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MiLB Game Recap: Frisco Sends Mitch Bratt to the Hill in Penultimate Clash vs. Amarillo

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MiLB Game Recap: Frisco Sends Mitch Bratt to the Hill in Penultimate Clash vs. Amarillo

a Frisco RoughRider baseball player blowing a bubble gum

AMARILLO, Texas (July 11, 2025) — After a crisp and confident 4-1 victory on Friday night, the Frisco RoughRiders return to HODGETOWN for the fifth game of their six-game set against the Amarillo Sod Poodles. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT, with standout left-hander Mitch Bratt (5-2, 2.55 ERA) taking the mound for Frisco against Amarillo righty Jose Cabrera (4-3, 5.64 ERA).

Friday’s win snapped a three-game skid for the RoughRiders (6-10, 44-40) and served as a much-needed momentum shift in a tightly contested series. With the Sod Poodles (9-7, 41-44) holding a 3-1 advantage in the set, Saturday’s matchup is pivotal as Frisco attempts to force a Sunday rubber match.

Pitching Matchup: Bratt vs. Cabrera

Frisco sends its most consistent arm to the mound in Mitch Bratt, who has quietly emerged as a top-of-the-rotation force. The 21-year-old lefty has carved up Texas League hitters with an elite combination of command and movement, holding opponents to a .219 average while posting 67 strikeouts across 67 innings. In his last outing, Bratt tossed six scoreless frames with eight strikeouts in a win over Wichita.

On the flip side, Jose Cabrera has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled with consistency. The right-hander owns a 5.64 ERA and has surrendered eight home runs in 52.2 innings. He was roughed up in his last appearance against Springfield, allowing six runs over four innings. His ability to keep the ball in the yard against a Frisco club that has homered in five of its last six games will be key.

Recapping Friday: Timely Power and Bullpen Dominance

The RoughRiders opened the scoring in the second inning Friday when Keith Jones II drove an RBI single into right, plating the game’s first run. The Sod Poodles answered immediately, tying the game in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by Christian Cerda off Frisco starter David Davalillo, who impressed in his third Double-A start with 4.2 innings of one-run ball, six strikeouts, and no walks.

The game remained tied until the seventh when Josh Hatcher snapped the deadlock with a towering solo shot down the right-field line, his first three-hit game since June 19. In the ninth, Frisco padded the lead with two insurance runs on a defensive miscue and a fielder’s choice to secure the 4-1 win.

The bullpen took control from there, with Larson Kindreich (3-2) earning the win after 2.1 dominant innings of relief. Nick Krauth shut the door with a six-out save — his first of the season — allowing just one hit.

Key Notes and Trends

  • Josh Hatcher’s three-hit night was a welcome resurgence for the outfielder, who had been hitting just .217 over his previous 10 games.

  • Cam Cauley’s six-game hitting streak ended Friday with an 0-for-5 performance, but he remains a key spark plug atop the lineup.

  • Frisco has now gone deep in five of their last six games, showcasing improved offensive rhythm.

  • The bullpen remains a strength, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings Friday and continuing a trend of late-game dominance.

What’s at Stake

Frisco enters Saturday trailing 3-1 in the series but with their top pitcher on the mound and a rested bullpen. A win would even the series at two games apiece heading into Sunday’s finale, and keep the RoughRiders within striking distance in the second-half Texas League South race.

With Amarillo sending an inconsistent starter to the hill and the Riders’ bats heating up again, this sets up as a crucial opportunity for Frisco to regain series momentum. All eyes will be on Bratt, whose steady presence could be the key to a bounce-back run in the back half of the series.

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