Arlington ex Hunter Pence showing grit during rough season

Hunter Pence isn’t having the smoothest of seasons.

The former Arlington High School and UT Arlington star missed much of the past two months after needing surgery to repair his right hamstring, and now this.

Pence fouled a ball off his face during a game on Aug. 6. Pence stayed in the game. He struck out in that at-bat but later singled, walked and scored a run.

The next day, Pence posted a selfie on Twitter showing off the shiner under his right eye with the comment, “I forget that I have a black eye and I scare people.”

Pence’s batting average was just .171 in the first 10 games in August. The Giants are 6-6 since he returned from the disabled list July 30. They’re trying to hold off the Dodgers atop the National League West.

“If I’m OK to play, I want to give it everything I can,” Pence said. “I don’t claim to be anything special or tough. I just want to play. It’s an honor to be out there with those guys and a privilege to play for the Giants. It’s awesome.”

Giants manager Bruce Bochy was impressed how Pence stayed in the game.

“What a warrior. By the time I got there that thing was swollen,” he said. “He was adamant he wasn’t coming out.”

Hometown notables

▪ Right-hander Matt Walker (Aledo, Weatherford College) earned the save in a four-pitcher combined no-hitter for the Mariners’ Class A Clinton (Iowa) Lumberkings. He is 4-2 with nine saves in 49 innings. Walker, who taped a video interview with the Clinton Herald, posted a photo of himself and the other pitchers on Twitter after the game. Walker is wearing No. 41.

▪ Infielder Kyle Kubitza (Colleyville Heritage) was claimed by the Atlanta Braves on Friday after the Rangers designated him for assignment on Wednesday. Kubitza has been with Triple A Round Rock since June 21.

▪ Infielder Jantzen Witte (Arlington Martin, TCU) went 4 for 4 (four singles) with a run scored for the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox on Aug. 5 to raise his average 11 points to .272.

▪ Left-hander Tyler Alexander (Southlake Carroll, TCU) is 0-1 in two starts since being promoted to the Tigers’ Double A Erie SeaWolves. He allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings (with four strikeouts) in his second start on Thursday.

▪ Right-hander Drew Smith (Crowley, Dallas Baptist) has allowed one run in his past seven innings of relief (four appearances) for the Class A West Michigan (Tigers). Hehas five strikeouts in the span.

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Arlington ex Hunter Pence showing grit during rough season."