Express Snaps Losing Streak, Takes Finale over Rainiers 14-3
June 1, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
TACOMA, Washington - The Round Rock Express (31-19) dodged the broom at Cheney Stadium Monday afternoon as it beat the Tacoma Rainiers (22-30), 14-3. Round Rock's game four victory was fueled by strong hitting and an excellent outing from starting pitcher Anthony Ranaudo.
The Express batters struck quickly against Tacoma starter Stephen Landazuri as 3B Tyler Pastornicky notched the first hit of the game with a one-out single. He then advanced on a wild pitch with 2B Rougned Odor at the plate to pose a scoring threat. Landazuri was unable to find his control and walked Odor to put men on first and second for Round Rock DH Jake Smolinski. Smolinski laced Landazuri for his fourth double this season that scored both Pastornicky and Odor to put the E-Train up 2-0 with one out. Landazuri managed a fly out and ground out to complete the inning, but Round Rock made its presence felt early.
The Express received a shutout first and second from Ranaudo and attacked Landazuri again in the third. CF Ryan Strausborger began the inning with a single to center and stole his 11th bag of the season to get on second. Pastornicky worked a walk from Landazuri to occupy first with no outs. Odor then flew out on a 0-1 pitch for the first out of the inning, but Smolinski kept the pressure on with another double to score Strausborger and make the score 3-0. A RBI single from SS Ed Lucas scored Pastornicky and a double courtesy of 1B Tomas Telis brought in Smolinski to extend the lead to 5-0 after three.
Round Rock unleashed the fury in the fourth inning as Landazuri began to weaken. Strausborger used a single to start the inning and Pastornicky earned his second walk of the game, both of them mimicking their performance from the previous inning. Odor then hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, but found himself on base courtesy of a Tacoma error. Smolinski was hit by a pitch from Landazuri with the bases loaded to bring in his fourth RBI of the game and put Round Rock up 6-0. The destruction of Landazuri persisted as he hit Lucas with a pitch that scored Pastornicky to enlarge the scoring gap to 7-0.
Landazuri (0-2, 10.34) was finally pulled as Tacoma LHP Lucas Luetge came in and immediately collected the first two outs of the fourth inning with back-to-back strikeouts. Landazuri went 3.0 innings while giving up seven hits, 10 runs (six earned), four walks and did not have any strikeouts. Luetge remained in a jam as C Brett Nicholas lined a two-RBI single to center field to score Odor and Smolinski and bring the Express run total to nine. The south paw then walked two consecutive batters to inflate the score to 10-0. The inning ended with a fielder's choice, but the E-Train put up five runs on two hits with three left on base.
Ranaudo quietly kept the Rainiers off the board as the Express offense exploded, but the 6'7" righty got in a tight spot in the bottom of the sixth. DH Franklin Gutierrez led off with a double to center field that gave some much needed momentum to the Rainiers. Gutierrez scrambled to second on a ground out to get in scoring position with LF Patrick Kivlehan stepping in the box. Kivlehan worked a 2-1 count and then ripped a line drive to left that barely cleared the wall for his ninth homer of the year. The blast put two on the board for Tacoma, but Ranaudo was not spooked. After a Pastornicky throwing error, Ranaudo retired consecutive batters with a strikeout and line out to bolt out of the inning. Ranaudo (5-1, 2.74) finished with 6.0 innings under his belt and surrendered six hits, two runs (two earned), two walks and struck out seven.
The Express tacked on another run in the top of the eighth off new Tacoma reliever Tony Zych. Express 3B Carlos Arroyo garnered a one-out walk and moved to second on a Telis ground out. Arroyo was brought home on a Michael Choice RBI single to send the lead to 11-2.
The Round Rock rampage seeped into the ninth as the E-Train put up three more runs on an Odor RBI-single and a two-run homer from Smolinski, making the scorekeeper chalk up a 14 on the board.
RHP Luke Jackson threw a solid eighth inning of relief, but struggled in the ninth allowing a RBI-single that brought in new reliever Roman Mendez. Mendez only needed one pitch to end the game and provided Round Rock with its 31st win of the season.
The Express continues its road trip with four games against the Reno Aces starting tomorrow night at 9:05 p.m. CDT. RHP Ross Wolf (5-3, 6.75) takes the hill for the E-Train while the Aces send out RHP Caleb Clay (4-2, 4.57).
For tickets and more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Follow the Express on Facebook and Twitter!
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