PCL1 Round Rock Express

Perez Perfect in 4-2 Express Win over Redbirds

Published on August 18, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The Round Rock Express (56-69) rebounded from last night's loss with a 4-2 win over the Memphis Redbirds (76-49) on Saturday night at AutoZone Park in Memphis. Round Rock DH Carlos Perez finished a perfect 4-4 at the plate with a double and three singles as his team set themselves up for a pivotal game three matchup on Sunday afternoon.

Express reliever RHP Connor Sadzeck (4-3, 4.32) earned the win after he held Memphis hitless in the sixth. Starter RHP Chris Jensen fanned five batters over 5.0 innings while allowing just one earned run on seven hits. Redbirds starter RHP Kevin Herget (8-10, 4.49) took the loss after he permitted three runs, all earned, over 6.1 frames of work.

Round Rock cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. After 3B Andy Ibanez and C Juan Centeno were retired on a flyout and a groundout, Perez laced a double down the left-field line. The next batter, 2B Nick Noonan, singled home Perez on a soft line drive to left, putting the E-Train ahead 1-0.

In the bottom of the third, Memphis answered with a run of their own to reset the score at 1-1. Jensen fanned a batter before surrendering back-to-back one-out singles to Redbirds 2B Tommy Edman and DH Max Schrock. Following a double steal of second and third, Redbirds CF Adolis Garcia pushed a run-scoring single past a diving Hanser Alberto at shortstop.

Both offenses would stagnate until the top of the seventh when Round Rock pushed two runs across to go ahead 3-1. 1B Tommy Joseph led off the side with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. Following a walk by Centeno, Perez loaded the bases on a single to left. With one out, Noonan came through once again with another run-scoring single, this time off Memphis reliever LHP Tommy Layne. CF Nick Torres, who's season-high six-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-3 day at the plate, drove in Centeno on a sacrifice fly before the end of the frame.

Prior to the bottom of the ninth when RHP Reed Garrett recorded his third save of the season, the E-Train received an extra jolt of run support in the eighth. Facing Redbirds reliever RHP John Brebbia, Alberto blasted his second homer of the series over the fence in left-center, pushing Round Rock's advantage to 4-1.

Memphis chipped away for a run in the final frame when Schrock doubled home Edman with two outs, but Garrett would shut down the potential rally in the next at-bat when he enticed Redbirds C Carson Kelly into a flyout.

Round Rock will look to take the series in Sunday afternoon's rubber match at AutoZone Park. Express RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-4, 5.24) is slated to get the start against Memphis LHP Austin Warner (1-0, 2.78). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. CDT.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 18, 2018


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