Missions Take Game Three

The saying goes that "all good things must come to an end." For Ben Bracewell, that time came in the fifth inning Sunday afternoon as the San Antonio Missions defeated the RockHounds, 8-5, at Security Bank Ballpark.
The Missions scored twice in the top of the fifth inning, ending a streak of 19-and-a-third innings of shutout baseball for the RockHounds' right-hander (who had allowed just one run over 27-and-a-third innings at that point).  
The first run came on a short-porch home run (really just a routine fly ball) and the second was unearned, but the Missions then busted loose in the sixth, scoring four more times and doing it on consecutive pitches.
Webster Rivas, whose home run to the right field bullpen had broken Bracewell's streak in the fifth, ripped a two-run triple to the power alley in right-center, giving San Antonio a 4-3 lead. On the next pitch, Peter Van Gansen drilled a two-run homer onto the grass berm in right field, pushing the lead to 6-3.
The RockHounds took a 2-0 lead in the first against Padres prospect Logan Allen on Sean Murphy's two-run double and built the lead to 3-0 in the fourth on Tyler Marincov's solo home run, a blast that cleared the high wall in left field.
Allen, who leads the Texas League in wins (6) and strikeouts (63), whiffed a career-high 12 batters over six innings, although the 'Hounds scored three runs on seven hits against the left-hander (who was 2-0, 0.75 in two starts in the season series entering the game).
Notables                                                                                                                                          
The four-day weekend (beginning with "Thirsty Thursday") at Security Bank Ballpark drew nearly twenty-one thousand fans to Security Bank Ballpark ... the four-day total was 20,718!   
J.P. Sportman (3-for-4, solo HR, two runs, stolen base) has hit in 8-of-his-last-9 games (13-34, .382) with four doubles, a home run and six RBI.
Richie Martin (1-for-5) has reached base in 15 straight games (20-58, .345) with hits in 7-of-his-last-8 (12-33, .364).
Tyler Ramirez (0-for-5) saw an eight-game hit streak come to an end and failed to reach base for just the second time in 23 games.
Sean Murphy (2-for-5, double, two RBI, stolen base) has hit in six straight games (7-24, .292) with four doubles and four RBI. Sean left the game in the ninth inning after a stumbling at the first base (on a would-be double).
Completely Useless But Kinda Cool Stat(s)                                                                           
San Antonio's Josh Naylor, quite possibly the "toughest out" in the Texas League, has struck out just 23 times in 169 at-bats this season, an average of one K every seven-and-a-half AB's. Six of those strikeouts ... more than one-quarter of his season total ... have come in 15 at-bats in this series.
This one got right past me initially, but consider this:
San Antonio had 18 hits Friday night ... and lost. Saturday, the Missions had three hits ... and won.
 
Next Game                                
Monday, May 21   vs. San Antonio Missions
Security Bank Ballpark           11:00 a.m.
Safety Awareness / Kids Day
- Final of a four-game series and of an eight-game homestand
- Radio: No broadcast
Probable Starters             
SA:                Jerry Keel        (LH,     2-0, 5.24)
RH:                Norge Ruiz      (RH,    2-4, 4.91)