" rally. Edwin Diaz led off with a high drive to left and Luis Barrera followed with a scorching line drive that was hit directly in the wind (see below) and ended up near the wall at the right edge of the batter's eye. It was his Texas League-leading fifth three-bagger of the season and came in just his 20^th game.
Mikey White then lifted a towering fly ball into the left field bullpen, his first home run of the year, pushing the lead to 5-2. Walks to Luke Persico and Nate Mondou set the table for Dairon Blanco's RBI double down the left field line to cap the scoring.
Kyle Friedrichs joined the RockHounds from Stockton and made his 2019 debut Thursday night. The right-hander went five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Corpus Christi left-hander Brett Adcock matched Friedrichs through the first four innings, allowing three walks and no hits.
Blanco led off the fifth with a flair single to right-center and Kevin Merrell's infield single put runners at first and second with no outs. A wild pitch, one of Adcock's few mistakes, put runners in scoring position and RBI from Diaz (sac fly) and White (double) broke the scoreless tie.
Angel Duno pitched a 1-2-3 sixth in relief of Friedrichs but walked Stephen Wrenn to open the seventh. Wrenn stole second ( his 10^th steal in 11 attempts) before Abraham Toro ripped a line drive two-run home run into the right field bullpen to tie the game.
After the four-run seventh, Kyle Finnegan went the final two innings to seal the win.
Notable
The game marked the first meeting of the season between the division rivals (Amarillo and Frisco also met for the first time in 2019 on Thursday night).
The game featured perhaps a half-dozen exceptional defensive plays, none better than Chase Calabuig's over-the-shoulder grab a step (or less) from the left field wall off the bat of Corpus Christi's Lorenzo Quintana.
Mother Nature played a role as well. The wind was right-to-left and a bit inward (at 15-20 miles per hour throughout the game), making anything hit in the air a challenge.
South Division leader Frisco edged Amarillo, 5-4 (in 10 innings) in the Metroplex Thursday night. The RoughRiders (23-17) hold their two-and-a-half game lead over the RockHounds (20-19) with the Hooks (19-20) now three-and-a-half games out of the top spot and Amarillo (16-22) falling six games back (the Sod Poodles rallied to tie the game, 4-4, in the ninth, before falling in extras).
Mikey White (2-for-5, double, HR, three RBI) extended his on-base streak to 15 games (.281) and is now hitting .367 in his last seven games.
Most of that damage has come at Security Bank Ballpark, where Mikey is 9-for-his-last-18, with three doubles, a home run, and six RBI (in four games).
Luis Barrera (1-for-5, triple, RBI) has hit in five straight games (7-24, .292) with a double, two triples, a home run, and three RBI.
Next Game
Friday, May 17      vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Security Bank Ballpark           7:00 p.m. (Gates open 6:00)
Copa Night with the Matamoscas de Midessa
& RockHounds Caps for the first 500 fans
- Second of a four-game series and homestand
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 6:47 p.m.
Probable Starters              
CC: Tyler Ivey      (RH,            3-0, 0.86)
RH: Daulton Jefferies (RH,    0-0, 5.00)