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Round Rock Express

Walk-off Homer Sinks Express At Memphis 7-6

July 3, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Allen Craig's two-out, three-run homer capped a four-run ninth inning as the Memphis Redbirds rallied past the Round Rock Express 7-6 in Saturday night's series finale at AutoZone Park. The Redbirds (45-37) swept the three-game series with the win and lead the season series 5-2, winning each of the last four meetings. The Express (35-48) have lost six straight, their second-longest skew of the season.

Round Rock carried a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning, but Kevin Howard's leadoff double started the carnage for Express closer Roy Corcoran. Mark Shorey followed with an RBI single, pulling the Redbirds to within two runs. Corcoran then struck out Bryan Anderson before what proved to be the most pivotal play of the game.

James Rapoport grounded up the middle, and Express shortstop Wladimir Sutil snagged the ball and started what appeared to be a game-ending double play. However, Sutil failed to touch second base before throwing out Rapoport at first. That allowed Shorey to reach second safely. After a wild pitch pushed Shorey to third and a full-count walk put Ruben Gotay at first, Craig drilled Corcoran's 2-0 offering over the centerfield wall for the game-winner.

Corcoran (1-9) suffered his first blown save in six attempts since assuming the closer role with Casey Daigle's promotion to Houston. Corcoran allowed all four runs in the ninth on three hits and a walk. Starter Polin Trinidad allowed one run on six hits and two walks with one strikeout over 5.0 innings but did not factor. Gary Majewski worked 2.0 scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts before giving way to Corcoran to start the ninth.

Andrew Brown (2-0) picked up the win; he worked around a Kata single and a walk for a scoreless ninth. Memphis starter Evan MacLane worked 6.1 innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits, three of which were homers; he also issued a walk and had one strikeout.

Lost in the shuffle of the Memphis rally was a four-homer night for the Express. Matt Kata led the way, going 3-for-4 with a pair of solo homers and a walk. It was Round Rock's fourth multiple-homer game of the season and first since June 20 when Drew Locke clubbed two against Omaha. Locke and Lance Berkman had the other two-homer games for the Express.

Kata's leadoff homer in the fourth snapped a scoreless tie. Tommy Everidge blasted a solo homer two batters later. In the bottom of the inning, Trinidad uncorked a two-out wild pitch that allowed Gotay to score from third. Round Rock got that run back in the fifth when Kata scored on a Rapoport throwing error.

Memphis answered with a pair of runs on three hits in the sixth off reliever Jonah Bayliss, who allowed a run for the first time in eight appearances since June 1. It also marked the first time he allowed multiple runs since May 17, an 11-appearance span. Aaron Luna singled with one out, and Donovan Solano followed with a home run.

Locke led off the seventh with a home run, snapping the 3-3 tie. Kata homered with one out in the eighth, and the Express got another run on Gotay's two-out error.

Brian Bogusevic was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Kata scored three times. Rapoport (3-for-5), Gotay (2-for-3), Craig (2-for-5) and Howard (2-for-4) all had multiple-hit games for the Redbirds, who out-hit the Express 12-8. Gotay also walked twice and scored twice.

Round Rock and Memphis begin a four-game series Sunday at The Dell Diamond; first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CDT. Right-hander Sergio Perez (3-1, 4.67 ERA) will start on the mound for the Express, while right-hander Lance Lynn (5-6, 5.79 ERA) gets the nod for the Redbirds.

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