Express Suffers First Sweep of 2015, Drops Finale to River Cats 9-4
Published on August 19, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
SACRAMENTO - The Round Rock Express (68-56) felt the broom for the first time this season as the Sacramento River Cats (61-63) completed the four-game sweep at Raley Field Tuesday night, 9-4. The last time the Express experienced the wrong end of a sweep was 8/24-27/14 against the Las Vegas 51s.
The E-Train struck first in the series finale, starting with a lead-off walk by 3B Joey Gallo in the top of the second. RF Ryan Rua struck out to put the first out on the board, but 1B Brett Nicholas' 18th double of the season five pitches later scored Gallo from first to give Round Rock a 1-0 lead. River Cats starter Chris Stratton then recorded a pop up to put two in his pocket. Stratton was unable to escape the inning as SS Beamer Weems sparked a single into left field that hustled Nicholas home for the second Express run of the game. LF Tommy Field popped out to end the threat.
Round Rock used a brief spurt in the top of the third to score for the second inning in a row thanks to some help from the newly acquired Nomar Mazara. Mazara, the Rangers number two prospect, collected his second double of the night with one out to get into scoring position as 2B Ed Lucas came to the plate. Lucas earned a walk to put two on with one out and was mimicked by Gallo who tallied his second walk of the night to load the bases. Rua brought Mazara home on a sacrifice fly that lengthened the Express lead to 3-0. Stratton got out of the inning with a ground out.
Express starter Nick Martinez found trouble in the bottom of the third as the River Cats looked to answer. Sacramento CF Darren Ford hit a one-out double to put runners on second and third with SS Everth Cabrera stepping into the box. Cabrera connected on a 1-0 pitch from Martinez with a liner up the middle that scored two, instantly making it a one-run game. Martinez crafted a fly out for the second out and picked off Cabrera at first to end the third.
C J.T. Wise welcomed himself back in his first contest off the DL with a solo shot in the top of the sixth that supplied him with his third homer as a member of the Express and gave Round Rock a 4-2 advantage. The home run came off Sacramento RHP Jake Dunning who took over for Stratton (3-4, 3.78) after the River Cats starter went 4.0 innings with four hits, three runs (three earned), four walks and four Ks.
River Cats RF Jarrett Parker made the finale a bit more interesting in the bottom of the sixth by bringing in the third Sacramento run with a RBI single, cutting the Express lead to 4-3 with one out. Sacramento kept the pressure on Martinez who committed a throwing error that lit the corners with one out. A walk from Martinez then loaded the bags for 1B Kevin Frandsen. Frandsen plugged a single into center field that scored two, sending the River Cats in front 5-4. The bombardment persisted with a double from 2B Brandon Hicks that scored the sixth run and a wild pitch later in the inning sent the total to seven. Martinez finally ended the inning with a ground out. The sixth marked the end of Martinez's (0-1, 6.75) outing after 6.0 innings with nine hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks and three strikeouts.
Sacramento padded its lead in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back solo home runs from Parker and LF Mac Williamson off reliever Roman Mendez that put the E-Train behind, 9-4.
The series came to an end as Sacramento southpaw Steven Okert silenced the E-Train in the top of the ninth, sealing the game four win and series sweep.
Round Rock heads to Fresno tomorrow night for a four-game series with the Grizzlies at Chukchansi Park. Express RHP Anthony Ranaudo (7-3, 3.67) takes the hill against Grizzlies RHP Asher Wojciehowski (7-2, 5.48). First pitch is set for 9:05 p.m. CDT.
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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