STWF Sports | FRISCO, Texas | May 22, 2026 — A classic late-spring shootout broke out at Riders Field on Friday night, but a resilient ninth-inning rally simply ran out of outs for the home squad. Despite launching two home runs and staging a dramatic late-game comeback, the Frisco RoughRiders were edged out by the San Antonio Missions in a 7-6 thriller.
With the defeat, Frisco slips to a even .500 at 21-21 on the season and now faces a steep uphill climb, trailing the six-game series three games to one. San Antonio, meanwhile, improves to 17-26 after showing immense poise in hostile territory.
Early Power and the Santos Grind
Frisco RoughRiders: A Season in Review
The RoughRiders wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard in the home half of the first inning. Infielder John Taylor greeted San Antonio starter Victor Lizarraga by launching a towering solo home run, instantly giving Frisco an early 1-0 cushion. The blast marked Taylor’s sixth round-tripper of the season, an eye-opening power surge for a player who managed just two home runs over 58 appearances with High-A Hub City during the 2025 campaign.
On the mound, Frisco right-hander Winston Santos started strong with two scoreless frames before navigating a challenging middle stretch. San Antonio chip-and-fragmented their way back into the game, scratching across single runs against Santos in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. Missions bat Albert Fabian proved to be the primary thorn in Frisco’s side, driving in two of those runs.
Santos wrapped up his evening with a season-high five innings of work, surrendering three earned runs while collecting five strikeouts in a gritty, no-decision performance. The early portions of the game also featured a notable appearance from Texas Rangers infielder Cody Freeman, who logged five innings at second base and went 0-for-3 as part of his Major League rehabilitation assignment.
The Seventh-Inning Surge
Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, the RoughRiders capitalized on a sudden bout of wildness from Missions reliever Andrew Moore. Frisco displayed elite plate discipline, weaponizing their patience to draw four walks in the frame. The final free pass was engineered by Taylor, whose bases-loaded walk forced home a run to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Moments later, Keith Jones II delivered the loudest hit of the night for the home crowd, lining a clutch, two-run single into the outfield to propel Frisco back into the lead at 4-3. Relief pitcher Sadrac Franco was quickly summoned to stem the bleeding, escaping further damage to keep the Missions within striking distance.
Missions Counter-Punch Splashes Cold Water
The advantage, however, proved to be fleeting. San Antonio refused to blink, mounting an immediate three-run counter-attack in the top of the eighth. The critical blow came off the bat of Carson Tucker, who laced a sharp, two-run single off Frisco reliever Ricardo Velez to shift the momentum permanently back to the visitors. San Antonio added what proved to be a vital insurance run in the top of the ninth when Francisco Acuna crushed a solo home run off Austin Roberts, extending the lead to 7-4.
Frisco refused to vanish quietly in their final turn at the plate. Showcasing the lineup’s trademark late-game resilience, Corey Joyce torched a dramatic, two-run home run to pull the RoughRiders within a single run at 7-6. Yet, the magic materialized just a moment too late. San Antonio closer Andrew Dalquist dug in to strike out Keyber Rodriguez, preserving the victory and recording his first save of the year, while Velez was saddled with the hard-luck loss.
Looking Ahead
The RoughRiders will look to salvage the weekend and break their current skid on Saturday evening at Riders Field. Frisco will send right-hander Leandro Lopez (0-2, 7.12) to the hill to duel against San Antonio righty Jhony Brito (0-0, 0.00) in a 7:05 p.m. start.
The stadium is expected to yield a packed house for a highly anticipated Texas Rangers Night and Baseball Mom Night. Fans arriving early will enjoy specialized promotions, and kids will have the opportunity to run the bases postgame.
