Express Vaporize 51s 12-5
June 9, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
LAS VEGAS, Nevada - The Round Rock Express (27-34) blasted four home runs in the final two innings of Friday night's series opener at Cashman Field to run away with a 12-5 victory over the Las Vegas 51s (26-36).
Trailing for most of the ballgame after the 51s jumped out to a 4-1 advantage off starter RHP Yovani Gallardo, the E-Train utilized a four-run rally to take the lead in the eighth inning and never looked back, scoring six runs in the ninth to snuff out any hope of a Las Vegas response.
Down by a pair of runs in the eighth, Round Rock CF Ryan Rua worked a one-out walk before 1B Tommy Joseph singled to put runners on the corners. After C Juan Centeno plated Rua on a sacrifice fly, DH Hunter Cole recorded with his third base hit of the game on a single to right. With runners parked at first and second, 2B Christian Lopes dug into the batter's box and delivered in the biggest moment of the night, scorching the base paths on a three-run, inside-the-park homer that gave the E-Train their first lead of the contest at 6-4.
In the ninth, Joseph, Cole and Lopes would return to finish the job by going back-to-back-to-back on a trifecta of dingers to make it 12-5 as Lopes captured the first multi-homer game of his professional career. The 25-year-old infielder drove in a total of four runs on the evening, his first time doing so since April 10th of this season.
Round Rock reliver RHP Connor Sadzeck (3-2, 4.24) was awarded the win for tossing two shutout frames in the sixth and seventh with three punchouts. On the other end, 51s bullpen arm Eric Hanhold (0-1, 12.79) took the loss and a blown save after shouldering a large portion of the E-Train's scoring barrage over the last two innings of play.
Easy to overlook in a box score dominated by three gaudy, homer-aided lines, Express RF Scott Heineman was able to extend his current hitting streak to 11 games on an RBI single in the ninth after going hitless through his first three trips to the plate.
While he ended up with a no decision, Gallardo turned in a solid start on the bump for Round Rock, surrendering just one earned run through 5.0 innings while striking out three and walking one.
The Express will look to maintain their momentum tomorrow in game two against Las Vegas with RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-3, 3.27) slated to face LHP P.J. Conlon (2-3, 6.58). First pitch at Cashman Field is set for 9:05 p.m. CDT.
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