Martinez Shines as Round Rock Beats Reno 4-1
May 30, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - A dominant start and a flurry of home runs proved to be a winning combination for the Round Rock Express (28-22) this afternoon as the team knocked off the Reno Aces (24-26) 4-1 at Dell Diamond. Express starter RHP Nick Martinez (5-3, 4.61) faced little trouble, allowing just one run on three hits in eight innings of work. The righty set a new career high with 11 strikeouts.
Reno RHP Matt Buschmann (1-5, 7.20) suffered the loss despite cruising through the first five frames. The righty finished the day following 5.2 innings in which he allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking two.
After Martinez and Buschmann went toe-to-toe through the first four innings, RF James Jones broke through the scoreless draw in the fifth with a line drive home run that sailed just fair over the wall in right field. The dinger was Jones' first of the season, as well as his first since June 2, 2015 when he was a member of the Tacoma Rainiers.
In the first at-bat of the home half of the sixth inning, 3B Drew Robinson blasted a towering home run into the visitor's bullpen, his sixth longball of the season. Just two hitters later DH Joey Gallo followed suit, lining a shot just over the top of the wall in right field. Round Rock's third solo homer of the day reset the score at 3-0. Gallo finished the game a perfect 3-3 at the plate.
Martinez was nearly flawless through the first six innings, facing the minimum on just 62 pitches. After a single by 2B Michael Freeman in the second at-bat of the game, Martinez retired the next 17 consecutive Reno hitters. The righty's only bit of trouble occurred in the seventh inning. After issuing a walk to 2B Michael Freeman, the lone free pass of the day for Martinez, RF Socrates Brito lined a triple down the left field wall that dribbled away from LF Justin Ruggiano. Freeman scored on the play, ending the shutout bid and cutting the Round Rock lead to 3-1.
The Express picked the run right back up in the bottom of the frame. CF Delino DeShields started the inning with a leadoff walk before stealing second base after a series of pickoff attempts from Aces reliever RHP Matt Stites. Two hitters later, C Brett Nicholas singled home DeShields with a hard hit ball into left field. Stites opted to intentionally walk Gallo before recording back-to-back strikeouts of 2B Ryan Strausborger and 1B Ike Davis.
Express RHP Carlos Fisher relieved Martinez in the ninth, twirling a perfect 1-2-3 inning to pick up his seventh save of the season and preserve the 4-1 Round Rock victory. The effort sealed a 3-1 series win for the Express, the team's second home series victory of the season.
The Express now hit the road for a quick four-game series against the Nashville Sounds. RHP Nick Tepesch (4-2, 4.10) is scheduled to start for the E-Train while the Sounds plan to counter with RHP Chris Smith (3-5, 4.19). First pitch in Tuesday's series opener is set for 7:05 p.m. at First Tennessee Park in Nashville. Round Rock will return home for a four-game set against the Oklahoma City Dodgers on Saturday, June 4.
Single game tickets are available along with season ticket packages and group discounts. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255.
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