Game Notes, April 30 - Frisco at CC

Frisco (10-10) @ Corpus Christi (9-11)

The Hooks welcome the Frisco RoughRiders to town to begin a four-game series tonight.  Corpus Christi is still searching for some answers on offense after falling to Midland last night 5-3, dropping three of four in the series with the RockHounds.  First baseman and left fielder Steve Kleen stepped up with a 4-for-4 night that included a double, two runs and the game-winning RBI in the top of the sixth.  Jermaine Mitchell, who had three triples in the series, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Frisco played a little "bonus" baseball last night, needing 11 innings to edge San Antonio 1-0 at the Dr Pepper Ballpark.  Kevin Richardson's sacrifice fly to right plated pinch runner Renny Osuna with the game's only run in the bottom of the 11th.  The RoughRiders won the final two games with the Missions to gain a split in that series.  Last weekend in Frisco, the 'Riders took three of four from the Hooks.                               

Tonight's Matchup:
RHP Tanner Roark (2-1, 5.06) vs. LHP Douglas Arguello (2-1, 2.42)
Roark, selected by the Rangers in the 25th round of the 2008 draft while he was pitching for Southern Illinois of the independent Frontier League, makes his sixth appearance and first start of the season.  Roark last pitched on Sunday at Dr Pepper Ballpark against the Hooks, tossing four frames of shutout relief to pick up the win in Frisco's 7-0 blanking of Corpus Christi.  He allowed just two hits and lowered his season's ERA from 8.10 to 5.06.  Roark slides into the rotation spot previously occupied by RHP Alexi Ogando, who has been moved to the Frisco bullpen.  Last year, Roark went 10-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 29 games and 9 starts for Bakersfield in the California League.  He spent most of last June with Frisco, going 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 5 games and 4 starts.    

• Roasted for 6 runs, 5 earned, over 2.0 innings in his first appearance this season April 10 vs. Springfield
• Went 0-2 with a 21.41 ERA in his 3 starts for Southern Illinois in 2008
• A Second Team All-Big 10 selection as a pitcher for the University of Illinois in 2007

Arguello, signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in December of 2001, makes his fifth start this season and his second against the RoughRiders.  In Sunday's 7-0 loss at Frisco, Arguello was touched for four runs on seven hits over six innings.  He walked one and struck out six.  Marcus Lemon, batting in the seven spot, went 2-for-3 against Arguello with a triple and a run.  Of the six runs he's allowed this season, the first three required a wild pitch to help get those runs home.  Arguello spent the first two months of last season with the Hooks before landing on the disabled list June 4 with a left elbow strain.  He made three starts in late July and early August with Tri-City (1-1, 5.63) before returning to Corpus Christi in mid-August.                         

• In 14 starts with the Hooks in 2009 was 3-4 with a 3.36 ERA and one complete game
• Overall last season held opponents to three or fewer earned runs in 14 of his 17 starts
• Has allowed just nine home runs over the last three seasons and 247.1 innings (1 HR every 27.5 IP)

Catching (or not catching) the ball
The Hooks equaled their season high by committing three errors in last night's loss, giving the Hooks eight total errors in the series with Midland.  Those eight errors translated into seven unearned runs allowed.  The Hooks scored a grand total of 10 runs in the series, so giving away seven was an obvious blow to Corpus Christi's chances.

Prior to this home stand, the Hooks had allowed just six unearned runs in their first 16 games.  The club had committed just seven errors in their first 15 games.  Since going six games without an error (April 18-24), the Hooks have been charged with 10 errors in the last five games.

The Hooks entered this home stand as the top defensive team in the Texas League, with a league-low nine errors and a .985 team fielding percentage.  Entering play tonight, the Hooks rank second in the loop with a .978 fielding percentage and 17 errors.  The RoughRiders are also at .978 and 17 errors, but have handled six fewer chances in the field than the Hooks, giving them a third-place defensive ranking. 
Production from #3
Not uniform number 3, but the 3-spot in the batting order.  Adding in last night's game, the four men who have occupied the 3-spot in the order are batting .173 (9-52) collectively over Corpus Christi's last 14 games, with 4 walks, 1 HBP, 4 runs, 1 RBI and 18 strikeouts.  In that same time period the Hooks are batting .232 as a team.  Additionally, the 3-hole hitters have just 1 RBI in the last 15 games. 

Also in that 14-game stretch, Corpus Christi's 3-hole hitters are 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.  David Cook has both of those hits (singles).  Four different players (Cook, Duran, Gaston, Steele) have occupied the 3-spot in this span of games. 

Buechele in the house
Steve Buechele, who spent 11 years in the Major Leagues with the Rangers, Pirates and Cubs, is in his first year as the manager for the RoughRiders.  Last year, Buechele guided the Bakersfield Blaze to a record of 75-65 and an appearance in the California League playoffs.

Buechele, a career .245 hitter with 137 home runs and 547 RBIs, spent portions of eight seasons with the Rangers. 

In the "off the wall" stat of the day department, Buechele batted .300 in his career against current Hooks president Ken Schrom, going 3-for-10 with 1 double, 2 walks and 2 RBIs.  Buechele fanned once, and, like just about any big leaguer who faced Schrom in his career, got hit by a pitch once.

Late player move  
Just about two hours before game time, LHP Fernando Abad was placed on the disabled list with an unspecified injury.  RHP Jeremy Johnson (arm) has been activated from the disabled list in time for tonight's game.

Offensive notes
Cabral...4-game hit streak, 8-14 with 1 double, 3 runs and 2 RBIs; hits in 6 of his last 7, 11-23...DNP Weds. or Thurs.
Clemens...hits in 6 of the last 7, 8-25 with 2 doubles, 2 HRs, 3 runs and 6 RBIs; .421(8-19) w/RSP
Cook...is 1-14 in his last 4 games with 1 RBI; .417(5-12) w/RSP
Duran...hits in each of his last 5 starts, 7-18 with 1 RBI
Esposito...is 2-17 in his last 5 games with 1 double
Florentino...is 7-28 on the road and 2-28 at home
Garciaparra...is 3-10 this home stand with 1 double and 1 RBI; was 2-9 with 1 RBI with Round Rock
Gaston...hits in 4 of his last 5, 4-17 with 1 double, 1 triple and 2 runs
Santangelo...hits in all 6 of his games at Whataburger Field, 7-18 with 2 HRs, 4 runs and 3 RBIs
Shuck...is 3-16 this home stand with 1 double, 1 run and 2 RBIs; has 5 walks and 4 RBIs in the last 7 games
Steele...is 2-14 this home stand with 2 runs
VanOstrand...is 1-17 in his last 5 games with 1 walk

Pitching Rotation vs. Frisco
Saturday:  LHP Richard Bleier (1-2, 8.24) vs. LHP Tyler Lumsden (0-0, 4.26)
Sunday:  LHP Kasey Kiker (0-2, 5.85) vs. RHP Jordan Lyles (1-2, 2.45)
Monday:  LHP Martin Perez (1-0, 2.70) vs. LHP Fernando Abad (0-2, 3.00)