PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Bats Stay Red-Hot in 16-7 Thrashing of El Paso

May 22, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


EL PASO, Texas - The Round Rock Express (23-19) picked up right where they left off last night, pummeling the El Paso Chihuahuas (22-20) by a final score of 16-7 on Sunday afternoon at Southwest University Park. The E-Train set a Triple-A franchise record for runs scored in an inning after plating 11 in the third.

Overshadowed by the offensive explosion, Express starter LHP Michael Roth (4-1, 1.77) quietly put together his most impressive start of the season. The lefty recorded the win after allowing just two runs on six hits in 6.2 innings of work. He picked up three strikeouts while walking three.

Former Round Rock and current El Paso RHP Daniel McCutchen (5-3, 7.66) was roughed up in his third loss of the season. The righty dished up nine runs, all earned, on 11 hits and a walk in just 2.1 innings of work.

For the fourth straight game in this series, the Express scored multiple runs in the first inning. RF Ryan Strausborger set the tone with a leadoff double before back-to-back singles from 2B Drew Robinson and C Brett Nicholas gave the visitors a quick 1-0 lead. CF Jared Hoying then drove in his second baseman with a single.

El Paso cut the Round Rock lead in half in the bottom of the frame after Roth hit a two-out speed bump. CF Manuel Margot led off with a single but 2B Carlos Asuaje grounded into a picture perfect 1-4-3 double play, emptying the bases with two down in the frame. From there, LF Alex Dickerson and RF Hunter Renfroe collected consecutive singles. Back-to-back walks to DH Jabari Blash and 3B Ryan Schimpf scored the first Chihuahuas run of the day. Roth recovered by striking out SS Casey McElroy on three pitches.

After a scoreless second, the Express put together perhaps their most dominant inning in the team's history. After the dust settled, Round Rock had scored 11 runs on 10 hits with two walks while sending 16 hitters to the plate. It took the E-Train just three batters to load the bases as Strausborger collected a leadoff walk before singles by Robinson and Nicholas. 1B Joey Gallo, Hoying and DH Ike Davis then teamed up for three straight doubles, scoring five runs in the process.

Following a Pedro Ciriaco flyout, LF James Jones launched his first home run of the 2016 season, a two-run shot deep to left field that gave the Express a 9-1 advantage. El Paso elected to bring on RHP Jose Dominguez in relief, however the righty faced just as much trouble quieting the Round Rock bats as his starter. With the bases open and still just one out in the inning, Dominguez allowed singles to SS Doug Bernier and Strausborger. A Robinson walk in the next at-bat loaded 'em up for Nicholas.

The catcher's recent hot streak continued as he drove in two runs with a sharply hit double into right field. After a Gallo walk, Hoying notched his second base hit of the inning, a single that scored Robinson easily from third. The hit parade continued as Davis popped a fly ball deep to center field that allowed Nicholas enough time to tag and score from third for the sacrifice. In the franchise-record 16th plate appearance of the inning, Ciriaco grounded out to put an end to the marathon frame.

El Paso tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth as Blash homered on a fly ball that sailed deep beyond the wall in left field.

Following two scoreless frames - a rarity in this series - Round Rock tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Strausborger's dominant weekend continued as the right fielder collected his seventh base hit in the last two games with a single to right. Robinson then launched his second homer in as many contests, bumping the Express lead to 13. In the next at-bat, Hoying followed suit, blasting a fly ball over the wall in left field for the sweetest 16th E-Train run of the afternoon.

El Paso attempted to rally in the eighth, but unfortunately for the Chihuahuas, it was several innings too late. With LHP Andrew Faulkner on to relieve Roth, Dickerson and Renfroe knocked consecutive singles into center field. Faulkner then left a pitch up for Blash, who turned and smoked a three-run shot onto the berm in left field. The lefty's struggles continued as he allowed a single to Schimpf, a double to McElroy and a walk to 1B Josh Satin to load the bases before being pulled for RHP Anthony Carter.

After inheriting quite the jam, Carter allowed a slapshot single to C Ricardo Valenzuela that deflected off Bernier's glove, scoring two runs in the process. The righty then cleaned up the mess by striking out Margot and enticing Asuajue to ground into a 3-6-1 double play that ended the inning.

Round Rock's final parting gift for the Chihuahuas was a 1-2-3 ninth inning courtesy of Carter that included a pair of strikeouts. In total, the Express put 46 runs on the board thanks to 66 base hits in the four-game series.

The E-Train now returns home to Dell Diamond for an eight-game homestand. First up, Round Rock will play host to the Reno Aces for a four-game set. RHP Kyle Lohse (1-0, 5.06) is set to make his first home start of the season in Monday's series opener. The Aces are scheduled to send RHP Adrian Sampson (4-2, 3.00) to the mound. First pitch tomorrow evening is slated for 7:05 p.m.

Monday's series opener is also a $1 Hot Dogs and Sodas night, presented by Mrs Baird's. Other highlights during the homestand include Olympic Day on May 26, Bud Light Friday Fireworks on May 27, a Nolan Ryan Bobblehead giveaway on May 28, Military Appreciation Day, 90s Night, Superhero Night and much, much more!

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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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 22, 2016


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