Acuna Helps RoughRiders Claim Win over Missions

The Texas Rangers' Double-A affiliate was the only team to win a game on Thursday night, led by one of the team's top prospects.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

All five Texas Rangers affiliates continued their week-long series on Thursday.

Only one team — Double-A Frisco — was able to claim a victory. Plus, High Class-A Hickory was rained out as it tried to continue its series with Rome. 

Triple-A Round Rock lost to Reno, Class-A Down East lost to Salem and the ACL Rangers lost to the ACL Royals out in Arizona.

Here is how each affiliate did on Thursday.

Texas Rangers Minor League Update

Here is an update on each Texas Rangers minor league affiliate for the games of Thursday, July 20.

Triple-A Round Rock

Round Rock (12-6, 56-36, T1st, -- GB) lost to Reno, 2-1. The Express got on the board first, as 2B Justin Foscue (0-for-3, BB, R) reached on a walk and advanced to third after 1B Blaine Crim’s (1-for-3) single. Crim is hitting .359 (14-39) in July with 2 2B, 5 HR, and 8 RBI across 12 games. RF Elier Hernandez (1-for-4, RBI) drove home Foscue and tallied his team-leading 64th RBI this season. RHP Seth Nordlin (5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R-ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) threw 5.0 scoreless innings, his 2nd time going 5.0+ in a start this season. Both the Aces long balls came off RHP Spencer Howard (L, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R-ER, 5 SO), as they jumped ahead and grabbed the victory. RHP Marc Church (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R-ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) made his 4th straight scoreless app.: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R-ER, 3 BB, 4 SO.

Double-A Frisco

Frisco (9-9, 40-46, T3rd, 3.0 GB) beat San Antonio, 10-3, its first game with 10+ runs since 7/3. a 5-R 2nd inning put the game out of reach early, as C Liam Hicks (2- for-3, BB, 2B, RBI) and SS Luisangel Acuña (2-for-5, 2 RBI) notched RBI singles. The Missions rallied for a trio of runs to cut the deficit to just two off RHP Ryan Garcia (3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R-ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) who has struggled this month. However, CF Evan Carter (2-for-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI) and DH Aaron Zavala (1-for-4, BB, HR, RBI) each belted home runs in the 6th frame to seal their 2nd victory in their last 3 games. RHP Grant Wolfram (W, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R-ER, 3 SO) earned his team-leading 6th win (6-0) of ’23 , while RHP Aidan Anderson (3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R-ER, 4 SO) struck out 4 batters in his 24th app. this season.

High Class-A Hickory

Hickory (15-4, 42-38, 1st, +4.0 GA) had its game Thursday night vs. Rome postponed due to rain. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 4 p.m. central. 1B Abimelec Ortiz has slashed .331/.399/.690/1.089 (76-233) , ranking among all affiliated minor league batters (min. 200 PA) with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 22 home runs (2nd), and 66 RBI (2nd) along with both slugging pct. (1st) and OPS (4th). RHP Jackson Kelly (3-2, 2.52) has scoreless app. in 9 of his last 10 outings out of the bullpen: 1.08 ERA, 16.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R-ER, 6 BB, 28 SO.

Class-A Down East

Down East (10-11, 47-35, 2nd, 2.0 GB) fell to Salem, 8-3, as C Ian Moller (2-for-3, BB, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) drove in all 3 of the Woodies’ runs. Moller reached in 3 of 4 PA, tallying an RBI double in the 3rd frame to even the contest, and a go-ahead 2-R homer in the 5th frame to take a 3-1 lead. RHP Aidan Curry (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) didn’t allow an earned run, despite the Red Sox scoring on an error. 1B Zion Bannister (1-for-2, 2 BB) and 2B Erick Alvarez (1-for-2) combined for Down East’s other 2 hits in the game. In his first app. in Single-A, LHP Bryan Magdaleno (L, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R-ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) shouldered the loss after allowing a pair of runs in his lone inning.

ACL Rangers

The ACL Rangers (13-18, 5th, 8.0 GB) lost to the ACL Royals, 6-3. SS Sebastain Walcott (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) is in the midst of a 14-G hit streak, including 7 multi-hit efforts over that span. The 17-year-old is 26-for-67 (.388) with 12 XBH and 14 RBI through 16 games this season. RF Marcos Torres (1-for-5, 3B, RBI) drove in the Rangers other run in the contest with an RBI triple. RHP Biembenido Brito (4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) struck out 6 batters, one shy of his season-high (7/6 vs. Reds – 7 SO).