TEXAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Double-A)
GAME #5
Midland RockHounds 1
Tulsa Drillers 0
WP – J.Naile
Prospect Of The Game:
Pitcher James Naile
(6 H / 5 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 6 K / Win)
After losing the first two games of the best-of-five championship series, the RockHounds came back from the brink of elimination to win three straight do-or-die games, capping their remarkable run with a shutout victory over Tulsa on Sunday to claim their fourth straight Texas League championship title. Though he labored a bit early on, starter James Naile, who took the loss in Game #1 on Tuesday, got the job done on Sunday. Aided by a pair of double plays and a couple of runners caught stealing, Naile tossed 6 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 6, to earn the win for the RockHounds. Relievers Tyler Sturdevant, Joel Seddon, Brandon Mann and Kyle Finnegan combined to throw 3 scoreless and hitless frames, with Finnegan getting the final three outs in the 9th to notch his 3rd save of the series and complete the 5-hit shutout on Sunday. The game’s first batter, shortstop Jorge Mateo, scored the match’s only run after he reached base on an infield error to lead off the game. Mateo eventually came around to score on first baseman Viosergy Rosa‘s two-out RBI single, and that was all the scoring that either team would do on Sunday. Rosa also drew a pair of walks in the game, while second baseman Max Schrock had 3 hits, including a double. Center fielder J.P. Sportman singled and stole a base, and third baseman Sheldon Neuse, who ended up going 9 for 18 to hit an even .500 in the series, doubled and drew a walk in the RockHounds’ final victory of the season.
Midland RockHounds Championship Roster
(photo via Carlos Navas’ twitter)
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm. You can also get our exclusive A’s minor league newsletter e-mailed to you free by signing up here.