PCL1 Round Rock Express

Honky Tonks Spin Dance Halls 3-2

Published on June 3, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - After leading for the majority of Sunday afternoon's matchup with the Nashville Honky Tonks (28-27), the Round Rock Dance Halls (24-33) fell just short in extra innings, dropping the final round of this weekend's five-game series 3-2.

Round Rock reliever RHP Connor Sadzeck (2-2, 4.87) was saddled with the loss after he surrendered the eventual winning run in the top of the 10th. The win was awarded to Honky Tonks reliever LHP Dean Kiekhefer (2-0, 2.16) for logging 2.0 innings of work in the eighth and ninth, allowing just one batter to reach base.

Dance Halls RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was stuck with the no-decision despite failing to permit an earned run through 5.1 innings. The 33-year-old veteran punched out seven Nashville hitters and granted just six base hits, firing 57 strikes over 93 total pitches.

On the other side, the 'Tonks brought the wildest dreams of many sabermetric thinkers to life by deploying an all-out bullpen attack with their closer RHP Bobby Wahl starting the game on the mound. Wahl shut out Round Rock's bats through the first two innings of play, tossing 44 pitches and racking up four strikeouts before handing things over to Nashville's 'pen.

Things looked promising for the Honky Tonks and their collection of hurlers in the fourth after their offense pushed across the first run of the ballgame when SS Franklin Barreto doubled to left-center and later scored on a Bibens-Dirkx throwing error.

However, the story of the game shifted quickly in the bottom half of the frame as Nashville RHP Carlos Ramirez allowed Dance Halls 3B Andy Ibanez to reach base on a sharp ground ball to third. SS Nick Noonan then put runners on the corners by working a two-out walk before 2B Luis Mendez drove both runners home on a well-struck triple down the right field line to give Round Rock a 2-1 lead.

After Bibens-Dirkx exited the game with two outs the sixth, Dance Halls reliever LHP Brandon Mann and rehabbing Texas Rangers reliever RHP Tim Lincecum carried the torch through the seventh. The two bullpen arms were able to maintain Round Rock's 2-1 lead, holding the Honky Tonks to just a pair of base hits over 1.1 innings pitched.

The Dance Halls' one-run lead was lost with two outs in the top of the eighth when Barreto blasted a game-tying solo shot onto the left field berm after working a nine-pitch at-bat against Round Rock reliever RHP Deolis Guerra. The 2-2 stalemate would eventually break in the top of the tenth when Nashville LF Anthony García singled to bring 1B Nick Martini home from second to take the lead.

With the Dance Halls now behind 3-2 with two outs in the bottom half of the frame, 1B Tommy Joseph fouled off eight consecutive pitches with a full count before grounding into a 6-3 putout to end the tough-fought contest.

Round Rock will be back in action on Tuesday, June 5th when they kick off a seven-game road trip against the Salt Lake Bees (34-23) at Smith's Ballpark with Dance Halls LHP Michael Roth (0-0, 1.59) scheduled to face Bees RHP Parker Bridwell (1-0, 8.22). First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 3, 2018


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