PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Drops Series Opener To Sacramento 5-3

Published on August 4, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Round Rock Express (62-53) relinquished an early lead en route to falling in the first of four games against the Sacramento River Cats (61-54) 5-3 Saturday night at Raley Field.

Round Rock was first to the scoreboard, giving starter Josh Lindblom a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. With two outs and runners on the corners, third baseman Alex Buchholz delivered in the clutch with a RBI single for the first run of the evening.

The one-run advantage held strong until the fifth as Lindblom allowed just two hits over the first four innings before surrendering the lead. Designated hitter Jake Goebbert picked on Lindblom's 1-1 offering in the fifth and deposited the ball over the right field wall to knot the game at one apiece.

The Express offense was held quiet after scoring the game's first run in the second as River Cats starter Sonny Gray continued to blank the E-Train over four straight innings through the sixth.

Sacramento broke the game open in the bottom half of the sixth, plating four runs in the frame. Lindblom began the inning by allowing a double and single that put runners on first and third. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, but the Express cut down a scoring attempt on a fielder's choice one batter later by tagging right fielder Michael Choice out at the plate. Lindblom would force a fly out before exiting the game in favor of southpaw Joseph Ortiz out of the bullpen. Ortiz had trouble finding the strike zone, walking the first batter he faced to load the bases before issuing a second straight free pass that forced the go ahead run across the dish. With a 2-1 lead, two outs and the bases loaded, the Sacramento offense scored its third run on a wild pitch before third baseman Hiroyuki Nakajima capped the inning with a two-run single that pushed the River Cats' advantage to 5-1.

Round Rock countered in the top of the seventh as first baseman Chris McGuiness helped the Express chip away at the four-run deficit with a RBI single that chased Gray from the game. Sacramento went to its bullpen with runners on first and second and a three-run lead. Southpaw Pedro Figueroa was greeted by shortstop Leury Garcia with a RBI single that cut the River Cat advantage to just two at 5-3. Figueroa settled in and forced the final two Express outs of the inning to strand runners on first and second, ending the E-Train rally.

The Express managed just one base runner over the eighth and ninth as the Sacramento bullpen shut down the Round Rock offense to preserve a series opening victory. Lindblom (8-2) suffered just his second loss of the season and first as a starter, while Gray (10-7) earned the win.

The Express and River Cats continue a four-game set Sunday night at 8:05 p.m. Round Rock will send right-hander Scott Richmond (4-4, 5.36 ERA) to the mound to face Sacramento's Bruce Billings (10-5, 4.23 ERA). For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 4, 2013


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