FRISCO, TEXAS — It was Harry Potter Night at Riders Field last night, but that wasn't the only draw for the 8,239 fans who packed the stands. Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford made his second rehab appearance for the Frisco RoughRiders, and Sebastian Walcott, activated just a day earlier from the 60-day IL, made his second appearance back as well.
Walcott is expected to serve strictly as designated hitter for the rest of the season.
Bradford was sharp from the jump. He retired the side in order in the top of the first, striking out Jake Gelof swinging to end the frame. He came back out for the second and struck out the first two batters he faced swinging, before Taylor Young singled to break up a perfect outing. Bradford closed it out by getting Kole Myers looking for his fourth strikeout of the night. He was touching 91 mph on the radar and needed just 37 pitches to get through the outing, 27 of them for strikes.
The lineup he faced wasn't an easy one. Tulsa leads the Texas League in RBI with 524, and outfielder Zyhir Hope came into the game with 19 home runs on the season. He left with 21, going deep twice against RoughRiders pitching.
Frisco struck first, scoring in the bottom of the third on a double from Frainyer Chavez. Walcott's first line drive of the night off the bat came in at 97.6 mph exit velocity, though it found a glove for a lineout to the pitcher.
The RoughRiders extended their lead in the fourth. Rangers No. 10 prospect Dylan Dreiling crushed his 13th home run of the season, the ball leaving his bat at 103.88 mph. Later in the same inning, newly promoted Yeison Morrobel — up from Hub City — hit his first home run at the Double-A level, connecting at 95.11 mph exit velocity for his 15th of the year. That made it 4-0.
Tulsa chipped away with runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth. LHP Dalton Pence worked around traffic over four innings, and his fastball was up to 95 mph on the radar from what I saw.
Byran Magdaleno picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief, and Jonathan Brand allowed a run in his frame before Cole Stasio slammed the door in the ninth for his first save at the Double-A level.
Arturo Disla hit a single in the bottom of the 6th that came off the bat at 114 mph, one of the hardest-hit balls of the night.
Frisco held on for the 4-3 win.
Pitching lines
Cody Bradford: 2 IP, 1 H, 4 SO
Byran Magdaleno: 1 IP, 1 SO (W)
Dalton Pence: 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 5 SO
Jonathan Brand: 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 SO
Cole Stasio: 1 IP, 1 H (S)
Also spotted David Davalillo at Riders Field.
