On Friday . . . .
Richardson High School righthander Jose Padilla: Complete-game win (one earned run) in the Eagles’ playoff opener, a 13-4 win over Irving Nimitz.
Low A Hickory righthander Erik Swanson: Goes 5-1-0-0-1-7, improving his record to 3-0, 1.03 with 14 hits — all singles — and six walks allowed in 26.1 innings (.151/.202/.151), with 26 strikeouts. He’s making himself a legitimate prospect.
High A High Desert righthander Cole Wiper: Pitches into the fifth inning, holding Rancho Cucamonga to two runs in a 7-2 Mavericks win. Not his cleanest effort of the season, but he’s pitching in a tough environment and working toward rehabilitating his prospect status.
AA Frisco righthander Connor Sadzeck: Improves to 4-0, 2.60 (.179/.263/.299) with a dominant 7-2-1-1-3-9 effort in San Antonio, punching out a career-high nine and helping to push the RoughRiders’ record to 21-6. He’ll pitch in the Major Leagues this summer. For someone.
AAA Round Rock righthander Yu Darvish: Ramps up to three innings, throws 50 pitches, sitting 94-96, touching 97. Looks great. He’s going to return to the big league rotation, soon.
Texas Rangers lefthander Cole Hamels: Seven strong. Allows a hit to the first batter he faces (an Ian Kinsler single to right), and that’s it (7-1-0-0-2-9). Season-high nine strikeouts. Career-best 11-game win streak in the regular season, which is the second longest active streak in the big leagues. Team undefeated the five times Hamels has pitched after a Rangers loss (4-0, 3.15, with one no-decision).
Seventh time in franchise history a Rangers pitcher allows one hit in seven-plus with at least nine punchouts.
The previous two were turned in by Darvish.
Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, together for the first time.
Won’t be long.
Dallas attorney Jamey Newberg has been commenting on Rangers from the big club down through the entire farm system since 1998.
Scott Lucas was born in Arlington, Texas, to Richard and Becky Lucas. He lived mostly in Arlington before moving to Austin, where he graduated from The University of Texas. Scott works for Austin Valuation Consultants, Ltd., and has published several boring articles about real estate appraisal and environmental contamination. He makes a swell margarita and refuses to run longer than ten kilometres.
Eleanor grew up watching the AAA Mudhens in Toledo, Ohio. A loyal Ranger fan since 1979, she works "behind the scenes" at the Newberg Report.
