The Frisco RoughRiders, Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, defeated the Arkansas Travelers 3-0 Thursday night, avoiding a sweep. Rangers rehabber Jake Diekman earned the win in the matchup, helping Frisco take down the Seattle Mariners affiliate. The RoughRiders improved to 52-71 on the season, still sitting in the bottom position of the Texas League rankings.
Five total pitchers took the mound for the RoughRiders. Lefty Yohander Mendez started the matchup, throwing four innings and allowing just two hits. He gave up no runs and struck out four. Jake Diekman, on his first rehab assignment with Frisco, was the first bullpen pitcher used. He tossed one inning, throwing just 13 pitches. He punched out two and allowed no hits or runs. Diekman ended up earning the win and set himself up for another successful outing with the RoughRiders.
Brady Feigl, Connor Sadzeck, and Reed Garrett all combined to throw four innings. Collectively, they allowed two hits and no runs.
In the bottom of the fourth, the RoughRiders got on the board thanks to a Travelers throwing error. Scott Heineman tacked on the insurance run in the eighth, with a triple that scored one.
News and notes from RidersBaseball.com:
- Scott Heineman reached base in 10 of his 13 plate appearances during the three-game series against Arkansas.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa tallied his 36th multi-hit game with a pair of singles. Jose Cardona recorded his 30th, which ranks second-best on the team.
- Prior to Thursday’s four-hit shutout, the Riders had yielded 19 runs on 32 hits in the previous two games against the Travelers.
The Frisco RoughRiders will begin a three-game set against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beginning Friday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM, from Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.
Frisco will send Richelson Pena (1-1, 2.13 ERA) to the mound. He’ll take on Foster Griffin (9-4, 3.50 ERA). You can watch the action via MiLB.com, or listen to the broadcast at RidersBaseball.com.
Follow Blake Cole on Twitter (@blakeacole) for more on the Frisco RoughRiders, and other MiLB Texas League Double-A teams and players.
*Featured image courtesy of the Frisco RoughRiders.