PCL1 Round Rock Express

E-Train Collapses Late, Drops Game Three to Sounds 6-5

Published on September 3, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After a night of celebration and festivity, the Round Rock Express (75-64) fell victim to an impressive Nashville Sounds (63-76) comeback at First Tennessee Park Wednesday night, 6-5. Round Rock took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning, but could not impede the Nashville offense as the Sounds scored six runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to take a 2-1 series lead.

Fresh off a division-clinching victory, the E-Train found its offensive footing in the top of the third inning as Nashville starter Nathan Long issued a walk to Express LF Lewis Brinson with one out on the board. 3B Drew Robinson grounded into a force out that eliminated Brinson on his way to second, but made up for it by swiping second with two outs. RF Nomar Mazara then knocked a ground ball into left that scored Robinson from second, supplying Round Rock with the 1-0 lead. Long struck out DH Brett Nicholas to prevent a Round Rock surge.

Round Rock added its second run of the evening on a lead-off homer from 2B Ryan Rua that opened the fourth inning. The blast gave him his fifth of the year with the E-Train and his first since August 26.

The top of the fifth marked the third straight inning Round Rock put the scoreboard operator to work as Mazara and Nicholas supplied back-to-back RBI singles off Long, enlarging the Express lead to 4-0.

Express starter Nick Martinez (1-1, 2.90) capped-off his shutout effort with three consecutive outs after giving up a lead-off single in the bottom of the fifth. The right-hander finished with 5.0 innings pitched, three hits, one walk and three punch-outs. RHP Robert Coello was entrusted with the shutout bid, but saw the blanking go to waste on just his third pitch of the contest as Nashville 2B Joey Wendle launched a solo shot to lead off the home half of the sixth and make it a 4-1 game.

E-Train CF Jared Hoying put the margin back to four with a two-out blast off Long in the top of the seventh, signaling his 23rd of the season and setting the score at 5-1. The homer ended Long's (3-5, 5.72) outing after 6.2 innings, nine hits, five runs (four earned), four walks and five Ks.

Nashville answered Hoying's homer with a sacrifice fly from RF James Harris, bringing the score to 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh. The sacrifice fly would not be the only spike on the radar for Nashville as the Sounds went on to rally with a two-RBI single and a RBI double that instantly evened game three at 5-5. Coello ended the flurry with a pop out to send the game to the eighth.

Sounds DH Nate Freiman broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a one-out solo home run off Coello, inching Nashville in front 6-5.

Nashville closer Angel Castro kept the E-Train off the board in the ninth and confirmed Nashville's second win of the series.

The Express and Sounds play the series finale tomorrow night at First Tennessee Park with a first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Nashville sends out southpaw Brad Mills (5-11, 4.32) against Round Rock starter Chi Chi Gonzalez (7-7, 3.67).

2015 Express playoff tickets are on sale now with Round Rock scheduled to host the first two games of its first round series at Dell Diamond on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10. The Express will host the Oklahoma City Dodgers in the first round of the Pacific Coast League Playoffs for the first time in PCL history. Tickets may be purchased online or at the Dell Diamond ticket office. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 3, 2015


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