Midland RockHounds Power Their Way to 2-0 Series Lead
By Jason Burke
The Midland Rockhounds, the Oakland Athletics Double-A affiliate in the Texas League, have been on a tear since the second half began. After going 48-22 after the all-star break, Midland took care of Corpus Christi (Astros) in four postseason games. Now, they are facing off against Northwest Arkansas (Royals) with the Texas League title on the line. On Wednesday night the ‘Hounds would get out to an early lead, one just big enough that the Natruals now find themselves in an 0-2 hole as the series shifts away from Midland.
The RockHounds postseason MVP has to be Renato Nunez at this point, and he made that all the more evident in Game 2. In the bottom of the first with two on, Nunez stroked a homer to left to give his team an early 3-0 lead. The three RBI give him 12 in six playoff games to this point, and the home run is his second of the playoffs. The other came against Corpus Christi and was a grand slam that really broke the game open, in what had been a tie game in the 9th.
Not to be outdone, one of yesterday’s top performers for Midland, Jaycob Brugman, hit a 2-run shot of his own, giving him 8 RBI in the postseason. The RockHounds also plated a third run in the inning on a Beau Taylor single that scored Chad Oberacker. After four, Midland had a comfortable 6-0 lead. Then the Naturals’ bats came to life.
NW Arkansas would score one in the top of the 5th after Bubba Starling walked with one out, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored on a single from Frank Schwindel. After two singles to start the top of the 6th, Jorge Bonifacio would bring them all home on one swing of the bat. After six, Midland still held the lead at 6-4, but the game was becoming interesting.
In the bottom of the 7th, Anthony Aliotti led off with a double, followed by a single from Nunez and an RBI double from Ryon Healy, scoring one. The Naturals would walk power threat Matt Olson to load the bases, and it would work–to a degree. After Oberacker would ground into a force play (the out would be recorded at home), the Naturals brought in reliever Mark Peterson. Peterson would get the next two batters to ground out as well, but one more run would cross the plate in the process, giving the ‘Hounds an 8-4 lead.
The Naturals would plate two in the top of the 9th, but it was too little too late.
Midland’s starter Chris Jensen would end up with a line of 6 innings, 4 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts while Arkansas starter Paul Clemens would be done after 2 2/3 of 4 hit, 3 run ball, walking one and striking out three.
Thursday is an off-day for these two as they travel to Northwest Arkansas for Game 3 on Friday. The Midland RockHounds will rely on Parker Frazier (0-1, 12.60 in postseason) while the Naturals will pin their season on Luke Farrell (0-0, 1.80). Farrell is the son of Red Sox manager John Farrell.