STWF Sports | MIDLAND, Texas | May 12, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders showed once again why they remain one of the most dangerous offensive clubs in the Texas League, but a barrage of Midland home runs proved too much to overcome Tuesday night in a 9-7 loss to the Midland RockHounds at Momentum Bank Ballpark.

Performance Highlights of the Frisco RoughRiders

The series opener quickly turned into an offensive showcase featuring towering home runs, momentum swings and late drama before Midland held off Frisco’s comeback attempt in the ninth inning.

The loss dropped the RoughRiders to 16-17 on the season, while the RockHounds improved to 21-13.

Tuesday’s matchup exploded into chaos during the second inning when both clubs launched grand slams in one of the game’s most memorable sequences.

Frisco struck first.

After working Midland starter Henry Baez into trouble, infielder Corey Joyce delivered the biggest swing of the night for the RoughRiders, crushing a grand slam to give Frisco an early 4-0 lead.

The blast continued Joyce’s remarkable offensive tear since joining the club in mid-April.

The infielder now has seven home runs and 19 RBIs in just 20 games with Frisco, quickly becoming one of the most productive hitters in the Texas League.

But Midland answered immediately.

In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Lasko erased the Riders’ lead with a grand slam of his own, tying the game 4-4 and completely shifting the momentum inside Momentum Bank Ballpark.

That inning set the tone for the rest of the night.

Midland’s offense continued attacking Frisco pitching aggressively and finally broke the game open during the fourth inning against reliever Ricardo Velez.

The RockHounds launched three separate home runs in the frame as Davis Diaz, Bobby Boser and highly regarded prospect Leo De Vries all connected to suddenly push Midland ahead 9-4.

The three-homer inning overwhelmed Frisco and ultimately became the difference in the game.

Velez suffered his first loss of the season, falling to 3-1.

While Midland’s power surge grabbed headlines, the RoughRiders offense continued battling throughout the night and nearly completed another late comeback.

Frisco began applying pressure again in the later innings as the lineup consistently found ways to put runners aboard.

One of the biggest bright spots for the Riders came from veteran outfielder Marcus Lee Sang, who extended his hitting streak to seven games with a seventh-inning double.

Lee Sang has quietly become one of Frisco’s most consistent offensive contributors during the past several weeks, continuing to provide extra-base power and timely hitting in the middle of the lineup.

The Riders mounted their strongest comeback push in the eighth inning.

After generating traffic on the bases, outfielder Orlando Martinez delivered a key two-run single that trimmed the deficit and reignited the Frisco dugout.

Martinez’s clutch hit cut Midland’s lead to two runs and gave the RoughRiders life entering the final inning.

Frisco threatened again in the ninth when Frainyer Chavez reached base to bring additional pressure against Midland closer A.J. Causey.

But the RockHounds bullpen ultimately slammed the door shut before the Riders could fully erase the deficit.

Causey recorded the final outs to secure his first save of the season.

Despite the loss, Frisco continued showcasing the explosive offense that has made the club one of the most entertaining teams in Double-A baseball this year.

The RoughRiders entered the series leading the Texas League in batting average, hits and runs scored while ranking among league leaders in home runs and OPS.

Tuesday’s game only reinforced that identity.

Even in defeat, Frisco produced seven runs against one of the better clubs in the league and once again displayed the lineup depth capable of changing games quickly.

Joyce’s emergence remains one of the organization’s biggest surprises this season.

Signed as a Minor League free agent on April 8, the infielder has transformed into one of the hottest hitters in the Rangers system almost immediately after arriving in Frisco.

His grand slam Tuesday continued a power pace rarely seen at the Double-A level.

Meanwhile, the bullpen provided encouraging moments late in the game.

Relievers Janser Lara and Ryan Lobus combined to toss 2.2 scoreless innings, helping stabilize the game after Midland’s explosive fourth inning and giving the offense an opportunity to rally.

The RoughRiders now turn their attention toward bouncing back in game two of the six-game series.

With Frisco’s offense continuing to produce at one of the highest levels in the minors, the club remains confident it can quickly reverse momentum despite Tuesday’s setback.

If the pitching staff can limit the long ball moving forward, the Riders still have every opportunity to make this series highly competitive against one of the Texas League’s top teams.