'Cakes Frost Express, 8-7, in Extras
August 26, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (59-72) and New Orleans Baby Cakes (66-64) combined for 25 hits in Saturday night's extra-innings thriller at Dell Diamond as New Orleans rose to the occasion in the 10th inning to steal an 8-7 win.
Round Rock reliever LHP Brady Feigl (5-1, 2.29) ended up with his first loss of the year after allowing the winning run to score in extras. Baby Cakes reliever RHP Jumbo Diaz (5-6, 2.48) was awarded the win after tossing 2.0 frames in which he allowed one earned run on two hits.
Back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the first gifted Round Rock an early 1-0 edge. With two outs, LF Willie Calhoun smoked a two-bagger down the line in left to put himself in scoring position for 1B Tommy Joseph. On an 0-2 pitch from Alcantara, Joseph punched a towering drive to the gap in right-center for an RBI double off 'Cakes starter RHP Sandy Alcantara.
The E-Train wouldn't hold the lead for long as New Orleans put together a three-run inning in the top of the second. LF J.B. Shuck worked a one-out walk and moved up to second on a wild pitch by Express starter RHP Chris Tillman. Two batters later, DH Tomas Telis pushed a single past a diving Cliff Pennington at shortstop to level the score at 1-1. A single by 3B Cristhian Adames and a double from SS Peter Mooney in the following at-bats pulled the 'Cakes ahead 3-1.
Round Rock utilized another pair of doubles in the fourth to chip the Baby Cakes lead down to 3-2. DH Christian Lopes doubled on a sharp ground ball down the line in left before RF Scott Heineman laced a grounder into the left-center gap for a two-bagger of his own.
After an RBI single by 1B Peter O'Brien extended the 'Cakes lead to 4-2 in the fifth, the duo of Lopes and Heineman came through for the Express for a second time in the bottom half of the frame. With two away, Lopes reached base on a single to left and chugged all the way home when Heineman produced his second RBI double of the evening on a shot down the left-field line.
New Orleans would turn a one-run lead into a two-run lead once more in the top of the sixth as Adames followed a Chad Wallach double and a single by Telis with a run-scoring base hit to make it 5-3. But, in the bottom side, Round Rock finally closed the gap to reset the score at 5-5.
Joseph led off the inning with a solo shot to left for his 19th homer and 60th RBI of the year. Three batters later, SS Cliff Pennington climbed aboard on a single and eventually scored the tying run when C Juan Centeno smacked a ground ball up the middle that was misplayed by rehabbing Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson in center field.
The Express would briefly take a 6-5 lead in the seventh when Calhoun lashed an RBI double down the line in right. The two-bagger was Calhoun's second of the night and his 31st on the season, moving him into a three-way tie for second on the PCL doubles leaderboard.
Unfortunately for Round Rock, the 'Cakes immediately tied the game in the top of the eighth. Brinson plated a run on a double off E-Train reliever LHP Zac Curtis. However, Round Rock closer RHP R.J. Alvarez was able to stall the New Orleans rally with a runner on third when he retired the side on a strikeout.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Express pulled ahead for a third time when Centeno singled 3B Andy Ibanez home. However, in the top of the ninth, New Orleans answered the call once again as Adames produced a game-tying sacrifice fly off Alvarez that evened the score 7-7.
The lead changed for the fifth time in the top of the 10th as the Baby Cakes landed a finishing blow. Per Minor League Baseball's new extra-inning rules, Feigl began the frame with a runner, Mooney, on second and proceeded to surrender a single to New Orleans RF Braxton Lee that put runners on the corners. With one out, 2B Chris Bostick bounced into fielder's choice that gave Mooney enough time to race home from third with the leading run.
Trailing 8-7, Round Rock went down in order as Baby Cakes LHP Jose Quijada secured his third save of 2018.
The E-Train will transform into the Chupacabras for the final time this season for the third game of the series on Sunday night at Dell Diamond. Chupacabras RHP Chris Rowley (1-3, 3.34) is slated to duel with Baby Cakes RHP Zac Gallen (8-7, 3.86) on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CDT.
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