RoughRiders Reclaim Texas League South Lead with a 2-1 win over the Missions

The RoughRiders started the game with a half-game deficit after two straight losses to the Missions. They ended the game a gritty 2-1 victory over the San Antonio Missions at Nelson Wolff Stadium on Thursday night. With three games left in the first half, Frisco (37-28) now leads the Texas League South Division by a half-game over the Missions (37-29), setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

Stephan’s Mastery on the Mound

RHP Josh Stephan was the hero on the mound, delivering a dominant performance for the second straight start. After tossing 7 innings in his last outing, Stephan matched that mark, surrendering just 1 unearned run on 5 hits with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. His line: 7 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 5 H, 1 BB, 5 SO, 87 pitches (60 strikes), and 10 swinging misses. A far cry from his first start against the Missions this season, where he allowed 4 runs in just 2 innings, Stephan’s command kept San Antonio’s bats silent and ignited the RoughRiders’ faithful.

Hatcher’s Bat Sparks the Offense

At the plate, Josh Hatcher led Frisco's line-up, launching a 2-run homer in the third inning—his 8th of the season—to give the RoughRiders a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Hatcher finished 3-for-4, tormenting Missions pitching. San Antonio’s lone run came in the fourth when Romeo Sanabria singled to score Francisco Acuna, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Frisco’s stingy pitching.

Aaron Zavala (2-fo-5 with a run) and Ian Moller (3-for-4) were the only other RoughRiders with a multi-hit game.

Bullpen Locks It Down

The RoughRiders’ bullpen sealed the deal. RHP Travis MacGregor earned his Texas League-leading 10th hold, working a scoreless inning with 1 walk and 1 strikeout. RHP Skylar Hales closed out the game, securing his 4th save of the season despite allowing 1 hit, with 2 strikeouts to slam the door on the Missions.

Rangers Farm System Roundup

Across the Rangers’ minor league affiliates, action was heating up:

Round Rock Express: Fell 7-6 to the Oklahoma City Comets on a walk-off. Craig Kimbrel (0-1, 4.91 ERA) took the loss, allowing 1 run on 1 hit with 3 walks and 1 strikeout in 2/3 of an inning.

Hub City Spartanburgers: Topped the Hot Rods 3-1, led by Dylan Dreiling’s 6th homer of the season (2-for-4). Five pitchers—MacLean, Susac, Loomis, Felix, and Villavicencio (2 IP, 3 SO)—all with ERAs under 4.00, combined for the win.

Hickory Crawdads: Dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to the Shorebirds. LHP Dalton Pence was tagged with the loss. Devin Fitz-Gerald dazzled in his Crawdads debut, going 1-for-3 with 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, and 3 runs scored. Marcos Torres added his 3rd homer of the season, finishing 1-for-4.