PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Tucson Padres

Published on May 13, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (23-11) at TUCSON PADRES (15-20)

GAME 35 | 13 MAY ‚¬Ë†2011 | 9:05 P.M. CDT | KINO STADIUM | TUCSON, ARIZ.

TONIGHT'S GAME

Round Rock continues the season's third road trip with the finale of a four-game series against the Tucson Padres (San Diego). First pitch is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. CDT (7:05 p.m. MST) at Kino Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. The Express have won nine of their last 11 after a 10-8 victory last night. Tucson has lost five of six.

RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION

Tonight's game airs on 104.9 FM The Horn ESPN ‚¬Ë†Radio Austin. Online audio also is available at www.espnaustin.com. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps provides play-by-play duties.

EXPRESS-PADRES SERIES

Round Rock leads the series two games to one. Tucson won Tuesday night's opener 11-8, but Round Rock rebounded for wins of 7-5 and 10-8 over the last two nights, respectively. The teams have combined for 68 hits in the first three games of the series.

GAME ‚¬Ë†32 | TUESDAY, MAY 10

Padres 11, Express 8

WP: Neshek (1-1). LP: Phillips (0-3). SV: None.

GAME ‚¬Ë†33 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

Express 7, Padres 5 (10 innings)

WP: Strop (2-0). LP: Munter (3-3). SV: Miller (1).

GAME ‚¬Ë†34 | THURSDAY, MAY 12

Express 10, Padres 8

WP: Hankins (5-1). LP: Deduno (2-1). SV: None.

GAME ‚¬Ë†35 | FRIDAY, MAY 13 | 9:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Seth McClung (2-0, 3.90 ERA)

Padres: RHP Will Inman (1-3, 6.19 ERA)

STARTING PITCHERS

EXPRESS: RHP Seth McClung (2-0, 3.90 ERA)

Last Outing: Earned victory in May 8 start against Nashville, an 18-9 Express win ‚¬Â¦ Allowed five runs on nine hits - two home runs - and two walks with one strikeout over 6.0 innings.

2011: Makes ninth appearance, fifth start tonight ‚¬Â¦ Express are 4-0 in his starts ‚¬Â¦ Averages 8.75 runs of support in starts ‚¬Â¦ Logged 27.2 innings with 24 strikeouts, 16 walks and a .255 opponents' batting average.

2010: Did not play after being released by Florida Marlins during Spring Training.

Notable: Tampa Bay Rays fifth-round pick in 1999 out of Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, W.Va. ‚¬Â¦ MLB debut March 31, 2003 ‚¬Â¦ Traded to Milwaukee during 2007 season ‚¬Â¦ Went 6-6 with Brewers in 2008, followed by a 3-3 mark in 2009 ‚¬Â¦ Signed minor league contract with Rangers following 2010 season ‚¬Â¦ Nickname is "Big Red" ‚¬Â¦ Brother played football at Virginia Tech and in the CFL ‚¬Â¦ Head coach of the girls basketball team at Pinellas Park High School in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.

PADRES: RHP Will Inman (1-3, 6.19 ERA)

Last Outing: Took loss in May 8 start at Fresno, a 4-3 Grizzlies win ‚¬Â¦ Worked 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits and five walks with six strikeouts and one wild pitch.

2011: Makes eighth start tonight ‚¬Â¦ Padres are 2-5 in his starts ‚¬Â¦ Surrendered three or fewer runs in six of seven starts, 13 runs in other start ‚¬Â¦ Tied for fifth in PCL with 38 strikeouts ‚¬Â¦ Issued 15 walks over 32.0 innings with a .321 opponents' batting average.

2010: Pitched for previous Padres Triple-A affiliate - Portland Beavers ‚¬Â¦ Made 11 starts with one complete game, going 2-4 with a 3.61 ERA ‚¬Â¦ Held opponents to a .232 average with 52 strikeouts against 27 walks over 62.1 innings.

Notable: Born in Danville, Va. ‚¬Â¦ Milwaukee Brewers third-round pick in 2005 draft out of Tunstall High School in Dry Fork, Va. ‚¬Â¦ 10-2 with 1.71 ERA in 23 games for Class-A West Virginia Power in 2006 ‚¬Â¦ Named baseball's 91st-best prospect by Baseball America prior to 2007 season ‚¬Â¦ Traded along with Joe Thatcher to San Diego in late July for Steve Garrison and Scott Linebrink ‚¬Â¦ Entered season with 665 career strikeouts in 665.0 innings with a .227 opponents' batting average ‚¬Â¦ Career 42-34 record, 3.34 ERA.

ROUND ROCK ESTABLISHES 10-GAME SCORING RECORD

The Express have scored 89 runs over the last 10 games, establishing a franchise record for highest-scoring 10-game stretch. The previous mark of 84 runs was set last season and tied in each of the two 10-game periods prior to last night's game. Round Rock has scored at least seven runs in eight consecutive games and nine of the last 10 games. The Express tallied 45 runs in the series sweep of Nashville, one run shy of the club record for a four-game series (2010 at Colorado Springs). Round Rock established a club record for runs in a game May 8 with 18 runs against Nashville; the previous mark was 16 on four occasions.

BATS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE

Round Rock has tallied at least nine hits in eight consecutive games, collecting at least 10 hits in seven of those contests. The Express have reached double figures in hits 20 times in 34 games. Round Rock boasts a .322 team average (99-for-307) with 12 home runs over the last eight games, hitting at least one home run in each of the last seven games. The Express own a .312 average (141-for-452) with 16 homers over the last 12 games.

EXPRESS ATOP PCL STANDINGS

Round Rock (23-11) owns the best record in the Pacific Coast League, a half game ahead of Sacramento (23-12) and a full game ahead of Reno (23-13). Interestingly, Round Rock and Sacramento have produced exactly the same result in each of their last 13 games. The Express have a four-and-a-half-game cushion in the PCL American Southern Division on Albuquerque (18-15) and New Orleans (19-16). Round Rock also has the second-best record in Triple A behind only Columbus (25-9) of the International League.

EXPRESS ESTABLISH CLUB-BEST START

The Express own the best 34-game start in franchise history, one game better than the 2006 team that started 7-9 before, won four straight and 15 of 16 and then lost each of its next three games. The 2006 squad's 11-game winning streak remains a franchise record. Round Rock has not lost three straight games, losing consecutive games only three times. The Express have won five of eight series; Round Rock swept three series and has not been swept.

BARDEN ON A TEAR

Brian Barden is sixth in the PCL with a .378 batting average. He is 19-for-39 (.487) in his last nine games. Barden has 17 hits in 32 at bats (.531) over the last seven games, hitting safely in each game with six multiple-hit outings. He snapped a streak of six consecutive multiple-hit games last night; it was his second streak of at least five games. Barden leads the team with 14 multiple-hit outings. He is 7-for-16 (.438) when leading off an inning and 6-for-14 (.429) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Barden is hitting .450 (27-for-60) when ahead or behind in the count but .294 (15-for-51) when the count is even. He has not gone hitless in consecutive games, hitting safely in 23 of 28 played, and has hit safely and/or produced at least one RBI in 19 of his last 21 games.

CHAVEZ LEAGUE'S TOUGHEST TO STRIKEOUT

Endy Chavez struck out in his first at bat Wednesday night at Tucson, snapping a streak of 46 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout. It was just his second strikeout in 87 trips to the plate as he enjoyed a 39-plate-appearance streak prior to the 46-appearance streak. Chavez, who now has not struck out in 10 consecutive trips to the plate, leads the PCL with 23.50 plate appearances per strikeout - more than 10 plate appearances per strikeout ahead of second-place Cedric Hunter of Tucson (13.40). He has six strikeouts in 141 trips to the plate this season. He has not struck out twice in a game and struck out in consecutive games only once - the season's first two games.

ROAD WARRIORS

Round Rock is in the throws of a 31-game stretch with 23 road games. The Express are 13-5 (.722) on the road this season, the second-best road winning percentage in the PCL behind Sacramento (11-4, .733). Round Rock is tied with Reno (13-7) for the most road victories in the league. Only two other teams are above .500 on the road - Salt Lake (9-6) and New Orleans (9-7). The Express are 3-1 in road series, winning at New Orleans (3-1), Oklahoma City (4-0) and Iowa (3-1), and dropping two of three at Memphis.

PITCHING STRONGER ON THE ROAD

Round Rock's pitching staff is 13-5 with a 3.83 ERA, a .239 opponents' batting average and 13 home runs allowed on the road. Express pitchers have allowed more than six runs in a road game only three times, two of which occurred in the current series. Tucson's Matt Clark clubbed two home runs last night, the first home runs allowed by Round Rock pitchers on the road since surrendering two April 30 at Memphis (six games). Meanwhile, Express pitchers are 10-6 with a 5.01 ERA, a .300 opponents' batting average and 20 home runs allowed at The Dell Diamond.

RAMIREZ NAMED RANGERS MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE MONTH

Neil Ramirez was named Texas Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April, the parent club of the Round Rock Express announced Thursday. Ramirez, who turns 22 next week, was 2-1 with a 1.39 ERA (4 ER / 26.0 IP) for the month of April. He tallied 34 strikeouts against nine walks with a .140 opponents' batting average (12-for-86) over five starts between Myrtle Beach and Round Rock. After making one start at Myrtle Beach, Ramirez was assigned to Round Rock for a spot start and made the most of his opportunity. Ramirez tossed 6.0 shutout innings April 13 against Omaha and has remained with the Express ever since.

CLARK FAMILIAR WITH TUCSON, PADRES

Express pitching coach Terry Clark will see a familiar face in the other dugout for the series at Tucson. His son, Matt Clark, patrols left field for the Tucson Padres. The younger Clark is hitting .262 (28-for-107) with two home runs and 11 RBI in 30 games. The elder Clark pitched for the Tucson Toros - then the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros - in 1990 and 1991. He was 25-11 with the Toros. He also pitched in the Padres organization during the second half of the 1993 season, seeing time at Rancho Cucamonga (A-Advanced) and Wichita (AA).

TEAM NOTES

* The Express have homered in seven straight games, the longest streak of the season. The previous long streak was three games on two occasions.

* Round Rock is 7-1 in one-run games and 13-5 in games decided by two or fewer runs.

* The Express have eight last-at-bat wins, including three walk-off victories.

* Round Rock is 4-2 in extra-inning games, including a 3-1 mark on the road.

* The Express are 17-4 when holding the opponent to fewer than six runs.

* Round Rock is 14-3 when scoring first and 12-4 when scoring in the first inning.

* The Express are 10-2 when allowing a first-inning run.

* Round Rock is 16-2 when out-hitting the opponent.

* The Express are 17-1 when leading after six innings, 17-0 when leading after seven innings and 16-0 when leading after eight innings.

* Round Rock has won six of seven games when tied after eight innings.

* The Express have out-scored their opponents 89-53 in innings four through six, including a 35-20 edge in the fourth. Six of the 18 runs scored by opponents in the fourth inning were Tuesday night at Tucson.

* The Express have not lost three straight games, losing consecutive games only three times.

* Round Rock has homered in 20 of 34 games, hitting at least two home runs 12 times. The Express are 10-2 when hitting two-plus homers.

* The Express are hitting .340 (17-for-50) with the bases loaded, producing six doubles, one triple, one grand slam and 51 RBI in that situation. Round Rock also has drawn eight bases-loaded walks, including two Tuesday night at Tucson.

* Round Rock is hitting .320 (109-for-341) with runners in scoring position, including a .318 mark (50-for-157) with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Express average 2.4 two-out RBI per game.

* Meanwhile, Express pitchers hold opponents to a .286 (8-for-28) mark with the bases loaded, .269 (83-for-308) with runners in scoring position and .272 (40-for-147) with runners in scoring position and two outs.

* The Express are seventh in the PCL in batting average (.289), tied for first in fewest strikeouts (218), tied for third in home runs (39) and first in stolen base percentage (.867, 26-of-30).

* Round Rock is fifth in the PCL in staff ERA (4.41), tied for second in saves (11) and fourth in fewest walks (120).

PLAYER NOTES

* Kevin Cash has hit safely in six straight, hitting .444 (8-for-18) in that time, and reached safely in 10 of his last 11 games. After hitting .173 (9-for-52) in April, Cash is hitting .360 (9-for-25) since the calendar turned to May. He has gone hitless in consecutive games only once this season (April 16, 18). Cash is 2-for-3 with a walk and seven RBI with the bases loaded, delivering a three-run double and a three-run triple.

* Endy Chavez has reached safely in 28 of 29 games played and ranks second on the team with 13 multiple-hit games. He has hit safely in four straight with two multiple-hit outings. Chavez is 10-for-21 (.476) when leading off an inning and 7-for-20 (.350) with runners in scoring position and two outs.

* Luis Cruz has hits in nine of his last 10 games, going 13-for-42 (.310). He recorded his first three-hit game of the season Wednesday night at Tucson. Cruz is 16-for-39 (.410) in the first, second and ninth inning but only 17-for-93 (.183) in innings three through eight.

* Doug Deeds has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games. He snapped a 13-game on-base streak Wednesday, going 0-for-4, but has gone hitless in consecutive games only once this season - April 23 and 26. Deeds' grand slam Monday against Nashville was Round Rock's first of the season. It also was his fifth of the season and first non-solo homer.

* Robinzon Diaz has hit safely in seven of eight games with the Express, going 12-for-32 (.375) with four multiple-hit outings. All 12 hits were singles. Diaz has scored five runs in the last two games.

* Esteban German is hitting .188 (3-for-16) over his last four games but has walked five times in that span for a .381 on base percentage. He has walked at least once in four straight and seven of his last nine games, drawing nine walks in that time. However, German also has at least one strikeout in seven of nine games with nine strikeouts in that span. He is third on the team with 11 multiple-hit games but has just one in his last 11 games and two since April 23 (16 games).

* Matt Kata has hit safely in four of five games and five of eight; all five games were multiple-hit outings, including a pair of three-hit games. He has reached safely in nine of 10 games. Kata is hitting .419 (13-for-31) in his last eight games.

* Brad Nelson has not gone consecutive games without a strikeout since a three-game stretch April 16-18, striking out at least once in 16 of 18 games. Nelson is hitting .175 (11-for-63) prior to the sixth inning, including an 0-for-11 mark in the fifth inning. However, he is hitting .375 (18-for-48) from the sixth inning on, going 3-for-4 in extra innings.

* Omar Quintanilla has hit safely in each of his first four games with the Express, posting multiple hits twice. He has reached safely in 10 of 17 plate appearances, scoring seven times. Quintanilla scored four runs Sunday, the most in a game by an Express player this season.

* Taylor Teagarden failed to reach safely Wednesday night at Tucson, his first such game in 10 outings with the Express. His three strikeouts Wednesday were half his season total entering the game. Teagarden became the fifth player in Express history to homer three times in a game May 8 against Nashville. He tied the club's Triple-A era (since 2005) single-game record with seven RBI, one shy of Morgan Ensberg's overall franchise mark.

* Chad Tracy snapped a 12-game on-base streak Wednesday at Tucson, going 0-for-5. He is hitless in each of his last three games, matching his longest skid of the season. This comes on the heels of a 10-game stretch in which he was 15-for-39 (.385) with seven walks against six strikeouts in that time. Tracy has not struck out since May 5, a six-game, 30-plate-appearance streak. He is hitting .375 (24-for-64) with runners on base but .138 (8-for-58) with the bases empty. He is 18-for-42 (.429) with runners in scoring position and 9-for-21 (.429) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Tracy leads the team with 13 two-out hits and 12 two-out RBI. He is tied for fifth in the PCL with 29 RBI and leads the Express with nine multiple-RBI games.

* Derek Hankins is the lone five-game winner in the PCL despite a 6.48 ERA and averaging 6.33 runs of support per start. Hankins is 4-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four road outings but 1-1 with a 10.32 ERA in three games at The Dell Diamond. He is 2-1 in his last four starts despite an 8.82 ERA (16 ER / 16.1 IP) in that time. Hankins is tied for second in the PCL with nine home runs allowed, surrendering at least one in six of seven appearances.

* Zach Jackson is fifth in the league with 44.1 innings pitched. Since an eighth-inning leadoff double broke up his no-hit bid April 20 at Oklahoma City, Jackson has allowed a .324 (33-for-102) opponents' batting average.

* Michael Kirkman's save in Monday's series finale against Nashville was Round Rock's first since April 25 against Oklahoma City (Zach Phillips). Kirkman owns a 4.13 ERA (11 ER / 24.0 IP) since allowing a career-high 10 runs in season's first game, including a 1.80 ERA (2 ER / 10.0 IP) over his last two outings.

* Neil Ramirez is third in the PCL with a .198 opponents' batting average, second among league starters. He allowed five hits in the fourth inning Tuesday at Tucson after not allowing more than four hits in any of his first five starts. Ramirez is third among league starters in strikeouts per nine innings (9.60).

* Yoshi Tateyama leads PCL relievers in walks per nine innings (1.06). He has 20 strikeouts over 16.0 innings in his last 10 appearances, notching at least two strikeouts in seven of those outings. Tateyama boasts a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and has not walked a batter in five straight outings (8.0 innings).

NEXT SERIES

Round Rock concludes a 31-game stretch with 23 road games with a four-game series at Las Vegas. The series begins Saturday with a 9:05 p.m. CDT (7:05 p.m. PDT).

GAME ‚¬Ë†36 | FRIDAY, MAY 14 | 9:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Michael Kirkman (0-3, 6.91 ERA)

51s: LHP Brad Mills (3-2, 2.51 ERA)

GAME ‚¬Ë†37 | SUNDAY, MAY 15 | 2:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (3-1, 3.30 ERA)

51s: LHP Luis Perez (2-1, 4.40 ERA)

GAME ‚¬Ë†38 | MONDAY, MAY 16 | 9:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (2-0, 5.08 ERA)

51s: LHP Brett Cecil (3-1, 6.38 ERA)

GAME ‚¬Ë†39 | TUESDAY, MAY 17 | 12:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Derek Hankins (5-1, 6.48 ERA)

51s: RHP Michael MacDonald (1-1, 6.17 ERA)

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 13, 2011


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