Hounds Close Out Road Trip 7-3
How to spend an off day (there are only 11 of them all season, April through early September) is an individual choice. After an all-night bus ride home from Tulsa, one thing will likely be on the "off day agenda" of every RockHound: Laundry.
The RockHounds are bound for home after an 11-day, 3-city, 10-game road trip ... one of the longest ever for the franhchise, at least in the 18 seasons your humble broadcaster has been with the club!
The next game ... can it be? A home game, and it's no misprint! The RockHounds begin the stretch run of the second half pennant race with a 6-game home stand, hosting the NW Arkansas Naturals and Tulsa Drillers.
It was probably greedy to hope for a sweep at Tulsa, considering the Drillers' starter was the league's top pitcher, Samuel Deduno. The 26-year-old right-hander looked the part, going 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks and seven strikeouts. Deduno improved to 12-2 with a 2.56 ERA, each a league-leading stat. Andrew Johnston got out of a ninth inning jam to record his league-best 29th save.
Matt Spencer extended his hit streak to 15 games, going 2-for-4, and Shane Peterson drew a walk, reaching base in his 19th straight game. "Spence" and Chris Carter continue to provide a remarkable 1-2 punch for the RockHounds, each hitting above .400 in his last 30 games.
Road Trip
The RockHounds finished their 10-game sojourn with a 7-3 record. The 'Hounds swept a 4-game series at Corpus Christi ... went 1-2 at NW Arkansas ... and won the series at Tulsa, 2-games-to-1. In a very well-balanced Texas League, the RockHounds have the TL's top overall record at 66-54.
The club began the trip with a one-game lead over Frisco ... and returns home with a 3-game lead over the RoughRiders. Corpus Christi has now moved to with five games of the 'Hounds, with first half champion San Antonio seven games back.
Kyle Middleton has been named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for August 10-16. The right-hander won both his starts, defeating Corpus Christi and Tulsa, allowing 10 hits in 15.0 innings, walking four and whiffing 11, with a 1.80 earned run average. How good as he been in five starts for the 'Hounds? The 1.80 ERA that helped him capture the league's weekly top honors is .30 points higher than his season number of 1.50. Signed by Oakland out of independent ball, "K-Mid" could easily be 5-0, leaving each of his five starts with the lead. Originally selected by Kansas City in the 49th round of the 1999 draft out of Jefferson Davis CC (Brewton, Alabama), Kyle pitched in the Texas League from 2004-06 with the Wichita Wranglers and the last two seasons in the Astros organization (Corpus Christi and AAA Round Rock). He opened 2009 pitching in his home town of Pensacola, Florida for the independent club (the Pelicans) of the American Association.
Popcorn, Peanuts, Fresh Cut Grass ... Back To Citibank Ballpark
The RockHounds return to Citibank Ballpark Wednesday to open a 6-game home stand against Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa. The home stand includes a Thirsty Thursday (August 20) ... Pillow Case Night (the 21st) and Fireworks (Saturday, the 22nd).
Reminder: RockHounds Monday-Saturday home games in August and September will start at 6:30 p.m..
For tickets, groups, picnics, youth teams of the night and more ... call the RockHounds office at 520-2255. The Citibank Ballpark box office will be open all day, and through the games, each night of the home stand.
RockHounds Radio
The 'Hounds' new radio home is Jack-FM (102.1-FM). RockHounds broadcasts are also available online. Look for the link to Jack-FM on the RockHounds' web site ... then click "Jack On The Box." Tuesday is an off, travel (and laundry!) day across the Texas League. Broadcast time from Citibank Ballpark Wednesday through Saturday begins at 6:15 p.m.