Carp, Rainiers Swim Past Express 8-5
August 16, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
Mike Carp's one-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Tacoma Rainiers an 8-5, come-from-behind victory over the Round Rock Express in Sunday afternoon's Pacific Coast League action at Cheney Stadium. It was the second consecutive extra-inning game between the Express (50-72) and the Rainiers (63-58).
Each of the game's final nine runs came on four home runs, the last three of which were hit by Tacoma. Eliezer Alfonzo and Greg Halman opened the bottom of the ninth with consecutive solo homers, erasing a 5-3 Round Rock lead. Matt Mangini led off the 10th with a single and moved to second with one out when David Winfree was hit by a pitch. Carp followed with the game-winning homer, his 20th round-tripper of the season.
Andrew Baldwin (8-7) earned the victory with 5.0 scoreless innings of relief. He scattered three hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Tacoma starter Mauricio Robles allowed five runs on three hits and four walks with eight strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
Gary Majewski (4-4) took the loss, allowing all three runs in the 10th. Starter Andy Van Hekken worked each of the game's first nine innings and surrendered five runs on eight hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. It was Van Hekken's second consecutive start in which he worked at least into the eighth inning.
Tacoma broke a scoreless tie with three runs on four hits in the fourth inning. Justin Smoak and Winfree opened the frame with consecutive singles, and Carp followed with an RBI double. Mike Wilson singled through the left side with two outs, scoring Winfree and Carp.
Round Rock answered in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs on just two hits. The Express loaded the bases on two walks and single, and J.B. Shuck followed with an RBI walk. Collin DeLome then blasted his second grand slam of the season. It was Round Rock's first grand slam since July 22 and fourth of the season. DeLome's other grand slam was July 19 against New Orleans, a game the Express also lost.
The Express had only three hits the rest of the way - a one-out bunt single from Matt Kata in the sixth, a leadoff Brian Esposito single in the seventh, and Kata's two-out double in the eighth. Baldwin retired the game's final seven batters in order.
Kata had the lone multiple-hit game for the Express, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Carp was 2-for-5 with four RBI and a pair of runs for the Rainiers. Smoak was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Round Rock and Tacoma conclude their four-game series with a 9:05 p.m. CDT first pitch Monday at Cheney Stadium. Right-hander Jordan Lyles (0-1, 6.00 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Express, while southpaw Ryan Feierabend (3-5, 5.23 ERA) is slated for the Rainiers.
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