Rangers Winterball Roundup – 11/15

Surprise Saguaros shortstop Hanser Alberto raised his Fall League batting average to .397 after a perfect 4-for-4 performance on Thursday. Lone Star Dugout takes a look at all of the day's winterball action in the Texas Rangers' system.

Arizona Fall League: Surprise 3 – Salt River 7
17-14-1, 1.5 GB

The Saguaros were knocked out of contention for the Arizona Fall League Championship Game after their loss and Peoria’s win on Thursday.

With the defeat, Surprise now falls to 1.5 games out of first place on the final day of the regular season.

Despite the loss, shortstop Hanser Alberto turned in another fantastic effort at the plate. The 20-year-old prospect singled in each of his four plate appearances while also scoring two runs and stealing his fourth base. His average jumped to .397 after the 4-for-4 performance.

First baseman Chris McGuiness (1/4) singled and drove home a run while pinch-hitter Brett Nicholas singled in his only at-bat.

Right-handed relievers Ryan Rodebaugh and Ben Rowen each tossed a scoreless inning. Rodebaugh worked around a walk in an otherwise clean frame while Rowen fanned two in a perfect inning.

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Dominican Winter League

No Rangers appeared in the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

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Venezuelan Winter League

Aguilas del Zulia catcher Juan Apodaca went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.

Texas recently signed the 26-year-old Apodaca to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp. Playing with the Cubs’ organization in 2012, the Venezuela native posted a .291/.407/.399 slash line in 83 games between the Double- and Triple-A levels.

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Liga Paralela (Venezuela Minor League)

Switch-hitting catcher Tomas Telis filled up the box score for his Caracas club on Thursday. The Venezuelan prospect went 2-for-5 with a two-run single and a three-run homer––giving him five total RBI. He was also hit by a pitch and stole a base.

Shortstop Edwin Garcia (1/2, RBI) and second baseman Santiago Chirino (0/2) also made appearances for Caracas on Thursday.

Playing against Caracas, Aragua centerfielder Teodoro Martinez went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, a hit-by pitch, an RBI, and three runs scored. He was caught stealing once.

Jhonny Gomez went 2-for-5 with a triple for the Tiburones.

Magallanes third baseman Elio Castillo, who batted ninth on Thursday, doubled once and walked twice in five plate appearances.

Navegantes centerfielder Eduard Pinto and Caimanes centerfielder Diego Cedeno both went hitless in four official at-bats. Cedeno did lay down a sacrifice bunt.

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Mexican Pacific League

Mazatlan cleanup hitter and right fielder Joey Butler went 1-for-3 with a double––his fifth––and a base on balls.

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Puerto Rican Winter League

Ponce DH Jorge Alfaro raised his winterball batting average to .391 on the young season with two singles in four trips. First basemen Mike Bianucci (0/3) and Kevin Torres (0/2) both went without a hit.

Torres, typically a catcher and first baseman, actually finished the game for Ponce on the mound. He recorded the game’s final out after giving up a hit.

Earlier in the contest, right-hander Anyelo Leclerc tossed 3.1 strong innings of long relief. He gave up an unearned run on one hit, walking one and striking out four.

Hard-throwing reliever Jon Edwards continued to struggle with control, as he walked three batters and gave up a run in one-third of an inning. Edwards also yielded a hit and uncorked a wild pitch.

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Australian Baseball League

Brisbane leadoff hitter and centerfielder Hirotoshi Onaka went 2-for-5 with a double and his first stolen base. He also picked up an outfield assist by gunning down a runner at home plate.

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