PCL1 Round Rock Express

Express Exterminate Bees 10-5 in Series Opener

Published on June 6, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - The Round Rock Express (25-33) trounced the Salt Lake Bees (35-24) 10-5 in the opening act of a three-game series at Smith's Ballpark by recording 17 base hits, none of which were louder than the two home runs off the bat of Express DH Hunter Cole. Cole made his Triple-A debut on Tuesday night at the age of 25 after logging 1,677 plate appearances in the lower levels of the minor leagues.

With Round Rock trailing by a run in the fifth inning following back-and-forth scoring that saw both teams combine for nine runs on 18 singles, Cole came through in a pivotal moment for the E-Train by blasting a tape-measure, two-run homer. The bomb, which cleared the berm in left field, was the 25-year-old's first career Triple-A base hit, and put his team in the driver's seat 6-5.

As if that wasn't enough, Cole was back with the thunder in the seventh, linking up with C Tony Sanchez on back-to-back opposite-field home runs to stretch the gap 10-5 and essentially put the game away. Cole would reach base in three of his five trips to the plate on the evening, collecting three RBI and three runs scored before his spectacular premiere on the Pacific Coast League stage came to a close.

On a night both offenses combined for 27 hits, neither starting pitcher would leave the mound with their statistical lines in good shape. While Round Rock LHP Michael Roth (2-2, 3.35) was able to recover from a five-run barrage in the second to earn the win, the same could not be said for Salt Lake starter RHP Parker Bridwell (1-1, 8.68), who was left with the loss after surrendering six runs on 11 base hits.

Roth went on to shutout the Bees through the 3.0 innings after his troublesome second, allowing just two base hits while picking up a strikeout and walking none.

Each member of the Express starting lineup walked away with at least one base hit on the evening, with six players turning in multi-hit performances. One of those six hitters, 3B Andy Ibanez, reached base three times on a trio of singles, driving a run home in the first and coming in to score himself on two separate occasions.

With Roth exiting the game after the fifth, the combination of RHP Ricky Rodriguez, RHP Connor Sadzeck and RHP Tayler Scott rattled off four dominant innings of relief out of the Round Rock bullpen, giving up one base hit and retiring the final 11 Salt Lake hitters in order.

The Express and Bees will do battle once again Wednesday night at Smith's Ballpark with Round Rock LHP David Hurlbut (1-4, 5.79) in line to face Salt Lake LHP Jose Suarez (0-1, 3.12).

First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. For more information on the Express, visit RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 6, 2018


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