https://www.mrt.com/sports/rockhounds/article/ROCKHOUNDS-Midland-s-Sanchez-makes-return-11160415.php
ROCKHOUNDS: Midland's Sanchez makes return after scary injury
By Will Korn, MRT.com/Midland Reporter-Telegram
Updated 11:14 pm CDT, Friday, May 19, 2017
RockHounds' closing pitcher Jake Sanchez (left) is congratulated by shortstop Richie Martin (right) after beating Northwest Arkansas to win the Texas League Championship series on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 at Security Bank Ballpark. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram less
RockHounds' closing pitcher Jake Sanchez (left) is congratulated by shortstop Richie Martin (right) after beating Northwest Arkansas to win the Texas League Championship series on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 at ... more
Photo: James Durbin
It was an abrupt and terrifying pause in what figured to be a promising 2017 season for Midland RockHounds right-handed reliever Jake Sanchez.
Pitching at home against the San Antonio Missions on April 23, Sanchez was struck in the head by a 100 mph line drive off the bat of Missions' Noah Perio in the ninth inning. Sanchez sustained a busted right eardrum and remained down on the grass just in front of the mound for several moments.
At that point, Sanchez was over a year into his career-transforming conversion from being a middling starter to a hard-throwing, dominant reliever. Prior to his injury, he had allowed only two hits and struck out 11 in six innings with Midland. He missed the next 23 games.
"I remember everything, luckily," said Sanchez, who originally signed with the Chicago White Sox in 2013 as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa Wesleyan. "It's just stuff that happens that we can't control if it does or doesn't. It's part of the game. I can only thank God and I was extremely lucky that nothing serious happened.
"The ball was struck pretty well and a lot of people thought it tipped my glove or my shoulder, but it hit me straight in the head. I was fortunate enough that someone was watching over me."
After progressing thorough concussion protocol, Sanchez returned to the mound for the RockHounds in Thursday night's 6-5 road loss against the Frisco RoughRiders. His first appearance in nearly a month, Sanchez spun a scoreless ninth while striking out one.
The 27-year-old from Brawley, California, said that with his fiery and competitive nature, being sidelined for that much time was emotionally difficult. But he knew his body would welcome the rest -- something he hadn't had much of since his first year with the RockHounds in 2015.
"It definitely was something that was tough to swallow, but at the same time I can look at it as a blessing in disguise," Sanchez said. "I got rest that I really didn't have. I think I've had a total of about two weeks off in the past two years."
Midland manager Fran Riordan said Sanchez' aggression on the mound after the injury was impressive. Some pitchers might have shown hesitation upon their return, but Sanchez did anything but.
"If there is anybody who is mentally strong enough to not make that an issue, it's Jake," Riordan said. "He's a pretty tough kid physically and mentally. But to see how he handled himself, how he went after hitters and attacked just like I've seen him do before, it proves the fact that he's pretty special when it comes to toughness."
The scare was part of what has been quite an adventurous last eight months in professional baseball for Sanchez.
Last September, Sanchez helped the RockHounds clinch their third straight Texas League title with three saves in four games in the championship series against Northwest Arkansas.
Less than two months later, Sanchez traveled south from his hometown to pitch for Aguilas de Mexicali of the Mexican League, where he allowed only one run in 31 2/3 innings. Then in March, he pitched two scoreless innings for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, where he had an opportunity to pick the brains of major league pitchers and fellow countrymen such as Miguel Gonzalez, Sergio Romo and Yovani Gallardo.
"It was an awesome experience. It's an honor to actually represent Mexico and put that jersey on," Sanchez said. "I've done it before in the Caribbean series, but to do it on the stage of the WBC that we had, it was an honor. It's tough to explain the emotions, especially with our bracket being in Mexico and being in front of our home crowd. It was definitely something special."
Now that Sanchez has returned to action, he's made it clear that nothing about him will change after what was perhaps one of the gruesome moments of his life.
"I'm ready to go to help the team in any way," Sanchez said. "I didn't change my mentality. I'm still the same pitcher but I'm just excited to be back with the guys."
Follow Will on Twitter: @Will_MRT
ROCKHOUNDS 6, MISSIONS 5
At Security Bank Ballpark
TOP HITTERS: Midland shortstop Richie Martin was 1-for-4 with the game-winning RBI in the ninth. ... JP Sportman went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run for the RockHounds, while Noah Perio finished 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run for the Missions.
TOP PITCHERS: Midland piggyback starter Joel Seddon allowed one earned run on four hits while striking out five and walking one over three innings. RockHounds reliever Kyle Finnegan was charged with a blown save, but also earned the win as he struck out two and yielded one hit over 1 1/3 innings.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Missions took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double to center by Ty France. ... Midland rallied for five runs in the sixth, headlined by a two-RBI single by Sportman. ... In the seventh, a double to left by Perio cut the RockHounds advantage to 5-2. After a balk was called on Midland reliever Lou Trivino, an RBI groundout made it 5-3. ... In the eighth, a blooped single to center by AJ Kennedy a single by Perio tied the game. ... In the bottom of the ninth, Martin singled to center to win the game.
NOTES: Midland right-handed pitcher James Naile received the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his defensive play during the 2016 season prior to the game. The award was presented to Naile by Minor League Baseball President and Chief Executive Officer, Pat O'Connor, as well as Texas League President Tim Purpura and is given each season to the pitcher with the top fielding percentage in all of minor league baseball. ... Viosergy Rosa has now reached base in 20 consecutive games and has hit safely in 15 of his last 17. ... Richie Martin's game-winning RBI in the ninth was just his sixth this season. ... In nine games this season, the Missions and RockHounds have combined for 128 total runs. ... With Friday's win, Midland moved to within one game of the Missions for first place in the Texas League South.
TODAY'S PROBABLES: San Antonio - RHP Michael Kelly (2-1, 3.22); Midland - RHP Grant Holmes (2-3, 5.29)
San Antonio ab r h bi Midland ab r h bi
Urias ss 5 1 1 0 Boyd lf 4 1 1 0
Perio 2b 5 1 3 2 Munoz 3b 4 0 1 0
Schulz cf 5 0 0 0 Schrock 2b 3 1 1 0
Reyes rf 5 0 0 1 Sportman rf 4 1 2 2
Torres dh 5 1 3 0 Rosa 1b 4 1 1 1
France 3b 5 1 3 1 Marincov dh 2 1 0 1
Martinez lf 3 0 0 0 Vertigan cf 3 0 1 1
Perez 1b 2 1 1 0 Martin ss 4 0 1 1
Kennedy c 4 0 1 1 Raga c 3 1 1 0
Totals 39 5 12 5 Totals 31 6 9 6
San Antonio 000 100 220 --5
Midland 000 005 001 --6
E - Kennedy (5), Munoz (4). DP - San Antonio 1, Midland 1. LOB - San Antonio 10, Midland 5. 2B - Urias (11), France (2), Perio (5), Munoz (5), Rosa (9). SB - Marincov (2). SF - Marincov.
IP H R ER BB SO
Rodriguez 5.1 6 4 4 1 3
Weir 1.2 2 1 1 0 1
Wieck 1.0 0 0 0 0 3
Smith L, 0-1 0.0 1 1 1 2 0
Stull 3.1 4 1 1 2 2
Seddon 3.0 4 1 1 1 5
Trivino 1.1 3 2 2 0 1
Finnegan W, 1-1 1.1 1 0 0 0 2
T - 3:06. A - 6,570.