PCL1 Round Rock Express

Late Run Pushes RedBirds Past Express 3-2

Published on July 24, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Two solo shots off the bat of center fielder Jim Adduci were not enough Wednesday night as the Round Rock Express (59-46) snapped a five-game winning streak with a 3-2 loss to the Memphis RedBirds (50-55) at AutoZone Park.

Express starter Scott Richmond tossed a gem, logging a season-high 7.2 innings but suffered the loss after uncorking two wild pitches in the eighth inning, one that allowed the eventual winning run to cross the plate.

Richmond held the RedBirds to just two hits over the first three innings but the E-Train fell behind in the fourth. Left fielder Chad Huffman led off the Memphis half of the frame with a double and moved to third after first baseman Jamie Romak followed with a single to center. With runners on the corners, right fielder Adron Chambers lifted a fly ball to center deep enough to score Huffman and give Memphis a 1-0 lead.

Two innings later, Adduci sparked the Round Rock offense with a solo shot when he took a 3-2 pitch from Memphis starter Michael Wacha over the right field wall to even the game at one apiece.

In the bottom half of the sixth, the RedBirds retook the lead off Richmond as Romak added a two-out solo blast on the first pitch he saw to put Memphis back in the driver's seat at 2-1.

As the RedBirds turned to the bullpen in the seventh, the Express offense was quieted. Round Rock went down in order before stretch time but Adduci would get one more at-bat in the eighth.

The RedBirds brought Keith Butler into the game to start the eighth inning and two batters later, Adduci stepped to the plate and stepped out of the ballpark for the second time on the night. The center fielder belted his second long ball of the evening, jumping on a 1-1 offering from Butler to knot the game at two.

Round Rock left Richmond in the game to start the bottom of the eighth as the right-hander retired the first batter but then ran into trouble. After issuing a walk to center fielder Justin Christian, second baseman Kolton Wong reached on a fielder's choice to set the table for the heart of the Memphis order. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position but the Express caught Christian in a run down between third and home one batter later and tagged the center fielder at the plate for the second out of the inning. Wong moved up to third on the play but Richmond got wild again, walking Romak before uncorking his second wild pitch of the inning that allowed Wong to score the eventual winning run. Round Rock went to the bullpen, bringing in southpaw Joseph Ortiz to work out of the jam but the damage had been done as Memphis entered the final frame with a one-run lead.

The Express was unable to mount a rally in the ninth, going down in order as the five-game winning streak came to a close. Richmond (3-4) suffered the loss, receiving his third decision in as many starts while Butler (1-2) picked up the win in relief.

The Express and RedBirds conclude a four-game set at AutoZone Park with game four Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Jake Brigham (4-1, 3.88 ERA) will take the hill for Round Rock while Memphis counters with Tyler Lyons (5-1, 3.26 ERA). 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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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 24, 2013


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