Express clipped by New Orleans
April 18, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Hector Luna's eighth-inning, one-out solo home run pushed the New Orleans Zephyrs to a 5-4 victory over the Round Rock Express in Pacific Coast League action Saturday night at The Dell Diamond. The Express (2-8) suffered their fifth straight loss and dropped their fifth in six games against the Zephyrs (6-4) this season.
Five-time Astros All-Star Lance Berkman, in Round Rock for a two-game rehab stint, was 0-for-2 in three plate appearances. He exited after a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fifth. Berkman flied out to deep center in the first and struck out looking in the third. According to Astros Assistant GM Ricky Bennett, Berkman experience no pain or swelling in his knee and is scheduled to play seven innings in Sunday's game.
Luna drilled the first pitch he saw off Express reliever Jonah Bayliss well over the wall in center, just to the left of the batter's eye. It was Luna's second round-tripper of the season and snapped a 4-4 tie. Kasey Olenberger and Scott Strickland pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively, for the Zephyrs to close the game.
Taylor Tankersley (2-1), the second of four New Orleans relievers on the night, earned the victory; he tossed 2.0 perfect innings with two strikeouts. Starter Matt DeSalvo lasted 4.0 innings and surrendered two runs on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Strickland notched his second save of the season, working around a one-out Drew Meyer double with two strikeouts.
Bayliss (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with two stirkeouts over 2.0 innings. Starter Wesley Wright worked 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
New Orleans got three runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Donnie Murphy started the scoring with an RBI double, and Logan Morrison followed with a sacrifice fly. Luna capped the frame with an RBI double.
Round Rock answered in the bottom of the first on Brian Bogusevic's two-run homer. The Express captured the lead with a two-run fifth. Yordany Ramirez led off with a double and scored on Berkman's sacrifice fly. Bogusevic followed with a walk and later scored when New Orleans left fielder Jason Lane misplayed Drew Locke's two-out liner to left-center.
New Orleans knotted the score at 4-4 in the sixth when Luna led off with a walk and scored on Danny Richar's one-out RBI single.
Luna finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Brett Hayes was 3-for-4 and Emilio Bonifacio was 2-for-5 for the Zephyrs.
Edwin Maysonet turned in the lone multiple-hit game for the Express, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Round Rock and New Orleans continue their four-game series Sunday at 2:05 p.m. CDT. Right-hander Josh Banks (0-1, 2.13 ERA) gets the nod for the Express, while the Zephyrs send right-hander Ryan Tucker (0-0, 1.59 ERA) to the bump.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 18, 2010
- Sky Sox Improve to 6-5 with Two Wins on Sunday - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Beavers Rally Falls Short Against Grizzlies - Portland Beavers
- Aces Offense Explodes for 10-7 Win Over Cats - Reno Aces
- Bees Earn 10-7 Win Over Rainiers - Salt Lake Bees
- Redman's Three Homers Power 'Topes Past Royals, 11-5 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Berkman Sparks Express Romp of Zephyrs, 9-1 - Round Rock Express
- RedHawks Rally by Redbirds - Memphis Redbirds
- Z's Fall to Express - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Commit Five Errors In 11-6 Loss - Nashville Sounds
- Oklahoma City RedHawks (7-3) at Memphis Redbirds (4-6 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Express clipped by New Orleans - Round Rock Express
- Luna leads Z's to win - New Orleans Baby Cakes
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