PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Albuquerque Isotopes

Published on June 12, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


GAME 66 | 12 JUNE 2012 | 8:05 P.M. CDT | ISOTOPES PARK | ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (27-38) at ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES (37-28)

RADIO: 104.9 FM The Horn ESPN"ˆAustin | ONLINE"ˆAUDIO: www.espnaustin.com

EXPRESS: RHP Derek Hankins (1-3, 3.03 ERA) | ISOTOPES: LHP Michael Antonini (1-4, 4.56 ERA)

TONIGHT'S"ˆGAME

Round Rock continues a seven-game road trip with the second of three games against division-rival Albuquerque Isotopes (Los Angeles Dodgers). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. CDT at Isotopes Park. The Express have lost seven straight after dropping last night's series opener 12-5. Round Rock is 12-25 on the road, dropping seven of its last eight. Albuquerque has won four straight and six of their last seven, a stretch that started with two straight wins at The Dell Diamond. Albuquerque is 22-11 at Isotopes Park. The Express are fourth in the PCL's American Southern Division, 11-and-a-half games back of Oklahoma City and six-and-a-half games back of third-place New Orleans. The Isotopes trail Oklahoma City by one-and-a-half games.

BROADCAST"ˆINFORMATION

Tonight's game airs on 104.9 FM The Horn ESPN"ˆAustin. Online audio also is available at www.espnaustin.com. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps handles play-by-play duties.

EXPRESS-ISOTOPES SERIES

This is the second of four series between the two teams; they split a four-game series June 2-6 at The Dell Diamond with the Express taking the first two games. Round Rock returns to Isotopes Park for a five-game series July 4-8 immediately followed by the All-Star break. The Isotopes return to The Dell Diamond for a four-game series July 24-27, closing Round Rock's antepenultimate home stand. ... SERIES NOTES: Albuquerque leads the all-time series 62-55, but Round Rock has won six of the last nine meetings. The series has been dominated by the home team with the Express leading the series 36-24 at The Dell Diamond and the Isotopes leading 38-19 in Albuquerque. Round Rock won season series in 2006 (10-6) and 2008 (9-7). Albuquerque won series in 2005 (9-7), 2007 (10-6), 2009 (10-6) and 2010 (9-7). The Express swept four-game series at home in 2008 and last season, and a three-game home series in 2006. The Isotopes swept four-game series at home in 2005 and 2007. ... 2012 SERIES: Albuquerque leads the series 3-2, winning each of the last three games. The teams split a four-game series June 2-5 at The Dell Diamond. Round Rock is hitting .270 (44-for-163) with two homers (Mike Bianucci and Tommy Mendonca), 10 doubles, one triple and 16 runs scored (3.2 per game). Joey Butler is 6-for-18 (.333) with a double, one RBI and four runs scored in five games. Matt Kata is 5-for-16 (.313) with one RBI in four games, and Ryan Spilborghs is 6-for-15 (.400) with a walk, three runs scored and Round Rock's lone stolen base in four games. Express pitchers have a 3.68 ERA (18 ER/44.0 IP) with 28 strikeouts against 12 walks. Albuquerque is hitting .280 (47-for-168) with two homers, 10 doubles, two triples and 24 runs scored (4.8 per game). Brian Cavazos-Galvez is 9-for-17 (.529) with a homer, three RBI, a double, two triples and five runs scored in five games.

SERIES"ˆINFORMATION

GAME"ˆ65 | MONDAY, JUNE 11

Isotopes 12, Express 5

WP: Ely (6-4). LP: Jackson (2-7). SV: None.

GAME"ˆ66 | TUESDAY, JUNE 12 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Michael Kirkman (5-1, 5.25 ERA)

Isotopes: LHP Michael Antonini (1-4, 4.56 ERA)

GAME"ˆ67 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Greg Reynolds (4-5, 4.76 ERA)

Isotopes: RH Fernando Nieve (3-3, 7.19 ERA)

EXPRESS STARTING PITCHER

RHP DEREK HANKINS (1-3, 3.03 ERA, 15 K)

2012: Made two relief appearances for Rangers at spring training, going 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA"ˆ(1 ER/1.1 IP), one walk and one strikeout ... Round Rock's primary long-relief arm ... two spot starts - May 12 at Tacoma, May 28 at Nashville ... snapped a 9.2-inning scoreless streak over his five outings June 7 at Omaha when he surrendered Irving Falu's two-run homer ... opponents are 6-for-37 (.162) over his last six outings with no walks and five strikeouts ... no walks since May 18 vs. Fresno (seven games, 45 batters faced) ... opposing batters are 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position and two outs, 0-for-5 with bases loaded ... stranded 10 of 11 inherited runners ... 0-1, 2.70 ERA (2 ER/6.2 IP) in two starts ... 0-3, 3.38 ERA (9 ER/24.0 IP) in two starts, 10 relief outings on the road.

LAST OUTING: Retired lone batter faced in relief role June 10 at Omaha ... entered game with Express trailing 8-6 and the bases loaded in the eighth inning ... four pitches, three strikes.

LAST START: No-decision in May 28 spot start at Nashville, an 8-5 Express victory ... worked 2.0 scoreless innings on one hit and no walks with one strikeout ... left game leading 1-0.

2012 vs. ALBUQUERQUE: Tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in relief June 4 at The Dell Diamond ... allowed one hit and no walks with one strikeout, facing one batter over the minimum.

CAREER"ˆvs. ALBUQUERQUE: 1-2, 5.94 ERA"ˆ(11 ER/16.2 IP) in three starts and two relief outings with 10 strikeouts against seven walks ... made three starts and one relief appearance in 2011 ... lost June 7 start at The Dell Diamond, allowing four runs on seven hits (three homers) and no walks with five strikeouts over 6.0 innings ... surrendered five runs (four earned)"ˆon five hits (one homer) and three walks with no strikeouts over 2.0 innings for loss in July 6 start at Albuquerque ... earned victory in Sept. 2 start at The Dell Diamond; yielded two runs on six hits (one homer) and three walks over 5.2 innings with three strikeouts.

NOTABLE: Was a second-team Conference USA selection as a junior ... led Conference USA with 114 strikeouts as a junior ... earned all-region and all-conference honors as a sophomore.

RARE SKID

Round Rock is in the midst of its third losing streak of at least six games this season, dropping its seventh straight last night. The Express also dropped six straight April 8-13 (one at Iowa, four at Oklahoma City, one vs. Iowa) and May 9-14 (three at Salt Lake, three at Tacoma). This is Round Rock's longest losing streak since an eight-game skid late in the 2010 season - the franchise's final season as a Houston Astros affiliate. It is the longest slide by the Rangers top affiliate since Oklahoma City dropping seven straight Aug. 25-31, 2007. The Rangers Triple-A squad has not lost eight straight since a nine-game skid April 29-May 7, 2006.

WOLF PROMOTED FROM FRISCO

Ross Wolf was assigned to Round Rock from Double-A Frisco prior to tonight's game. The veteran right-handed reliever began the season in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He pitched seven games with Double-A Bowie of the Eastern League, posting a 6.75 ERA (6 ER/8.0 IP) with one save and no record. Wolf signed April 27 with the Rangers and was assigned to Frisco where he was 0-1 with three saves and a 2.70 ERA (6 ER/20.0 IP) in 15 relief outings. He logged 21 strikeouts against 15 walks. All six runs Wolf surrendered with Frisco came in his first and last games with the RoughRidgers; he yielded four runs in two-thirds of an inning April 28 vs. Corpus Christi and two runs in one inning June 10 vs. Midland. Wolf's longest outing with Frisco was 2.2 innings May 17 at Midland when he did not allow a run on three hits and two walks with a season-high three strikeouts.

GOOD TIMES ON BORBON STREAK

Julio Borbon is riding a 20-game hitting streak (.437, 38-for-87), the longest of his career and Round Rock's fourth of at least 15 games in 2012. It is the second-longest in Express history behind only Yangervis Solarte's 22-game run earlier this season. Borbon has 12 multiple-hit games during the streak, including six in his last nine games. He has a sextet of three-hit games, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored during the streak. Ironically, Borbon has not walked since May 9 - three games before the streak began. Borbon has hit safely in 29 of his last 31 games (.396, 55-for-139) with 18 multiple-hit outings, seven three-hit games, five home runs, 20 RBI, eight doubles, three triples, 22 runs scored and nine stolen bases. His average skyrocketed from .186 to .314 in that time. Borbon has hit safely in 15 consecutive home games, the PCL's longest active streak and tied for the league's longest this season. His six homers are his most in a season since hitting six between Triple-A Oklahoma City (two) and the Rangers (four) in 2009. Borbon's career high for homers in a season is seven in 2008 between Class A-Advanced Bakersfield (two) and Double-A Frisco (five).

BRAD NELSON: ROAD WARRIOR

Brad Nelson snapped a 21-game road hitting streak Friday night, going 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit role. It was the PCL's longest road streak this season; he hit .384 (33-for-86) during the streak with seven homers, 20 RBI, seven doubles and 27 runs scored. He has hit safely in three straight road games since snapping the streak, meaning he is 37-for-99 (.374) on the road since an 0-for-4 night April 21 at New Orleans. Nelson is hitting nearly than 100 points higher on the road (.331, 44-for-133) than at home (.235, 23-for-98). All seven of his homers and 25 of his 32 RBI were in road games, and his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) is .975 on the road as opposed to .599 at The Dell Diamond. Nelson has not gone hitless in consecutive games regardless of location since a three-game spell April 19-21. He has hit safely in 38 of 43 games since, enjoying hitting streaks of 11, nine and eight games.

KATA KEY IN CLUTCH SITUATIONS

Matt Kata is hitting .465 (20-for-43) with runners in scoring position, delivering 30 RBI. He is even more deadly with runners in scoring position and two outs, going 8-for-15 (.533) with 16 RBI. Kata's grand slam May 31 at Memphis was Round Rock's first this season. He is 4-for-6 with a double and 11 RBI with the bases loaded, going 3-for-3 since delivering a game-winning, three-run double May 24 vs. Sacramento. Furthermore, Kata gets better as the game goes along, hitting .389 (14-for-36) after the seventh inning with eight RBI. Kata has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games (.390, 23-for-59) with two homers, 14 RBI, three doubles, seven multiple-hit outings and three multiple-RBI games.

JACKSON IN NEED OF SUPPORT

Zach Jackson tied the Express franchise record with 13 wins last season despite a 5.51 ERA. Round Rock supported Jackson to the tune of 6.17 runs per game in his 23 starts in 2011. This season, Jackson's ERA is lower (5.08) but his record is just 2-7. That largely is because the Express have averaged just 3.50 runs per game in Jackson's 12 starts, scoring three or fewer runs eight times and fewer than three runs five times. Round Rock scored a total of 17 runs in his seven losses. Jackson yielded three or fewer earned runs in six of eight starts since tossing six shutout innings in a win April 24 at New Orleans. However, he is 1-5 in those eight starts. Jackson surrendered one unearned run over six innings in his June 5 start vs. Albuquerque; the Express were shutout 2-0.

GIMME FIVE

The Express are 20-4 when holding the opposition to fewer than five runs but 7-34 when allowing at least five runs. Round Rock has surrendered at least five runs six times in the current seven-game losing streak, also dropping a 2-0 decision June 5 vs. Albuquerque. Meanwhile, the Express are 5-20 when scoring fewer than five runs.

KEY NUMBERS TELL THE STORY

Round Rock is 10-22 since blowing a 9-5 lead in the ninth inning May 9 at Salt Lake. The Express were 17-16 prior to that loss, the only point at which they were over .500 this season. Round Rock has been outscored 217-167 over the last 32 games, surrendering double-digit runs seven times. Express pitchers have a 6.30 ERA (191 ER/273.0 IP) in that time. A closer look into the numbers shows the Express are hitting .188 (33-for-176) with runners in scoring position in the 22 losses and .423 (47-for-111) in the 10 wins. Conversely, opponents are hitting .348 (88-for-253) with runners in scoring position in the 22 Express losses and .145 (12-for-83) in Round Rock's 10 victories.

"HOME" RUNS SCARCE

In stark contrast to last season, The Dell Diamond has not been a launching pad for the Express. Round Rock averages 0.64 homers per game through 28 home dates this season (18 homers). The Express have not homered in nine of their last 11 home games. Conversely, Round Rock averages 1.38 homers in 37 road games (51 homers), including a season-high five May 8 at Salt Lake. The Express clubbed at least two homers 12 times on the road. Meanwhile, the Express have four multiple-homer games at The Dell Diamond. Last season, Round Rock averaged 1.46 home runs per game at The Dell Diamond and 0.97 homers per game on the road. Teams have combined to score 9.29 runs per game at The Dell Diamond this season as opposed to the 11.90 average in 2011.

IT'S A LOADED QUESTION

Round Rock is hitting .329 (23-for-70) with the bases loaded, going 13-for-32 (.406) since May 21. Matt Kata delivered Round Rock's first grand slam of the season May 31 at Memphis. The Express have 11 walks against 11 strikeouts with the bases loaded. Kata (4-for-6) and Mike Bianucci (4-for-11) lead the team in bases-loaded hits; Bianucci also has walked twice. Dusty Brown has three walks and two sacrifice flies in six bases-loaded plate appearances. Meanwhile, opposing batters are 27-for-65 (.415) with the bases loaded, including six grand slams.

POSITION PLAYER"ˆNOTES

Mike Bianucci is hitting .305 (18-for-59) over his last 16 games with four multiple-hit games, two home runs, 14 RBI, five doubles and six runs scored. He has gone hitless in consecutive games twice this season (April 17-18, April 24-26). Bianucci, who is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs, has two homers in his last 109 at bats since homering in four of six games May 6-11. He also has not gone more than two consecutive games without a strikeout; he has 10 strikeouts over his last six games. Bianucci has one walk over his last 13 games (53 plate appearances) and none in his last nine games (35 plate appearances). He is 4-for-11 (.364) with the bases loaded (two doubles, two walks, 10 RBI) and 15-for-32 (.469) in the fourth inning (two homers, six RBI). ... Dusty Brown snapped an eight-game, 24-at-bat hitless skid with his third-inning single Sunday at Omaha. It was his first hit since a seventh-inning double in his last at bat May 22 vs. Sacramento. Brown is 2-for-46 (.043) since an eighth-inning double May 11 at Salt Lake; he has 18 strikeouts in that time and nine strikeouts over his last five games. He is 2-for-20 (.100) with runners in scoring position; both hits came with two outs. Brown owns a .500 on-base percentage when leading off an inning, hitting .333 (7-for-21) with one homer and seven walks against four strikeouts. He has three walks and two sacrifice flies in six bases-loaded plate appearances. ... Joey Butler leads the PCL with 43 walks, five more than any other player; however, he has not walked in his last six games. Butler is hitting .401 (69-for-172) when putting the ball in play. He is 11-for-22 (.500) in the fifth inning with four homers and eight RBI; he also has 10 eighth-inning RBI. Butler is 21-for-60 (.350) with runners in scoring position, producing four homers, 30 RBI and six doubles. However, he is 9-for-35 (.257) with runners in scoring position and two outs, producing no homers and 11 RBI. He is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs, six of which were solo shots. ... Luis Hernandez is 7-for-22 (.318) over his last six games with three multiple-hit outings, one home run, three RBI, a double, a triple and four runs scored. He has not walked since May 19, a span of 21 games and 97 plate appearances, with 14 strikeouts in that time. Three of his four home runs were solo shots. Hernandez committed two errors in last night's series opener at Albuquerque, matching his season total entering the game. He had not committed an error in 11 straight games. ... Leonys Martin has one hit and at least one RBI in each of his last four games. He has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games (.333, 15-for-45) with four multiple-hit games. Martin owns a .441 on-base percentage when leading off an inning, going 12-for-31 (.387) with three homers and three walks against three strikeouts. ... Luis Martinez has not gone three straight games without a hit since April 15-18 - his longest hitless slide of the season. He has one multiple-hit game (two hit, May 17 vs. Fresno) since May 7, a 16-game stretch. Martinez is 11-for-27 (.407) in the third and fourth innings but 15-for-80 (.188) the rest of the game, going 1-for-16 (.063) in the second inning. He is 2-for-21 (.095) with RISP and two outs, and he is 0-for-5 with the bases loaded (one walk, one hit-by-pitch, one sacrifice fly). ... Tommy Mendonca has at least one strikeout in 13 of his last 14 games, including a four-strikeout game in Sunday's finale at Omaha. Mendonca has not gone more than two straight games without a strikeout this season. He has not walked since May 2 vs. New Orleans, a span of 25 games and 97 plate appearances. Mendonca is 14-for-44 (.318) after the seventh inning. Four of his six home runs came with runners on base. ... Yangervis Solarte leads the league with 13.05 plate appearances per strikeout. He has one strikeout in his last 14 games with no strikeouts in his last nine games. Solarte is hitting .214 (18-for-84) through the first three innings but .321 (52-for-162) thereafter with five of his six home runs and 25 of his 29 RBI. He is 13-for-34 (.382) when leading off an inning with one home run and three walks (.432 on-base percentage). Solarte is 4-for-36 (.111) with runners in scoring position and fewer than two outs. Five of his six home runs were solo shots. ... Ryan Spilborghs produced an RBI Saturday at Omaha, snapping a 10-game streak without an RBI. He has not homered since May 26, a span of 13 games and 49 at bats. He has reached safely in all but three of his 33 games with the Express and managed a sacrifice fly in one of those three games. Spilborghs is 25-for-62 (.403) with runners on base but 5-for-17 (.294) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Spilborghs has played 216 career PCL games, hitting .346 (282-for-816) with 24 homers, 117 RBI and 64 doubles.

PITCHER"ˆNOTES

Neal Cotts, who has battled injuries over the past three seasons, made his Texas Rangers organizational debut last night at Albuquerque. It was his first outing since June 24, 2009, with the Iowa Cubs. ... Mark Hamburger failed to strikeout a batter Friday night for the first time in nine appearances and the second time in 18 outings. He surrendered 15 runs in 19.0 innings (7.11 ERA) over his last eight appearances after yielding only one run over his first 9.2 innings (0.93 ERA) as a reliever. Opponents are hitting .441 (15-for-34) with runners in scoring position, producing two home runs and 23 RBI. He has stranded all three inherited runners. ... Derek Hankins snapped a 9.2-inning scoreless streak over his five outings June 7 at Omaha when he surrendered Irving Falu's two-run homer. Opponents are 6-for-37 (.162) over his last six outings with no walks and five strikeouts. He has not walked a batter since May 18 vs. Fresno (seven games, 45 batters faced). Opposing batters are 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position and two outs, and 0-for-5 with the bases loaded. Hankins stranded 10 of 11 inherited runners. ... Aaron Heilman has a 2.89 ERA (3 ER/9.1 IP) over his last seven outings. He recorded at least one strikeout in 16 of 17 appearances since failing to do so in each of the season's first two outings, including a season-high three strikeouts June 3 vs. Albuquerque. He has 24 strikeouts in his last 19.2 innings. Four of 10 inherited runners scored, and opponents are hitting .361 (13-for-36) with runners in scoring position. ... Ben Snyder is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP) in nine outings at The Dell Diamond but 0-2 with a 5.08 ERA (13 ER/23.0 IP) in 13 road games. He has at least one strikeout in each of his last seven appearances, recording 13 strikeouts over 12.0 innings with three walks. Opponents are hitting .333 (7-for-21) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Snyder stranded nine of 15 inherited runners. ... Johan Yan surrendered at least one run in four of six outings since joining the Express (May 25) and allowed an inherited runner to score in one of the other two outings. Opponents are 5-for-12 (.417) against him with runners on base.

TEAM"ˆNOTES

Round Rock is tied for third in the PCL with 69 homers, 51 of which were on the road. ... Round Rock is 5-11 in series openers. ... Of Round Rock's 69 home runs, 36 were solo shots, including 18 to leadoff an inning. ... Round Rock leads the PCL with 75 double plays turned. ... The Express have at least one double in 61 of 65 games, including a 47-game streak after not getting a double in the season opener. Round Rock has at least one double in all 28 home games. ... Round Rock is 7-10 in one-run games. Seven of the 17 games were against Iowa. ... Round Rock is 1-29 when trailing after seven innings, posting their lone win May 2 with a six-run eighth to rally past New Orleans 10-5. Conversely, the Express have five losses in 30 games when leading after seven innings.

NEXT SERIES

Round Rock begins a nine-day, eight-game home stand with a four-game series against the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Houston Astros). The series runs Thursday through Sunday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch each night.; the series is followed by the season's fourth of five off-days. This is the second of four series between Round Rock and Oklahoma City. The RedHawks won three of four at Oklahoma City in late April.

GAME"ˆ68 | THURSDAY, JUNE 14 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (6-6, 7.88 ERA)

RedHawks: LHP Dallas Keuchel (5-4, 4.26 ERA)

GAME"ˆ69 | FRIDAY, JUNE 15 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Martin Perez (3-5, 5.40 ERA)

RedHawks: RHP Brian Bass (1-0, 5.17 ERA)

GAME"ˆ70 | SATURDAY, JUNE 16 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (2-7, 5.08 ERA)

RedHawks: RHP Armando Galarraga (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ71 | SUNDAY, JUNE 17 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: TBA

RedHawks: RHP Paul Clemens (7-4, 6.10 ERA; starts tonight)

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 12, 2012


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