The RoughRiders have found themselves in a three-game losing streak and have the best pitcher on the mound to help them snap it. Left-hander Cole Ragans, who has perhaps been the best pitcher in the entire Texas Rangers farm system this season.
Ragans had a 1-2-3 top of the 1st on 13 pitches, 8 for strikes with two strikeouts.
Tonight was the 3rd time in 5 games that the RoughRiders have scored first. They found the scoreboard in the bottom of the 1st when Justin Foscue scored on a wild pitch. Dustin Harris brought in Blaine Crim with a single to put the Riders up 2-0.
They scored two more runs in the bottom of the 3rd when Dustin Harris hit his 6th home run of the season making it a 4-0 game at the time.
Ragans was dealing all night and had back to back strikeouts in the 3rd and 4th inning.
Ragans‘ only blemish came in the 6th inning when the Hooks found the scoreboard. Willyer Abreu singled to lead off and then Luke Berryhill hit a two-run shot to right center field. Ragans was able to reties the next three batters on twelve pitches.
Ragans final line: 6 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 9 SO, 99 pitches/57 for strikes.
Of Cole Ragans nine strikeouts, eight were swinging.
The RoughRiders put four more on the scoreboard to really pull away from the Hooks in the bottom of the 7th. Blaine Crim doubled in Justin Foscue. It was Crim’s 9th double of the season.
The big shot came off the bat of Dustin Harris, who hit his 7th home run of the season and it was a 3-run shot.
Dustin Harris had his first multi-home run game at the Double-A level. He finished the game going 3-for-4 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
Justin Foscue has reached base in 19 games. JP Martinez had a 19-game on-base streak prior to tonight’s game as well.
Reliever Grant Anderson (1.61) pitched a scoreless two frames, allowing one hit and striking out three.
Fernery Ozuna (2.89) shut the door in the top of the 9th with two strikeouts.
2 hours 17 minutes was the duration of tonight’s game.
The RoughRiders won 8-2 and move to 21-17 on the season. They now have a 15-7 record in games where they score first.
Up Next
Justin Slaten takes the mound for the RoughRiders as the RoughRiders try to split the series at three games a piece.
First pitch 4:05 PM Central. It is also strike out cancer and Kids Sunday Funday.
Scott Heineman had a 20-game on-base streak in 2017 when he went 25 games including a HBP on June 9, 2017.
