Express Blast Three Homers in 8-6 Win over Sky Sox
April 14, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - On a frigid afternoon in Colorado, the Round Rock Express (2-7) bats were red hot as the team blasted three home runs in an 8-6 comeback win over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (6-2). Express DH Destin Hood accounted for two of the team's three longballs, his first multi-homer game since May 24, 2017 with the New Orleans Baby Cakes.
Round Rock reliever RHP Tayler Scott (1-0, 3.60) picked up his first career Triple-A victory thanks to two shutout innings out of the bullpen. The righty was a walk away from a perfect outing, while tallying a pair of strikeouts. Sky Sox reliever RHP Erik Davis (0-2, 6.75) suffered the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in two innings.
The Sky Sox wasted little time jumping on the board as CF Keon Broxton led off the game with a double before moving to third on a Mauricio Dubon groundout and scoring on an Austin Bibens-Dirkx wild pitch. Hood leveled the game at 1-1 in the very next inning, lining a solo home run over the wall in center field.
However, the home side regained their lead in the third thanks to a Tyrone Taylor double followed by an RBI single courtesy of 3B Andres Blanco. Broxton then stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run shot, extending his team's lead to 4-1.
The resilient Express once again tied the game in the third. 3B Andy Ibanez jumped aboard via a fielding error by Dubon. After a Jose Cardona walk and RF Scott Heineman's first career Triple-A base hit, LF Willie Calhoun scored a pair of runs with a long single, resetting the score at 4-4.
The Sky Sox jumped back in front in the fifth. Dubon advanced to second on an Ibanez fielding error prior to stealing third base and racing home on a Bibens-Dirkx wild pitch. After a two-out Brett Phillips triple, Taylor singled to up the gap to 6-4. Bibens-Dirkx finished the day having allowed six runs, only four of which were earned, in 5.0 innings of work.
Calhoun opened the seventh with a single, then 1B Tommy Joseph made the most of his Express debut, blasting a two-run shot to left, once again tying the game at 6-6. In the eighth, Cardona collected a two-out single before Heineman worked a walk. Calhoun then picked up his third RBI of the day with an RBI single.
Hood added an insurance run in the ninth with his second solo home run of the day, ultimately giving the E-Train an 8-6 win. Express RHP Jose Leclerc was untouchable out of the bullpen, allowing just two baserunners in the final two frames to seal the victory and pick up his first save of the season.
The two teams will meet in a doubleheader on Sunday after Thursday night's game was postponed due to wind and freezing temperatures. Sky Sox RHP Freddy Peralta (2-0, 0.00) is scheduled to start game one against an Express pitcher yet to be announced. Round Rock RHP Tyler Wagner (0-0, 7.71) is slated to start game two against Colorado Springs RHP Michael Brady (0-0, 4.50). First pitch in game one is set for 1:30 p.m. CDT.
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