Leiter, Chavez lead Riders to win in series finale

MIDLAND, Texas (August 27, 2023) – The Frisco RoughRiders dropped the Midland RockHounds 8-2 from Momentum Bank Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.

Box Score

For the third game in a row, Frisco (27-24, 58-61) took an early lead in the first inning, plating two runs. Evan Carter started the scoring with an RBI double before Kellen Strahm added on with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the first, Midland (28-23, 60-60) hit a solo homer off of Jack Leiter, but it was the only run the starter would surrender. Leiter finished with a line of 3.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four and not walking a batter. After spending 44 days on the Development List, Leiter had his first start of the season without walking a batter and the first start of more than one inning without a walk since May 7th, 2022.

In the bottom of the second, Frainyer Chavez blasted a three-run home run to make it 5-1 Frisco. It marked back-to-back days with a homer for Chavez and his third of the season.

After Midland put up a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the score to 5-2, Frisco answered with two in the fifth inning when Strahm scored on a wild pitch and Chavez singled Keyber Rodriguez home.

Chavez then struck again with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to push the lead to 8-2.

On the mound, Reid Birlingmair (1-0) earned his first career Double-A win while Matt Bush, Robby Ahlstrom, Triston Polley and Antoine Kelly all threw scoreless innings from the bullpen.

Offensively, Strahm had his second multi-hit game in a row and Chavez's five RBIs tied a season best for the RoughRiders.

The Riders return home next week to kick off a two-week homestand that starts Tuesday, August 29th at 7:05 p.m. against the Corpus Christi Hooks. Get your tickets now at 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 is celebrating 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, Grant Anderson and Martin Perez. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].