Texas
Williams makes learning experience of start vs. Texas
![Williams makes learning experience of start vs. Texas](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/t_2x1/t_w1536/mlb/umrbipuqxvnjp3ysoa23.jpg)
ARLINGTON — Saturday wasn’t the outcome the Guardians were hoping for, but maybe it’s a lesson that will benefit starter Gavin Williams for the long haul.
Prior to first pitch at Globe Life Field, Guardians manager Terry Francona was talking about how excited he was to see Williams — Cleveland’s 23-year-old No. 1 prospect with just four big league starts — handle the difficult task of facing one of the hottest lineups in MLB. Williams had experience with this at the beginning of the month against the Braves and had to be ready to overcome another daunting hurdle.
It wasn’t easy, but Williams proved he could grind through five innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, despite the traffic he caused with four walks in Cleveland’s 2-0 loss to the Rangers.
“He has really, really good stuff,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “Power arm, good breaking ball, the occasional changeup. They got a good one over there. … He pitched very well.”
And after this outing, Williams may be more prepared for his starts moving forward.
Lesson No. 1: Up the fastball usage
Cam Gallagher had yet to catch Williams this year, so he spent Thursday prepping for how to best attack this dangerous Rangers lineup with a new, young pitcher. Gallagher asked Williams about his pitch usage and Williams immediately brought up how much more frequently he was using his fastball in the Minors.
“His fastball is an elite pitch,” Gallagher said. “He’s just going to have to throw it a little bit more, throw it for strikes. We leaned a little bit heavier on it today.”
His command still needs work, but it’s clear that Williams’ fastball is lethal enough to be able to lean on. He threw it 61 percent of the time on Saturday, which was up from most of his other outings this season:
June 21: 54%
June 27: 62%
July 3: 56%
July 8: 56%
July 15: 61%
What takes this offering to the next level is Williams’ extension. Entering Saturday, he averaged 95.4 mph on his heater. But he has 7.5 feet of extension with the pitch, which is tied for the seventh highest in baseball (minimum of 150 four-seam/two-seamers). Because of that, the perceived velocity jumps more than two mph to 97.7. On Saturday, he averaged 96.6 mph and topped out at 99, which can only be more difficult on hitters.
“Yeah, I believe in that,” Francona said of perceived velocity. “That’s real.”
Lesson No. 2: Get ahead in the count
Of the 56 fastballs Williams threw against the Rangers, just one resulted in a hit. His stuff is there. Now, it’s time to hone in on the command.
“I’m just nibbling a little bit too much,” Williams said. “Just need to stop being so fine with everything, really.”
Williams loaded the bases with a single, double and a walk to lead off the game. He was able to escape the no-out jam having given up just one run, which came on Adolis García’s fielder’s choice. After consecutive singles in the second, he walked the bases loaded with one out and still managed to avoid more damage than just one run. But the biggest problem was failing to get ahead of hitters.
In the 12 batters he faced in the first two frames, he threw a first-pitch ball to 50 percent of them. In the final three innings of his outing, he threw first-pitch balls 20 percent of the time.
“That first inning, he was in 2-0, 2-1 counts, 3-0 counts off the get-go,” Gallagher said. “League average numbers 0-1 compared to 1-0 is night and day. Just getting ahead, getting strike one and going from there, being able to expand from the strike zone from there.”
Lesson No. 3: You don’t need your best stuff to compete
Williams didn’t have his best command. Yet his ability to grind through the first two innings, avoiding more damage than just one run in each frame, was impressive, especially for someone who’s made just five big league starts.
And this was more than just a learning moment for Williams. The Guardians needed their starters to eat up frames this weekend with a bullpen game scheduled for Monday. When Michael Kelly started warming in the bullpen in the second, it became concerning whether that bullpen game could happen. But Williams found a way to gut through five frames, retiring nine of the last 10 hitters he faced and saving the ‘pen.
“His willingness to compete is really impressive,” Francona said. “He’s learning on the job.”
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Texas
2 dead, multiple injured in shooting at Texas Juneteenth celebration: police
![2 dead, multiple injured in shooting at Texas Juneteenth celebration: police](https://fox5sandiego.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/IMG_1116-e1718544251606.jpg?w=1280)
Posted:
Updated:
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Two people are dead and multiple others were injured after a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Texas.
Police in Round Rock, a city located less than 20 miles north of Austin, said the shooting began just before 11 p.m. at Old Settlers Park after a fight between two groups who were at the Juneteenth event.
“The unfortunate part is that we had innocent victims as a result of this reckless actions of certain subjects,” Police Chief Allen Banks said during a media briefing. “We’re here to celebrate Juneteenth and the unfortunate part is these folks could care less about someone’s life and take someone’s life and on a day we’re here to celebrate community.”
Banks shared that officers and members of the Round Rock Fire Department who were there immediately tried to help the victims of the shooting. Austin-Travis County EMS medics also responded to the incident and said four adults and two kids had potentially serious injuries.
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Their ages and identities have not yet been released.
Those injured, who were not part of the fight, were taken to area hospitals.
“My thoughts and my prayers go out to the victims,” said Banks. “My condolences go out to the families of the deceased.”
Watch the briefing from RRPD Chief Allen Banks:
No additional details were immediately available. Banks said police believe the suspects fled the scene but that there is no threat to the public.
Anyone with video or information about the incident is asked to reach out to the Round Rock Police Department at 512-218-5500.
Texas
Texas mass shooting as multiple people hit at Juneteenth event
![Texas mass shooting as multiple people hit at Juneteenth event](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2358686/newsweek-breaking-news-card.jpg)
At least six people have been injured in a shooting during a Juneteenth festival in Texas, according to authorities.
Round Rock Police said officers were investigating a shooting that took place at Old Settlers Park on Saturday night. “This is an active scene, and the investigation is ongoing. Please avoid the area,” the department wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Austin-Travis County EMS wrote that it responded to “a mutual aid request for a reported shooting involving multiple patients.”
Medics transported four adults and two children to local hospitals, “all with potentially serious injuries,” the department wrote on X.
Videos posted on social media showed a huge police presence at the scene after the shooting. One clip reportedly shows police officers surrounding a possible suspect.
Police said they have no suspects in custody, CBS Austin reported.
Newsweek has contacted the Round Rock Police Department for comment via social media.
🚨#BREAKING: Numerous people have been shot and injured with fatalities in a mass shooting during at a Juneteenth festival — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 16, 2024
⁰📌#Roundrock | #Texas
⁰Currently numerous Law enforcement along with emergency personnel are on the scene in old settlers park located in round rock… pic.twitter.com/P0Vb6WNIoN
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Texas
Texas voters cast ballots in runoff election
![Texas voters cast ballots in runoff election](https://dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MJURAOQXWRCMYMSPJ2GYEZFMBM.jpg?auth=09e32cc443963450cfd2e72a5638a6e5813efa3bfcb1562c77e1bd6e2b273b40&height=467&width=830&smart=true&quality=40)
Voters went to the polls Saturday to make their final selections in 11 races that required runoffs after the May 4 local elections.
Most of the races were for city council seats in suburban communities around Dallas-Fort Worth. In Dallas County, the only races were for Irving City Council District 4 and Lewisville City Council, Place 2. You can see full results at dallasnews.com/election-results/.
Most of the attention on May 4 was on Dallas’ $1.25 billion bond program that overwhelmingly passed on a day that saw low voter turnout in the city. Turnout on Saturday was expected to be light, as well.
Among the races on the ballot: Two city council races in Allen, and single council races in Euless, North Richland Hills, Kennedale, Anna, Midlothian, Fate, Irving and Lewisville. Also being decided was a seat on the Ellis Appraisal District board of directors.
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