PCL1 Round Rock Express

Oklahoma City Claims 4-3 Victory in Game Three

June 6, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - A three-run sixth inning for the Oklahoma City Dodgers (28-27) spelled doom for the Round Rock Express (30-26) Monday night as OKC picked up a 4-3 win over the E-Train at Dell Diamond. Former Round Rock RHP Nick Tepesch (5-2, 3.95) collected the victory in his first start with Oklahoma City after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon.

Tepesch went five innings deep, limiting the E-Train to just one earned run on seven hits while striking out four and walking two. For the Express, starter LHP Michael Roth (4-2, 2.18) took the loss after surrendering a season-high four runs on six hits over the span of six innings on the mound. Roth also struck out a season-high six batters.

Just like in the first two games of this series, the Dodgers wasted no time putting a run on the board. OKC SS Charlie Culberson connected on Roth's fourth pitch of the evening, lining the offering well over the wall in left field to give his team an immediate 1-0 lead. Roth recovered to retire the next nine hitters in a row, including five via strikeout.

Round Rock 2B Drew Robinson tied the game with one swing of the bat in the third inning. The infielder greeted his former teammate with a towering fly ball home run that crashed into the grassy berm in right field. The E-Train threatened with back-to-back singles courtesy of CF Delino DeShields and RF Shin-Soo Choo, however both runners were eliminated attempting to steal second base. Tepesch then struck out DH Robinson Chirinos to end the inning.

The Express took a brief 2-1 lead in the fifth as LF Justin Ruggiano kicked things off by reaching first base thanks to a fielding error by Dodgers 3B Zach Walters. Consecutive walks to Robinson and DeShields loaded the bases for Choo. The 12-year MLB veteran then poked a single into right field to score Ruggiano and give his team its first advantage of the evening.

In the very next inning, Oklahoma City pounced on Roth, scoring three runs in the frame to regain the lead at 4-2. The inning began innocently enough as Roth retired the first two hitters. However, a walk to 1B Rob Segedin spelled trouble as Walters and DH O'Koyea Dickson combined for back-to-back doubles, scoring two runs in the process. 2B Brandon Hicks kept the hit train rolling with a single that scored Dickson to reset the score at 4-2. A flyout off the bat of LF Antoan Richardson ended the rally and closed the book on Roth's outing.

In his Triple-A debut, E-Train RHP Richelson Pena worked out of a minor jam in the seventh inning. After allowing a leadoff double to C Vinny DiFazio, Pena struck out RF James Ramsey and CF Rico Noel. In the meantime, DiFazio advanced to third on a wild pitch during Noel's at-bat. With an insurance run just 90 feet away, Pena walked Culberson before forcing Segedin into lining out to Hanser Alberto at shortstop to hold the deficit at two.

The intensity ramped up in the seventh inning as the Express cut into OKC's lead with reliever LHP Grant Dayton on the bump. A leadoff single off Ruggiano's bat sparked the mini-rally. DeShields followed up with a one-out double that pushed Ruggiano to third. In to replace Choo, RF James Jones singled in his first at-bat of the night, driving home his fellow outfielder to trim the deficit to 4-3. Dayton then turned on a dime, recording strikeouts of Chirinos and 3B Joey Gallo to stop the rally in its tracks.

Pena returned for the eighth inning, allowing singles to Walters and Dickson before being replaced by RHP Francisco Mendoza. Hicks welcomed the righty to the game with a sacrifice bunt that moved both baserunners 90 feet closer to home. Mendoza then struck out Richardson and DiFazio on seven total pitches to slam the door on what looked like a promising inning for the Dodgers.

The E-Train couldn't rally off the momentum from Mendoza's shutdown performance as OKC RHP Logan Bawcom retired the final six Round Rock hitters in order to preserve the 4-3 victory for his team.

The Express and Dodgers will close out their four-game series Tuesday night. RHP Kyle Lohse (2-1, 6.23) is scheduled to get the start for Round Rock while Oklahoma City's starter has yet to be announced. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond.

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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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 6, 2016


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