PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Iowa Cubs

Published on April 6, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


GAME 2 | 6 APRIL 2012 | 7:05 P.M. CDT | PRINCIPAL"ˆPARK | DES"ˆMOINES, IOWA

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (0-1) at IOWA"ˆCUBS"ˆ(1-0)

RADIO: 104.9 FM The Horn ESPN"ˆAustin | ONLINE"ˆAUDIO: www.espnaustin.com

EXPRESS: LHP"ˆMartin Perez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | CUBS: RHP"ˆCasey Coleman (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

TONIGHT'S GAME

Round Rock continues its season-opening, eight-game road trip with the second of four games against the Iowa Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa. This is the second of 16 meetings between the two teams this season.

BROADCAST"ˆINFORMATION

Tonight's game airs on 104.9 FM"ˆThe Horn ESPN"ˆAustin. Online audio also is available at www.espnaustin.com. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps handles play-by-play duties.

EXPRESS-CUBS SERIES

Iowa won last night's series opener 5-3. It marked the second consecutive season in which the Cubs defeated the Express in the season opener. ... The Cubs visit The Dell Diamond for Round Rock's first home series of the season April 13-16. The teams meet again for eight consecutive days in June with the Cubs visiting The Dell Diamond for four games June 19-22 and the Express following the Cubs to Des Moines for four games June 23-26.

SERIES"ˆINFORMATION

GAME"ˆ1 | THURSDAY, APRIL"ˆ5

Cubs 5, Express 3

WP: Wells (1-0). LP: Hankins (0-1). SV: Maine (1).

GAME"ˆ2 | FRIDAY, APRIL"ˆ6 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP"ˆMartin Perez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Cubs: RHP"ˆCasey Coleman (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ3 | SATURDAY, APRIL"ˆ7 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP"ˆNeil Ramirez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Cubs: LHP"ˆChris Rusin (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ4 | SUNDAY, APRIL"ˆ8 | 1:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP"ˆGreg Reynolds (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Cubs: RHP"ˆJay Jackson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

NOTES FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAME

Round Rock has lost three straight season openers and are 4-4 in season openers since becoming a Triple-A franchise in 2005. ... The Express are 3-5 in their first road game of the season and 2-2 when opening the season on the road.

FROM THE POINTLESS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT...

Julio Borbon's home run was his first at any level since July 4, 2010, at Rangers Ballpark against then-Chicago White Sox hurler Mark Buehrle. It was his first at the Triple-A level since June 28, 2009, at Nashville while a member of the Oklahoma City RedHawks. That home run was hit off Manny Parra, who tossed a perfect game June 25, 2007, at The Dell"ˆDiamond. Nashville's first baseman in that perfect game was Brad Nelson. Nelson's last major league at bat was May 12, 2009, against the Marlins, for whom Buehrle now pitches.

TUFTS ADDED TO ROSTER

Right-handed reliver Tyler Tufts was added to the Round Rock roster Friday. A 32nd-round draft pick by the Rangers out of Indiana University in 2008, Tufts was on the Frisco (AA)"ˆroster for last night's season opener but did not pitch. He owns a 13-13 career record with a 2.84 ERA (72 ER/228.0 IP) and 25 saves in 148 appearances. Tufts has allowed only six home runs in his career with 187 strikeouts against just 42 walks. He was 5-1 with a 3.03 ERA"ˆ(21 ER/62.1 IP) between Class A-Advanced Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco last season. With the addition of Tufts, the Express roster is full at 25 players.

EXPRESS STARTER

LHP Martin Perez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

2011: Combined to go 8-6 with a 4.33 ERA (66 ER/137.1 IP) in 26 starts and one relief outing between Frisco (AA) and Round Rock (AAA) ... held opposition to a .284 average (152-for-536) with left-handed batters hitting .252 (34-for-135) and right-handed batters hitting .294 (118-for-401) ... logged career highs in both starts (26) and innings (137.1) ... surrendered just one of his 10 home runs to a lefty ... began the season with Frisco and tossed the second perfect game in RoughRiders history April 19 at Arkansas, retiring all 15 batters he faced in a 6.0-inning, rain-shortened contest ... was the winning pitcher in the 2011 Texas League All-Star Game and appeared in the All-Star Futures Game at Chase Field in July ... promoted to the Express July 15, becoming the youngest player in the Pacific Coast League ... went 4-4 with a 6.43 ERA (35 ER/49.0 IP) and 37 strikeouts against 20 walks in 10 games (all starts) ... earned the victory in debut July 16 at Memphis, holding the Redbirds to one run over 5.0 innings of work ... was 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA (15 ER/13.1 IP) over next three starts ... logged a quality start in two of next three outings, going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA (5 ER/18.1 IP) to lower Triple-A ERA from 7.85 to 5.15 ... allowed at least four runs in each of his final three outings, posting a 10.22 ERA (14 ER/12.1 IP).

2011 vs. IOWA: Did not face Cubs.

NOTABLE: Martin Jimenez Perez ... was part of Rangers 2012 Hispanic Caravan, participating in a clinic for youngsters at the Boys and Girls Club and attending the Mexican League Dinner in Dallas.

EXPRESS"ˆENJOY"ˆBANNER"ˆ2011 SEASON

Round Rock claimed its second Pacific Coast League American Southern Division Championship since joining the league in 2005 last season. The Express also won the division title in 2006. Round Rock enjoyed the best record in the franchise's Triple-A history, going 87-57. That was a 30-game turnaround from 2010, the club's final season as an Astros affiliate. Furthermore, Round Rock's 87 wins last season were the most ever by a Rangers Triple-A squad. The 1999 Oklahoma City RedHawks previously held the mark, going 83-59. Bobby Jones, who claimed the 1,500th victory of his career in 2011, was named PCL"ˆManager of the Year.

BUTLER NAMED PCL POSTSEASON ALL-STAR

Joey Butler was named to the PCL Postseason All-Star Team last season. Butler was the fifth Express member so honored since Round Rock joined the PCL in 2005, joining Mike Coolbaugh (2005), Danny Klassen (2005), Jason Hirsch (2006) and Bud Norris (2009).

KATA AMONG ALL-TIME EXPRESS GREATS

Matt Kata enters the 2012 season with 304 games played as a member of the Round Rock Express, a total that ranks fourth in franchise history. His .278 career batting average with Round Rock is ninth among players with at least 500 at bats, sixth among those with at least 700 at bats, and third among those with at least 800 at bats. Kata also ranks in the Express career top 10 in each of the following categories: at bats (third, 1104); runs (fourth, 145); hits (third, 307); multiple-hit games (third, 82); doubles (third, 65); multiple-homer games (tied-fifth, 3); extra-base hits (fifth, 91); total bases (third, 445); RBI (fifth, 140) and multiple-RBI games (tied-third, 36).

MAJOR LEAGUERS FILL EXPRESS ROSTER

Several members of the Express logged Major League service time last season: pitchers Sean Green (Milwaukee), Mark Hamburger (Texas), Aaron Heilman (Arizona), Michael Kirkman (Texas) and Greg Reynolds (Colorado); catchers Dusty Brown (Pittsburgh) and Luis Martinez (San Diego); and outfielders Julio Borbon (Texas) and Leonys Martin (Texas). Additionally, pitcher Zach Jackson (Milwaukee 2006, 2008; Cleveland 2008-2009) and infielders Luis Hernandez (Baltimore 2007-2008; Kansas City 2009; New York-NL 2010), Matt Kata (Arizona 2003-2005; Philadelphia 2005; Texas 2007; Pittsburgh 2007; Houston 2009) and Brad Nelson (Milwaukee 2008-2009) also have Major League service time.

NEXT SERIES

Round Rock continues a season-opening, eight-game road trip with a four-game series against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park in Papillion, Neb. The series runs Monday through Thursday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT"ˆfirst pitch each night.

GAME"ˆ5 | MONDAY, APRIL"ˆ9 | 7:05 p.m. CDT | PAPILLION, NEB.

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Storm Chasers: LHP"ˆWill Montgomery (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ6 | TUESDAY, APRIL"ˆ10 | 7:05 p.m. CDT | PAPILLION, NEB.

Express: RHP Mark Hamburger (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

Storm Chasers: LHP"ˆWill Smith (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ7 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL"ˆ11 | 7:05 p.m. CDT | PAPILLION, NEB.

Express: LHP"ˆMartin Perez (starts tonight)

Storm Chasers: RHP Vin Mazarro (starts tonight)

GAME"ˆ8 | THURSDAY, APRIL"ˆ12 | 7:05 p.m. CDT | PAPILLION, NEB.

Express: RHP"ˆNeil Ramirez (starts tomorrow)

Storm Chasers: RHP Nate Adcock (starts tomorrow)

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 6, 2012


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