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Round Rock Express Errors Costly in 3-2 Loss to Iowa Cubs

April 16, 2012 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - Three Round Rock Express errors led to a pair of third-inning runs for the Iowa Cubs, and that proved to be the difference as the Cubs (7-5) edged the Express (4-8) in Monday night's Pacific Coast League series finale at The Dell Diamond. It was the seventh consecutive one-run game for the Express, who dropped to 3-6 in one-run tilts this season. The season series is split four games apiece with eight games remaining.

Mike Bianucci singled to open the second and later scored on Tommy Mendonca's sacrifice fly, but the Cubs erased that deficit in the third and never trailed again. Consecutive errors by Mendonca and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Edgar Gonzalez flew out to right, and Joey Butler's strong throw home forced Alfredo Amezaga to nix thoughts of scoring on the play. On the play, Tony Campana wandered well off second base, and Express catcher Dusty Brown threw behind him. Amezaga broke for home on Brown's throw, which did not get Campana; that tied the game. One pitch later, Brown's attempt to thwart a double steal went awry, and Campana trotted home.

The teams traded runs in the sixth. Wellington Castillo was hit by a pitch and scored on Dave Sappelt's two-out triple. Leonys Martin doubled with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and Bianucci followed with an RBI single. That was as close as the Express would get, though. Joey Butler singled to open the ninth, and Greg Miclat coaxed a two-out walk. But Cubs reliever Blake Parker struck out Julio Borbon to end the game and notch his second save of the season.

Iowa starter Casey Coleman (2-1) picked up the win; he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks over five and one-third innings with three strikeouts. Jeff Beliveau tossed a pair of scoreless innings with a strikeout before Parker worked the final five outs.

Express starter Martin Perez (1-1) was saddled with the tough-luck loss. He surrendered three runs - only one of which was earned - on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five and two-thirds innings. Perez was chased after Sappelt's RBI triple in the sixth. Sean Green walked two and struck out three in two and one-third innings of scoreless relief; he allowed one hit. Tanner Scheppers used a comebacker double play to work around a single and a walk in a scoreless ninth.

Bianucci was 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 11 games - each that he has played this season. Brad Nelson saw his nine-game streak end, but he walked and has reached safely in all 11 games played. Miclat was 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base.

Five Cubs had one hit each; Castillo walked twice, singled and was hit by a pitch in four plate appearances.

Round Rock opens a four-game series Tuesday against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals); first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT at The Dell Diamond. The Storm Chasers, who defeated the Express three-games-to-one in last years PCL American Conference Championship Series, swept a four-game series when the two teams met last week in Papillion, Neb. Right-hander Neil Ramirez (0-1, 5.00 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday's series opener opposite Omaha right-hander Nate Adcock (2-0, 0.00 ERA).

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