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Express Take Game and Series with Late Rally Monday Night

April 24, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Round Rock Express took Monday night's rubber match 11-4 to take this three-game series against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox two games to one for the Sky Sox first series loss of the 2018 season. Round Rock had a seven-run eighth inning to seal the victory.

The Express went three up and three down in the first inning, but led off the second inning with a solo home run off the bat of Tommy Joseph for Round Rock's first hit and first run of the night. Colorado Springs answered in the top of the third with a couple of baserunners, but couldn't plate anyone, leaving the game at 1-0.

In the bottom half of the inning Nick Noonan led things off for Round Rock with a single, but Sky Sox starter Aaron Brooks responded by recording two quick outs. Brooks then surrendered a four-pitch walk to Willie Calhoun, before Ryan Rua homered to clear the bases and give Round Rock a 4-0 lead on their second home run of the evening.

Colorado Springs broke up the shutout in the top of the fourth, with Keon Broxton lining a double to center and then scoring on Tyler Saladino's RBI double two pitches later to make it a 4-1 ballgame. Kyle Wren, who rejoined the Sky Sox lineup tonight for the first time since being placed on the disabled list on April 11, then lined a single to score Saladino and make it 4-2.

After two scoreless frames, Colorado Springs struck again. Brett Phillips hit a two-out single to get things going for the Sky Sox, followed by a Christian Bethancourt single. Ji-Man Choi then doubled both Phillips and Bethancourt in to tie the game at four runs apiece, before Andres Blanco grounded out to end the inning.

Scott Heineman gave the Express life with a one-out single in the bottom of the penultimate inning, followed by a single by Calhoun to put two on for Round Rock, with the winning run now in scoring position for Rua. Rua belted a double to deep left-center that scored Heineman, giving Round Rock the lead and knocking Colorado Springs hurler Michael Brady from the game after 3.1 innings of relief. Radhames Liz came into the game for the Sky Sox to replace Brady on the mound, walking in a run on the first batter he faced to make it a 6-4 affair. Cameron Rupp then broke the game open with an RBI double to make it 8-4.  Christian Lopes continued his hot streak with a three-run blast for Round Rock's third homer of the game, extending the Express lead to seven runs at 11-4.

After an off day tomorrow, the Sky Sox will return home to Security Service Field on Wednesday the 25 for a nine-game homestand. The Sky Sox will host the Omaha Storm Chasers- Triple-A affiliate of the Royals- for five games, followed by a four-game set against the Nashville Sounds- Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

NOTES

Can't Win Them All: Round Rock won both the game and the series Monday night, marking Colorado Springs' first series loss of the 2018 season. The Sky Sox are now 3-1-1 through five series this year.

Touchdown: The seven runs that the Sky Sox gave up in the eighth inning tonight were the most runs the Sky Sox gave up in a single inning all season, breaking the previous high of five runs in a single inning, which had also been set by Round Rock two days earlier, on 4/21. The last time an opponent tallied seven runs in the 8th inning against the Sky Sox took place on August 3rd, 2013 (during Rockies affiliation), when Oklahoma City scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning in that game. The Oklahoma City RedHawks pounded the Sky Sox that night, 24-5 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

Wren Returns: After having been on the disabled list since April 11, Kyle Wren made his return to the lineup tonight, making his presence felt on both offense and defense early on. In the second Wren made a nice grab that brought about the end of the inning, and in the fourth Wren hit an RBI single for his first hit of the evening. Wren would go on to line a second hit as well as steal a base on the night.

Getting Streaky: Mauricio Dubon extended his hit streak to 13 games Monday night. Dubon has gone 18-for-56 over 13 games with nine runs, two home runs, seven RBI, and two stolen bases. His longest recorded streak in 2017 with the Sky Sox was seven games. Phillips looks to keep his alive as he is currently at six games. Last season, his high streak was 11 games.

Extras For First Time: Sunday afternoon marked the first time in the 2018 season where the Sky Sox entered extra innings with the new Pace of Play regulations, and-the Sky Sox did not waste any time. In the top of the 10th, Colorado Springs batted through the lineup, collecting four runs on five hits, including two extra-base hits (Dubon, Broxton). The four-run 10th inning is the third most runs scored by the Sky Sox in a 10th inning. The other two times with more runs: June 14th, 1999 at Calgary - Sky Sox scored seven runs in the top of the 10th to beat Calgary 10-3 - and April 25th, 2010 at Reno - Sky Sox scored five runs in the top of the 10th, however Reno scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 10th, with Reno winning 11-10.

Previewing This Week: After an off day tomorrow the Sky Sox are set for one of the longest homestands of 2018 this week - a nine-game stretch while hosting the Omaha Storm Chasers, Triple-A affiliate of the Royals, and the Nashville Sounds, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

NEXT GAME: Wednesday, April 25 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers - 6:40 p.m. MDT @ Security Service Field (Colo. Springs)

TBD vs. TBD | Broadcast on XTRA Sports 1300

  COS TOP PERFORMERS

- Tyler Saladino (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI)

- Kyle Wren (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 SB)

- Christian Bethancourt (3-for-5, 1 R)

  RR TOP PERFORMERS

- Tommy Joseph (3-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR)

- Ryan Rua (2-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR)

- Adrian Sampson (5.0 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 SO)

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