"You Complete Me" - - - A Jerry Maguire Kind of Game
The RockHounds' 8-2 win Saturday night at Hammons Field in Springfield was one of the most "complete" victories of the season. The club backed (another) outstanding pitching performance with a balanced (13-hit) attack, fueled by the league's top power hitter, and an excellent defensive effort, highlighted by a pair of key outfield assists. The result was a rare lop-sided win, the club's fifth in a row.
Daniel Gossett gave up a run in the bottom of the first on a walk, a single and Luke Voit's RBI double, then pitched five shutout innings, allowing just three hits and one walk (the right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.67 and earned his fourth win). Trey Cochran-Gill, who has not allowed a run in 17 of his last 20 appearances, pitched two scoreless innings and Kris Hall, in his second appearance since rejoining the RockHounds from a five-week stint at the A's complex in Arizona, gave up one run before closing the game in the ninth.
Every batter in the order had at least one hit as the RockHounds slowly took command of the game. Matt Chapman led the way, going 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a two-run double (see note, below). The home run, Chapman's league-leading 29th, was a towering drive that went out over the 400-foot marker in straightaway center field in the fifth inning, giving the 'Hounds a 4-1 lead. Viosergy Rosa (2-for-5, solo home run) and Brett Vertigan (2-for-5, run) both had two hits, with Beau Taylor (see "Stat of the Day #3," below) reaching base in four of six trips.
J.P. Sportman saved at least two runs with a pair of outfield assists. The 'Hounds left fielder threw a perfect strike to Taylor to get Jhohan Acevado at the plate (ending the fifth) and started a 7-6-4 putout of Jesse Jenner, trying to stretch a single into a double in the last of the ninth.
The RockHounds
… are 34-15 in the second half and 67-52 overall … are an (overall) season high 15 games over .500 … have won five straight on the road trip and 14 of their last 18 games overall … are 33-25 at Security Bank Ballpark and 34-27 on the road … are 5-0 on the current road trip after the three-game sweep at Tulsa and with wins in the first two games at Springfield … are 6-2 in the season series with the Springfield Cardinals (2-1 at Security Bank Ballpark and 4-1 at Hammons Field) … are 26-15 vs. the North Division.
... saw their lead over San Antonio in the Texas League South Division second half race expand to nine games. San Antonio (25-24) erased an early 7-0 deficit at home against Northwest Arkansas, tying the game at 7-7, before falling to the Naturals (9-7) in 11 innings. Corpus Christi (23-26) dropped to 11 games back following an extra-innings loss to Arkansas and Frisco (18-31) is virtually eliminated, now 15 games back. There are 21 games remaining in the 2016 Texas League season (the 'Hounds will play 13 of the last 21 games at home).
... conclude their six-game road trip with the finale of a three-game series at Hammons Field in Springfield against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon at 2:10 p.m. Monday (August 15) is a league-wide off / travel day, with the RockHounds then opening a six-game homestand August 16-21.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT of the DAY # 1: In the first half of the 2016 Texas League season, the RockHounds were 33-37. Saturday's win was the club's 34th of the second half (34-15) and it came with 21 games remaining in the season.
STAT of the DAY # 2: The 'Hounds' 8-2 win Saturday matched the combined margin of victory (six runs) of the first four games of the road trip.
STAT of the DAY # 3: Beau Taylor went 1-for-3 with three walks, two runs and two RBI Saturday and is now 10-for-23 with seven runs, two doubles, four RBI and five walks in his last six games … a .435 average and a .536 on-base percentage. His partner in the RockHounds' catching corps, Andy Paz, is 13-for-21 (.619) in his last six games … making the duo a combined 23-for-44 (.523).
- Matt Chapman now has six more home runs (29) and eight more RBI (83) than Tulsa's Willie Calhoun, who ranks second in both categories.