Keuchel Quiets Hounds Bats
As Yogi Berra said (and you can never go wrong with a Yogi-ism) ... "good pitching will stop good hitting every time ... and vice versa." There was no "vice versa" at Citibank Ballpark Friday night, as Dallas Keuchel was simply brilliant, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing just one hit, as the Hooks beat the RockHounds, 4-0.
Jimmy Van Ostrand continued his three-year Citibank Ballpark rampage, going 3-for-4 with a home run (his fifth, three of them against the Rockounds), stealing his first base of the season and scoring two runs. Jimmy Paredes scored the Hooks' two other runs, each time on an RBI hit from Jose Altuve.
VanOstrand is now hitting .418 against the RockHounds ... and .240 against the rest of the Texas League ... in 2011. It's the third consecutive season in which he has posted ridiculously good numbers against the 'Hounds, especially at Citibank Ballpark. When asked during his last visit what he likes so much about playing here, the British Columbia native replied "... onion rings," a reference to the fare at a local eatery just down the road from the team hotel.
The 'Hounds threatened in the 8th and 9th against reliever Sammy Gervacio, but could not get on the scoreboard. Keuchel, who entered the game fifth in the league with a 3.52 ERA, finished with 7.0 innings, one hit (a Tyler Ladendorf single off the glove off third baseman Paredes), with no walks and eight strikeouts. He threw just 78 pitches, 50 for strikes. Keuchel was also economical "on the clock," as the game was played in a brisk 2-hours, 23-minutes.
- Adding insult to injury, Jermaine Mitchell lost a Texas League season high on-base streak of 31 games, lining out to first base with two on and two out in the last of the 8th inning to finish 0-for-4.
- RockHounds starter Shawn Haviland was solid, pitching 6.2 innings. While he allowed four runs, two of those either scored directly or were set up by a pair of wild pitches in a 2-run 5th inning. Those two errant pitched made a 2-0 game a 4-0 score.
- Ladendorf had two of the 'Hounds' four hits, extending a hit streak to six games (8-24, .333).