PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Game Notes

Published on June 18, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


TONIGHT'S GAMES

Round Rock continues a four-game home stand tonight with their second game against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CDT at The Dell Diamond. The Express are 4-6 in their last 10 games, while The Storm Chasers are 6-4. Round Rock is 17-16 at home, losing five of its last six. Omaha is 17-15 on the road, winning three straight.

PROMOTIONS

St. David's Round Rock Express Summer Concert Series presented by Dell - Jack Ingram ... postgame concert begins approximately 20 minutes after the game's conclusion

RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION

Tonight's game airs on 104.9 FM The Horn ESPN Radio Austin. Online audio also is available at www.espnaustin.com. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Jerry Grote.

TELEVISION BROADCAST INFORMATION

Tonight's game also airs live on KBVO Austin, the sports-specific sister station of KXAN NBC Austin. KBVO is available on Time Warner Cable HD channel 1525, DirecTV channel 51, AT&T Uverse channel 7 (HD 1007), Grande channel 18 (HD 318), Suddenlink channel 15 (HD 725) and Northland Cable channel 97. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps provides play-by-play for tonight's game, while former Major League pitcher Kelly Wunsch provides color analysis.

EXPRESS-STORMS CHASERS SERIES

This is the second of four series between Round Rock and Omaha. The Express swept the season's first series April 11-14 at The Dell Diamond. Omaha won last night's series opener 4-0; it was the first of the five meetings this season not decided by three or fewer runs. The series has been dominated by pitching with the teams combining for more than five runs only twice and more than seven runs only once. Round Rock owns a 2.20 staff ERA (12 ER / 49.0 IP) over five games, holding the Storm Chasers to a .203 average. Meanwhile, Omaha pitchers own a 2.96 staff ERA (15 ER / 45.2 IP), holding Express batters to a .247 average.

STARTING PITCHERS

EXPRESS: LHP Zach Jackson (5-2, 5.81 ERA)

Last Outing: Earned victory in June 12 start at Iowa, a 9-2 Express win ... Held Cubs to one unearned run over 6.0 innings on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts ... Also hit one batter.

2011: Makes staff-leading 14th start tonight ... Express are 9-4 in his starts ... Averages 6.54 runs per start ... Won three of last four starts with a 2.84 ERA (6 ER / 19.0 IP) in the three wins ... Surrendered season highs of eight runs and 11 hits in the lone loss over last four starts ... All five wins vs. Iowa (three) and Oklahoma City (two) ... Losses May 16 at Las Vegas and June 6 vs. Albuquerque ... Yielded nine home runs, including multiple homers in two starts ... Did not allow a home run in last start, snapping a four-outing skid ... Worked at least into the sixth inning in all but one start (4.0 innings May 16 at Las Vegas) ... Faced at least 23 batters in all 13 starts, facing at least 27 batters seven times ... Staff-leading 79.0 innings worked on the season with 38 strikeouts, 27 walks and a .302 opponents' average ... 2-1, 6.17 ERA, .333 opponents' average in seven starts at The Dell Diamond ... Seven of nine home runs allowed were at home ... First-inning ERA of 9.69 (14 ER / 13.0 IP) ... Four first-inning home runs allowed ... Sixth-inning ERA of 11.32 ERA (13 ER / 10.1 IP) ... 3.88 ERA (24 ER / 55.2 IP) outside first and sixth innings ... Opponents hitting .212 (7-for-33) with runners in scoring position and two outs ... Opponents are 3-for-7 (.429) with one home run, 15 RBI, one walk and one strikeout with the bases loaded ... Allows a .351 average (27-for-77) and a .398 on-base percentage to batters leading off an inning.

2011 vs. Omaha: No-decision in April 14 start at The Dell Diamond, a 7-5 Express victory ... Allowed five runs on nine hits, including two home runs, over 7.0 innings with no walks and four strikeouts ... Also uncorked two wild pitches ... Left game trailing 5-4 ... Tied for second-longest outing ... Surrendered two first-inning runs on Eric Hosmer's home run.

2010: Spent entire season with Triple-A Las Vegas in the Toronto Blue Jays organization ... 2-3 with a 5.64 ERA in 35 games, five starts; 49 strikeouts over 81.1 innings.

Notable: Drafted by Chicago White Sox in 50th round of 2001 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of high school but did not sign ... LaTrobe, Pa., native began collegiate career at Louisville before transferring to Texas A&M ... Toronto Blue Jays first-round pick in 2004 after one season at Texas A&M ... MLB debut June 4, 2006, with Blue Jays vs. Washington Nationals ... Also spent time in Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians organizations ... Was part of the July 7, 2008, trade that sent C.C. Sabathia from Milwaukee from Cleveland ... Signed minor league contract with Rangers in January.

STORM CHASERS: LHP Bruce Chen (0-0, 4.50 ERA - MLB rehab)

Last Outing: No-decision in June 13 start vs. Iowa, a 6-3 Omaha victory ... Worked predetermined 4.0 innings, using 64 pitches (47 strikes) ... Allowed two runs on six hits - one home run - with no walks and one strikeout ... Left game tied 2-2.

2011: Makes second start with Omaha tonight ... Began season in Kansas City rotation ... 4-1, 3.59 ERA, .261 ERA in seven starts with Royals ... Went the distance in rain-shortened eight-inning game April 14 vs. Seattle, a 5-1 Royals win ... Allowed one unearned run on six hits in that outing ... Placed on disabled list May 6 with lat strain ... Returned to mound June 8 in rehab start for Northwest Arkansas (AA) at Arkansas ... Took loss, allowing four runs on five hits and no walks with two strikeouts over 2.0 innings.

2011 vs. Round Rock: First meeting.

2010: Spent majority of season with Kansas City, going 12-7 with a 4.17 ERA and a .254 opponents' average in 23 starts, 10 relief outings ... Tossed a complete-game shutout vs. Tampa Bay in season's final start Oct. 1, holding Rays to two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts ... Began time with Royals in the bullpen, going 1-0 with one save and a 2.89 ERA in 10 appearances ... Moved to rotation May 30 and was 4-2 in first seven starts ... Went 11-7 with a 4.26 ERA as a starter ... Held opponents to a .185 average (10-for-54) with runners in scoring position and two outs ... Allowed one hit in 12 at bats with bases loaded but walked three batters ... Started season at Omaha, going 0-1 with a 1.31 ERA and a .186 opponents' average in 20.2 innings over three starts ... Final start with Omaha was April 20 at The Dell Diamond ... Tossed 8.0 shutout innings in that game, scattering five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts only to see Express win game 1-0 in 10 innings on Matt Kata two-out RBI single.

Notable: Born in Panama City, Panama ... One of 48 Panamanian-born Major Leaguers ... Of Chinese descent ... Third year with Kansas City organization ... 14th year in professional baseball ... Signed by Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent in 1993 ... Studied civil engineering at Georgia Tech but did not play for the Yellow Jackets ... MLB debut Sept. 7, 1998, at New York Mets; started and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 3.0 innings ... Has spent parts of 10 seasons in the Majors ... Pitched in Baltimore, Houston, Boston, Cincinnati, Montreal, New York (NL), Philadelphia, Atlanta, Texas and Kansas City organizations.

LAST GAME

Luis Mendoza and Jesse Chavez combined on a three-hit shutout as Omaha blanked Round Rock 4-0 at The Dell Diamond. Express starter Neil Ramirez was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs - three earned - on six hits and three walks over 5.0 innings with six strikeouts. Lorenzo Cain doubled the Storm Chasers 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the sixth. The game featured five errors, three of which were committed by right fielders.

EXPRESS FALL TWO GAMES BACK IN DIVISION

Round Rock (37-31, .544) fell to two games behind Albuquerque (39-29, .574) in the American Southern Division with last night's loss. This is the first time this season the Express have been more than one game back in the division standings. New Orleans (34-35, .493) sits five-and-a-half games back of Albuquerque after an 18-5 win at Oklahoma City last night. Oklahoma City (29-40, .420) is 10-and-a-half games back. The Express have at least shared the division lead following 53 of 68 games this season, including 51 of the last 58. Round Rock is 11-9 in division play.

ROUND ROCK vs. AMERICAN NORTHERN DIVISION

The Express are 19-13 against American Northern Division teams this season. Round Rock has completed its season series against Iowa, winning nine of 16 meetings. The Express are 5-3 against Nashville and 4-1 against Omaha. Round Rock dropped two of three at Memphis in a rain-shortened series April 28 through May 1. ... Omaha enters tonight's game with a two-and-a-half-games lead over Memphis in the American Northern Division. The Storm Chasers are 18-9 against their division, going 20-21 against the rest of the league.

EXPRESS PERFECT FOLLOWING CONSECUTIVE LOSSES

Round Rock has not lost three straight games this season, going 9-0 following consecutive losses. Express wins in that situation were April 9 vs. Iowa, April 25 vs. Oklahoma City, April 29 at Memphis, May 15 at Las Vegas, May 19 vs. Colorado Springs, May 24 vs. Reno, June 1 at Oklahoma City, June 9 at Iowa and June 15 at Nashville.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE RUNS GONE

Round Rock has scored 14 runs over its last five games, winning just once in that stretch. The Express averaged 5.8 runs per game prior to the last five games, during which time they have averaged just 2.8 runs per game. Furthermore, the Express were shutout three times in the last 11 games after being blanked only once in the season's first 57 contests. Round Rock is hitting .254 (97-for-382) over the last 11 games, nearly 30 points lower than its season average (.283).

UNFRIENDLY CONFINES?

While the Express are among the best road teams in the PCL, they have struggled to a 17-16 record at The Dell Diamond and have lost five of their last six home games. Round Rock hits better at home (.289) than on the road (.278), and the Express average substantially more home runs per game at home (1.52) than on the road (0.97). However, the staff ERA is 5.32 at home and 4.38 on the road. Opposing batters are hitting .300 with 1.18 home runs per game at The Dell Diamond, while Express pitchers have limited opponents to a .253 average and 0.80 home runs per game on the road.

BIG-INNING THEORY

Round Rock is 11-3 this season when scoring at least four runs in an inning and 26-28 when failing to do such. However, the difference in record is even more pronounced based upon what the opponent does. The Express are 36-19 when not allowing an inning of at least four runs but 1-12 when the opponent posts such an inning. The lone victory was May 11 at Tucson when the Padres scored four first-inning runs and the Express rallied for a 7-5 victory.

COMEBACK KIDS

Round Rock has 19 comeback win this season (trailing at any point in the game). The Express have won seven times when trailing after five innings, four times when trailing after six innings, four times when trailing after seven innings and twice when trailing entering the ninth inning.

CLOSE CALLS

Six of Round Rock's last eight games have been one-run affairs. The Express were 2-4 in those games. Round Rock is 13-9 in one-run games. The Express started the season 7-1 in such games, lost four straight and then won five straight before dropping four of their last five. Round Rock is 20-16 in games decided by two runs or fewer.

FIVE IS THE KEY

Round Rock is 31-11 this season when scoring at least five runs. Only six times have the Express won when scoring fewer than five runs: April 12 vs. Omaha (3-2, 13 innings), April 13 vs. Omaha (2-0), April 18 at New Orleans (3-1), April 22 at Oklahoma City (2-1), May 27 vs. Iowa (3-1) and June 15 at Nashville (4-3). Round Rock has lost 18 of its last 20 when scoring fewer than five runs. Meanwhile, Round Rock is 24-8 when allowing fewer than five runs and 13-23 when allowing at least five runs.

EXPRESS LEAD PCL IN ATTENDANCE

Round Rock leads the PCL in attendance, averaging 8,365 fans per game. Sacramento is second with a 7,314 per-game average, while Albuquerque (7,132) is third. The Express have finished second or third in the PCL each season since joining the league in 2005.

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 18, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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