Express Tagged by Bees in 16-6 Loss
August 9, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - An early explosion of runs doomed the Round Rock Express (62-57) as the Salt Lake Bees (68-51) took the first of four games at Dell Diamond Thursday night by a final score of 16-6.
Round Rock could not stop the bleeding in the early going as Express starter Michael Kirkman permitted 11 runs in the series opening loss to the Bees, one score shy of the franchise record for a single game. The two teams combined for seven home runs and 12 extra-base hits, but the E-Train was unable to climb out of a 15-1 hole.
Salt Lake jumped on the board in the second as third baseman Andy Marte took Kirkman deep for the game's first run, belting a solo shot to start the frame that gave the Bees an early 1-0 advantage.
Third baseman Alex Buchholz fired back in the bottom half of the frame, slamming a solo shot of his own to left that evened the game at one apiece.
Kirkman's outing began to unravel in the third when the southpaw allowed five runs that broke the game open for Salt Lake. The Bees plated all five runs on two hits as Kirkman uncorked three wild pitches in the process, tying an Express franchise record for most in a game. One of the two hits in the inning was a two-run home run off the bat of second baseman Matt Long to cap the scoring for the frame.
Kirkman went back to work in the fourth, but continued to struggle finding the strike zone. The left-hander issued a pair of walks to start the inning before surrendering a RBI single for the Bees' seventh run. A hit batter loaded the bases and the second RBI single of the inning chased Kirkman from the game as right-hander Justin Miller entered with the bases loaded and one out. Miller went on to cash in all three inherited runners, including giving up a grand slam as Salt Lake hung nine runs on the Express pitching staff in the inning, building a 15-1 lead.
Kirkman finished the night allowing 11 runs on eight hits through 3.1 innings of work. He threw 82 pitches (37 strikes) in his second rehab appearance with the Express.
First baseman Chris McGuiness added a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting into Salt Lake's lead to bring the Express within 12 at 15-3.
Right-hander Neftali Feliz entered the game out of the Round Rock bullpen in the fifth to start his first rehab appearance with the E-Train. Feliz faced five batters, throwing 22 pitches (11 strikes) before being lifted with the bases loaded and two outs. Left-hander Ryan Feierabend worked out of the jam by forcing a fly out on the first batter he faced.
Two outs into the bottom of the fifth, shortstop Leury Garcia ripped a blast of his own that brought the score to 15-4, his fourth home run of the season.
Round Rock continued to slowly chip away at the deficit when left fielder Aaron Cunningham doubled in McGuiness in the sixth that made it a 15-5 game.
Salt Lake tacked on a run in the eighth with a solo shot off the bat of shortstop Andrew Romine, while catcher Robinson Chirinos pushed across a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to make the final score 16-6.
Kirkman (0-2) was tagged with the loss as the Express losing streak hit nine games. Salt Lake reliever Dustin Richardson (5-2) picked up the win after tossing 2.2 innings out of the Bees bullpen.
The Express and Bees continue a four-game set Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Matt Harrison (ML Rehab) is scheduled to take the mound for his first rehab start with the Express, while Salt Lake will counter with Matt Shoemaker (8-13, 5.21 ERA). Budweiser Friday Fireworks will follow the game as the Central Texas sky will light up with a spectacular pyrotechnic display after the last out is recorded. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!
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