Round Rock Bats Stay Hot in 11-3 Win over Colorado Springs
May 4, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - The runs continued even though the drama stopped. After last night's thrilling 11-10 victory, the Round Rock Express (14-10) cruised to an 11-3 win over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (9-14) Tuesday night. E-Train RHP Nick Martinez (2-1, 3.66) dealt from his perch atop the mound, collecting the win after surrendering just two earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
On the other side, a bad start to the 2016 season got even worse for Sky Sox RHP Taylor Jungmann (0-1, 15.75). The former University of Texas star was reassigned to Colorado Springs after compiling an 0-4 record with a 9.15 ERA in five starts with the Milwaukee Brewers. In what was his first Triple-A start of the season, the Temple native took the loss on the chin after allowing seven runs, all earned, on nine hits and four walks in four innings on the hill.
Just like last night, Round Rock wasted no time putting runs on the board. RF James Jones lined a triple off the top of the wall in right field to open the contest. SS Jurickson Profar grounded out three pitches later to drive in Jones and give the E-Train a 1-0 lead before most fans at Security Service Field even found their seats. LF Justin Ruggiano drew a walk before back-to-back doubles by CF Jared Hoying and C Michael McKenry gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.
The Express would keep the train rollin' as 1B Ike Davis collected his fourth hit of this series - a towering fly ball that dropped in shallow center field. After 3B Patrick Kivlehan took a pitch off the shin, DH Drew Robinson lined a single into right field that scored McKenry from third. In the ninth at-bat of the inning, 2B Doug Bernier grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, cutting short the Round Rock hit parade.
Colorado Springs answered Round Rock's four-run first inning almost immediately as RF Keon Broxton launched Martinez' third pitch of the contest over the wall in right field to cut his team's deficit to 4-1.
However, the Express shot right back in the second. After Profar collected a one-out single, SS Orlando Arcia misread a grounder off the bat of Hoying, allowing the speedy center fielder to sprint around first for a standup infield RBI double. McKenry would advance to first after being plunked, but Jungmann recovered to escape the inning without any further damage.
The red-hot Round Rock offense continued to roll in the fourth as two more runs crossed the plate. Ruggiano drew a one out walk before Hoying singled to center. McKenry then delivered his biggest hit of the 2016 season - a ground ball that scorched the infield, resulting in a two-RBI double for the catcher. Davis and Kivlehan both drew two-out walks to load the bases, but Jungmann again escaped, this time thanks to a strikeout of Robinson.
Bernier then made it 8-1 in favor of the E-Train in the fifth with a solo homer to the deepest part of center field. The shot marked his first longball since July 28, 2015 when Bernier was with the Rochester Red Wings of the International League.
Colorado Springs later tallied solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to chip into Round Rock's commanding lead. CF Michael Reed led off the fifth with a single before Broxton worked a one-out walk. LF Eric Young, Jr. then drove Reed home with a lazy single to center field. DH Andy Wilkins opened the next frame with a moonshot home run deep into center field on what was the first pitch of the game for Express LHP Michael Roth.
The Sky Sox comeback attempt proved to be brief as RHP Francisco Mendoza and RHP Andrew Faulkner held the home team scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings. Round Rock padded their lead with a flurry of late runs in the top of the ninth. McKenry started things off with a walk before scoring on a Davis double. Two batters later, Robinson destroyed a baseball, launching the first pitch of his at-bat nearly out of the ballpark in right field to give the E-Train an 11-3 lead.
RHP Jefri Hernandez got the call in the ninth, looking to seal the deal with a shutdown inning. The righty was meet with a bit of turbulence, giving up a leadoff single before recovering to retire the side, slamming the door on a dominant 11-3 Round Rock Express victory.
The two teams resume their series tomorrow afternoon at 12:05 p.m. in Colorado Springs. The Express will send RHP Nick Tepesch (1-2, 3.68) to the mound with the righty seeks to record his third straight quality start. The Sky Sox will counter with RHP Jorge Lopez (0-1, 8.79).
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. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!
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