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Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Take Finale at Memphis 8-5

July 17, 2011 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Matt Kata was 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI as the Round Rock Express defeated the Memphis Redbirds 8-5 in Sunday night's series finale at AutoZone Park. The Express (56-39) won four of five in the series at Memphis (49-46), which entered the series with the league's second-best home record. Round Rock moved to a season-best 17 games over .500.

Robinzon Diaz plated the game's first run with a second-inning RBI single, and Kata pushed that lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer in the fourth. Joey Butler added a an RBI single later in the third, and the Express never relinquished the lead.

Express starter Zach Jackson (7-3) earned the victory, holding the Redbirds to five runs - four earned - on six hits over 5.2 innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Cody Eppley worked 2.1 scoreless innings, and Pedro Strop worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

Memphis starter Brandon Dickson (4-8) took the loss after surrendering four runs - three earned - on five hits and two walks over 3.0 innings; he had five strikeouts.

Despite falling behind early, the Redbirds did not go quietly. Memphis pulled to within a run thanks to a run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth. However, the Express stretched their lead to 7-4 in the sixth on Kata's sacrifice fly and Chad Tracy's two-run single.

The Redbirds scored twice without the virtue of a hit in the bottom of the sixth, making use of two walks, a sacrifice fly and an error, but that was close as they would get. Kevin Cash delivered his fourth home run of the season in the seventh - a two-out solo shot - to cap the scoring.

Cash joined Diaz, Butler and Chris Davis with two-hit nights. Esteban German walked twice and scored twice.

Tyler Greene and Andrew Brown had two hits each for Memphis.

Round Rock returns home Monday, opening a four-game series against the New Orleans Zephyrs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT at The Dell Diamond. Right-hander Brett Tomko (5-3, 6.89 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Express, while right-hander Adalberto Mendez (1-6, 6.92 ERA) is slated to go for the Zephyrs.

NOTES: Round Rock is one win shy of last year's season total (57). The 2010 Express - then the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros - earned their 56th victory Sept. 4 in the season's antepenultimate game. ... The Express improved to 28-20 on the road and own the league's second-best road record. It was Round Rock's first road series victory since taking three of four June 9-12 at Iowa. ... Round Rock improves to 28-9 when hitting at least two home runs.

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