Doctor Jekyll Richie & Mister Hyde Martin
In any walk of life, minor league baseball included, anyone can have a bad day - - even someone very good at his or her job. In his RockHounds debut Friday night, shortstop Richie Martin (a very good defender) had one of "those" days, committing four errors. Saturday night in Frisco, he had five. Five runs batted in, that is. Martin's 2-for-5 night at the dish included a two-run triple and a bases-loaded, three-run double. He led a 14-hit attack as the 'Hounds defeated the RoughRiders, 10-3, at Dr Pepper Ballpark in the opener of the regular season's final weekend.
Ben Bracewell (see "Moment of the Night," below) concluded a brilliant regular season with his eighth win, backed by an offense led by Martin and a huge night from game from Andy Paz, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored and an RBI. J.P. Sportman had a four-hit night (4-for-5 with a run and a stolen base) and Joe Bennie reached base in 4-of-5 trips to the plate (1-for-2, two walks, two runs and a HBP).
The 'Hounds built a 5-2 lead through four innings, then broke the contest open with a five-run fifth, capped by Martin's three-run double.
The RockHounds
… are 43-24 in the second half and 76-61 overall … finished the regular season 40-30 at Security Bank Ballpark and are 36-31 on the road … have won six of nine ... are 14-11 versus Frisco (7-6 at Security Bank Ballpark and 7-5 at Dr Pepper Ballpark) … are 47-42 vs. the South.
... will meet the Corpus Christi Hooks in the (best-of-five) South Division Championship Series beginning on Tuesday, September 7. Games 1 and 2 will be in Corpus Christi (September 7-8) with games 3, 4 and 5 (as needed) at Security Bank Ballpark (September 9-11).
... continue the final series of the 2016 regular season with a Sunday afternoon doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco. The RockHounds and RoughRiders are making up a game rained out (August 29) at Security Bank Ballpark, hence Sunday's double-dip. The clubs then wrap up the 2016 Texas League regular season with a Monday (Labor Day) late afternoon matinee at 4:05 p.m.
Kibbles & Bits
MOMENT of the DAY: When Ben Bracewell began his walk to the clubhouse after an outstanding start at Frisco, he tipped his cap to a group giving him a nice ovation. That "group" was the RockHounds' bullpen (the 'pens in Frisco are elevated, located just below the concourse, looking down at the diamond). The kudos from his teammates are well-deserved. Bracewell finishes the regular season 8-3, with a 2.14 earned run average. His 30 appearances included the first 10 starts of his pro career and his July ERA of 1.00 helped produce the lowest team ERA (2.19) in more than a decade (and quite possibly in franchise history … monthly records date back only to 2005). Subtracting a two-start "speed bump" (seven earned runs in seven innings, August 18 & 24), his remaining ERA was 1.55. The non-drafted free agent out of Mississippi State University signed with Oakland in July 2014.
- Pitcher Cody Stull has joined the RockHounds and pitched two scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk with one strikeout (seventh and eighth innings) in relief of Bracewell. Stull joins the 'Hounds after making two relief appearances for Triple-A Nashville (0-0, 4.50). Prior to joining the Pacific Coast League Sounds, the 24-year-old native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, had spent the entire season with Stockton of the Class-A Advanced California League, and was outstanding pitching out of the Ports' bullpen. In 36 relief appearances, the left-hander went 3-2, with a 1.46 earned run average (six saves in nine opportunities). In 55.2 innings, he allowed 48 hits and 11 walks with 63 strikeouts (a .231 opponent average and a 1.06 ERA). Selected by Oakland in the 29th round of the 2014 draft out of Belmont Abbey College (Belmont, North Carolina), Stull becomes just the second full-time left-hander on the RockHounds pitching staff this season, joining Brandon Mann (outfielder Danny Oh, also a lefty, faced one batter … and whiffed him … in "emergency relief work" Friday night at Rocky Town).