PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express - Game Notes vs. Memphis Redbirds

Published on May 7, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


GAME 32 | 7 MAY 2012 | 12:05 P.M. CDT | THE DELL DIAMOND | ROUND ROCK, TEXAS

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (15-16) vs. MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (13-17)

RADIO: 1530 AM ESPN"ˆAustin | ONLINE"ˆAUDIO: www.espnaustin.com

EXPRESS: LHP Martin Perez (2-2, 4.54 ERA) | REDBIRDS: RHP Brandon Dickson (2-1, 2.80 ERA)

TODAY'S"ˆGAME

Round Rock concludes an eight-game home stand today with finale of a four-game series against the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CDT at The Dell Diamond. The Express have won five of their last six games after yesterday's 5-1 win. Round Rock is 6-4 in its last 10 games and currently trails American Southern Conference leading Albuquerque by three games. The Express are 9-6 at home, while the Redbirds are 5-10 on the road. This is the fourth of 16 games between the teams this season.

BROADCAST"ˆINFORMATION

Today's game airs on 1530 AM ESPN"ˆAustin. Online audio also is available at www.espnaustin.com. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps handles play-by-play duties.

EXPRESS-REDBIRDS SERIES

The Express lead the series two games to one. Round Rock won Friday night's series opener 8-1, while Memphis rallied for a 5-1 victory in 10 innings Saturday night. The Express rebounded for a 5-1 win yesterday afternoon. This is the first of four series between the Express and Redbirds. Round Rock travels to Memphis May 29-June 1 and July 28-31. The Redbirds make a return visit to The Dell Diamond immediately following the All-Star Game break July 12-15. ... SERIES NOTES: Round Rock is 50-62 all-time against Memphis, winning season series in 2005 (9-7), 2007 (8-6) and last year (10-6). The Redbirds are 30-28 at The Dell Diamond, last winning a series Aug. 22-25, 2009 (3-1). There has never been a series sweep between the two franchises at The Dell Diamond with eight of the 14 series ending in 2-2 splits. Last year, the teams split four games in the Redbirds' first visit with the Express taking three of four in the second series. ... Memphis has scored two runs in 18.1 innings (1.00 ERA) against Round Rock starters. ... The Redbirds are 2-for-22 (.091) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Express batters are 10-for-32 (.313) in that situation. ... Yangervis Solarte is 4-for-12 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored and two walks in three games. ... Ryan Spilborghs is 4-for-7 with two doubles, three RBI and two stolen bases in two games. ... Matt Kata is 30-for-122 (.246) in 36 career games with the Express against Memphis with five homers, 20 RBI, four doubles, 15 runs scored and eight walks. ... Zach Jackson is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA (25 ER/58.1 IP) in 13 career appearances (nine starts) against Memphis. ... Michael Kirkman is 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA (14 ER/36.2 IP) in five starts and three relief outings against Memphis during his career.

SERIES"ˆINFORMATION

GAME"ˆ29 | FRIDAY, MAY 4

Express 8, Redbirds 1

WP: Reynolds (2-3). LP: Kelly (1-2). SV: None.

GAME"ˆ30 | SATURDAY, MAY 5

Redbirds 5, Express 1 (10 innings)

WP: Browning (2-1). LP: Green (0-1). SV: None.

GAME"ˆ31 | SUNDAY, MAY 6

Express 5, Redbirds 1

WP: Kirkman (2-1). LP: Additon (0-3). SV: None.

GAME"ˆ32 | MONDAY, MAY 7 | 12:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Martin Perez (2-2, 4.54 ERA)

Redbirds: RHP Brandon Dickson (2-1, 2.80 ERA)

EXPRESS STARTER

LHP MARTIN PEREZ (2-2, 4.54 ERA)

2012: Non-roster invite to Rangers spring training ... started two games, working 4.0 innings with an 0-1 record and a 9.00 ERA"ˆ(4 ER/4.0 ERA) ... opponents hit .444 (8-for-18) ... walked five with three strikeouts ... Earned victory in April 6 start at Iowa, a 4-3 Express win ... no-decision in April 11 start at Omaha, a 6-5 Express loss ... suffered tough-luck loss in April 16 start vs. Iowa, a 3-2 Cubs win; allowed three runs - one earned - on three hits over 5.2 innings ... saddled with loss in April 21 start at New Orleans, an 8-5 Zephyrs win ... claimed season's first victory in April 27 start at Oklahoma City, an 8-3 Express win ... rotation-best .218 opponents' batting average and 6.95 hits allowed per nine innings ... three-plus walks in three of last four starts ... one home run surrendered in each of last two starts ... has not induced a double play ... has not allowed a second-inning run ... opponents hitting .409 (9-for-22) with runners on base and two outs, .313 (5-for-16) with RISP"ˆand two outs ... holds opponents to a .148 average (4-for-27) leading off an inning but has issued eight leadoff walks and two leadoff homers.

LAST START: No-decision in May 2 start vs. New Orleans, a 10-5 Express win ... surrendered four runs on three hits, including one homer, over 5.1 innings with four walks and two strikeouts ... fourth-inning leadoff homer yielded to Luke Montz was first hit allowed despite giving up a first-inning run ... left game leading 4-3 but lone bequeathed runner scored ... used season-high 95 pitches, 54 strikes.

2011 vs. MEMPHIS: 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA"ˆ(9 ER/10.0 IP) in two starts ... held Redbirds to one run over 5.0 innings on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts July 16 in first career Triple-A start ... shelled at The Dell Diamond nine days later, allowing eight runs on 11 hits, including one home run, over 5.0 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

2011: Shuttled between Round Rock and Texas during 2011 ... started season with the Express as a starter before shifting to a relief role in May ... had three separate stints with Rangers ... made 15 relief appearances, going 1-1 with a 6.59 ERA"ˆ(20 ER/27.1 IP) and 21 strikeouts against 12 walks ... started seven games and made 20 relief appearances with Round Rock, going 3-3 with 5.05 ERA"ˆ(41 ER/73.0"ˆIP) ... 0-3 with a 6.40 ERA (23 ER/32.1 IP) in seven starts, compared to 3-0, 3.98 (18 ER/40.2 IP) in 20 appearances out of the bullpen ... allowed career-high 10 runs on 10 hits in first start April 7 vs. Iowa ... recorded first professional save with no earned runs allowed over 3.0 innings of relief May 9 vs. Nashville ... shifted to bullpen beginning with May 19 appearance vs. Colorado Springs ... recorded 1.17 ERA (1 ER/7.2 IP) over final three relief appearances, recording multiple strikeouts in all three, equaling season relief-high of five strikeouts Sept. 1 at Omaha ... tossed 4.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts over two appearances in the playoff series vs. Omaha.

NOTABLE: Pitched at Columbia High School (Lake City, Fla.) ... went 7-3 with a 1.43 ERA (16 ER/67.1 IP) in 11 appearances in 2005 ... recorded 124 strikeouts, including season-high 18 Ks twice ... held opposing batters to a .173 average and .220 slugging percentage ... signed a letter of intent with Lake City [Fla.] Community College ... ranked as the third-best prep prospect in Florida entering the 2005 June draft by Baseball America ... Michael Scott Kirkman ... he and his wife, Lorie (8/10/09), have twin daughters Anna Elizabeth (11/9/11) and Ellie Katherine (11/10/11) ... has participated in the Rangers winter caravan each of the past two off-seasons, making appearances in the DFW Metroplex and outer markets ... hobbies include hunting and fishing.

USA BASEBALL CONNECTION

Round Rock Express third baseman Tommy Mendonca and Memphis Redbirds shortstop Ryan Jackson were teammates on the 2008 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Mendonca was a rising sophomore at Fresno State, and Jackson was a rising junior at the University of Miami. That team completed arguably the best summer in the history of Collegiate National Team, going 24-0 and winning the FISU World Championship. Mendonca was 4-for-4 in the Gold Medal game, a 1-0 victory over Japan. Other members of that team included Stephen Strasburg (Nationals), Mike Leake (Reds) and Mike Minor (Braves).

SOLARTE STREAK CONTINUES

Yangervis Solarte is riding a 17-game hitting streak; it is Round Rock's fourth streak of at least 11 games this season and one game shy of Mark Saccomanno's 2008 franchise record streak. Solarte's streak is the PCL's longest active streak and second-longest this season (Travis Snyder, Las Vegas, 18 games). He is hitting .406 (28-for-69) during the streak with four homers, 11 RBI, five doubles and 12 runs scored. Solarte has eight multiple-hit outings during the streak, snapping a streak of four straight two-hit games Saturday night. Solarte has reached safely in 20 straight games, tied for the second-longest on-base streak in the PCL this season. He has gone hitless in consecutive games twice this season with no three-game skids.

BULLPEN BACK ON TRACK

Round Rock's bullpen was saddled with its first loss since April 11 at Omaha in Saturday night's extra-inning loss. In the 22 games between losses, Express relievers posted a 2.81 ERA (26 ER/83.1 IP) and allowed no more than one earned run in 17 of the 22 games. However, the bullpen returned to its normal form Sunday afternoon as Derek Hankins and Mark Hamburger combined for three scoreless innings. Round Rock relievers boast a 3.71 ERA (47 ER/114.0 IP) this season.

SCHEPPERS SUFFERS MEMPHIS BLUES

Tanner Scheppers suffered his first blown save since April 11 in Saturday night's loss, surrendering a two-out single that scored an inherited runner to tie the game. He had converted each of his previous four save opportunities over a nine-appearance span. Scheppers owns a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10.0 IP) over his last 10 appearances. He currently has a 7.0-inning scoreless streak over his last seven outings, surrendering only three singles and a double in that time with nine strikeouts and no walks; he has faced five batters over the minimum in that time. Scheppers saw a streak of 13 consecutive batters retired end with Matt Adams' single last night; eight of those batters retired were by strikeout. Nine of his last 18 outs recorded were via strikeout.

PITCHER'S BEST FRIEND

Round Rock has turned 38 double plays, second in the league behind only Tucson (41). The Express are fourth in the PCL with a .980 fielding percentage and were error-free in eight of their last 11 games with four total errors in the other three games. That comes on the heels of a nine-game stretch in which Round Rock committed 15 errors with at least one defensive miscue in seven of the nine games.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE

Round Rock has at least one double in every game since the season opener - a 30-game run. The Express clubbed at least two doubles in 21 of those games, collecting three or more 10 times, four or more six times and five doubles twice. The Express tallied three doubles in the first inning alone May 4 vs. Memphis en route to a five-double night.

"HOME" RUNS SCARCE

In stark contrast to last season, The Dell Diamond has not been a launching pad for the Express. Round Rock is averaging 0.73 homers per game through 15 home dates this season while averaging 1.25 homers in 16 road games. The Express have enjoyed only two multiple-homer games at The Dell Diamond - two April 14 vs. Iowa and three May 3 vs. New Orleans. Last season, the Express averaged 1.46 home runs per game at The Dell Diamond and 0.97 homers per game on the road. Teams have combined to score 8.80 runs per game at The Dell Diamond this season as opposed to the 11.90 average in 2011.

ONE-RUN GAMES NOW RARE

Round Rock's 5-4 win May 3 vs. New Orleans was its first one-run game since a 2-1 victory April 20 against Omaha. The Express are 5-6 in one-run games, winning three straight; seven of the one-run games were against Iowa. Round Rock played eight one-run games in the season's first 12 contests, capped by a franchise-record seven consecutive one-run affairs April 10-16; however, the Express have played only two in 16 games since that seven-game stretch.

BASES-LOADED WOES CONTINUE

Tommy Mendonca's bases-loaded single in the seventh inning May 1 snapped an 0-for-11 slump in bases-loaded situations for the Express. However, Round Rock have continued to struggle with the bases loaded, going 6-for-24 (.250) with the bases loaded, drawing as many walks as hits in that situation. Only one of the six hits went for extra bases - a Yangervis Solarte three-run double April 8 at Iowa. Meanwhile, opposing batters are 12-for-25 (.480) with the bases loaded, including a pair of grand slams. Opponents are 8-for-12 (.667) with the bases loaded since April 21, including a 5-for-5 series by Oklahoma City (April 26-29).

PLAYER"ˆNOTES

Mike Bianucci is 11-for-56 (.196) over his last 14 games. He has three extra-base hits (one double, two homers) since April 11, an 18-game span. Bianucci's homer Sunday snapped an eight-game homerless stretch and produced his first RBI in seven games. He has nine multiple-hit games, all two-hit efforts. Bianucci has struck out at least once in 10 of his last 13 games with 16 in that span. ... Julio Borbon is riding a seven-game hitting streak, going 11-for-30 (.367) in that time with four two-hit outings. That comes on the heels of a 12-game stretch without a multiple-hit effort. Borbon was 4-for-39 (.103) in his previous 11 outings before his current seven-game streak. He has eight RBI over his last nine games, plating at least one run in six of the nine contests. His two-run homer May 3 vs. New Orleans was his first extra-base hit since an April 14 double, ending a 16-game stretch. It also was his first homer since the season opener (24 games, 102 at bats). ... Dusty Brown snapped a six-game hitting streak Sunday, going 0-for-3; he was 10-for-19 (.526) during the streak with two home runs, seven RBI, three doubles, four runs scored and four walks. He produced at least one RBI in five of the six games (seven total runs) in the streak, his longest this season. ... Joey Butler has reached safely in 27 of 30 games played. He is hitting .390 (32-for-82) when putting the ball in play but has hit into a team-high six double plays. Butler has seven multiple-hit outings, five of which came in his last 14 games. He has walked at least once in five of his last seven games. ... Luis Hernandez is 3-for-21 (.143) since capping a seven-game hitting streak April 29. He has two extra-base hits - both homers - over a 16-game stretch since April 15. Hernandez has walked once (intentional) over his last 11 games. ... Matt Kata was held hitless Sunday, ending a streak of nine consecutive starts with at least one hit. He is 13-for-45 (.289) over his last 11 games with two homers, eight RBI and 10 runs scored. Kata has reached safely in 16 of 18 games started. ... Luis Martinez is hitting .321 (9-for-28) over his last seven games with four multiple-hit outings, five doubles, a triple, a home run, four RBI and five runs scored. However, he also has nine strikeouts against three walks in that time. ... Tommy Mendonca has struck out in eight of his last 11 at bats. He punched out three times last night; it was his 11th multiple-strikeout game this season and sixth game with at least three strikeouts. Mendonca is 4-for-11 (.364) with RISP and two outs, but 2-for-14 (.143) with RISP and fewer than two outs. ... Brad Nelson has two RBI in his last nine games. His first-inning double Friday night was his first extra-base hit since an April 26 double at Oklahoma City; he collected 12 singles during that stretch. ... Ryan Spilborghs is 4-for-7 with two doubles, three RBI and two stolen bases in his first two games with the Express. He was acquired by the Rangers in a May 4 trade with Cleveland. ... Sean Green allowed eight runs over his last three outings after surrendering two runs total in his first eight appearances. Opposing batters are 1-for-10 (.100) with RISP and two outs but 7-for-16 (.438) when leading off an inning and 13-for-28 (.464) with the bases empty. ... Mark Hamburger has allowed one run over 9.2 innings as a reliever (0.93 ERA) after yielding 17 ER over 10.1 innings (14.81 ERA) in three starts. He is holding opponents to a .206 average (7-for-34) with two walks and 10 strikeouts as a reliever. He did not record a strikeout Sunday for the first time in 12 appearances this season. ... Opposing batters are 0-for-10 with RISP and two outs against Derek Hankins. He has not allowed multiple runs in any of his last eight outings since surrendering two in his first appearance of the season. ... Yoshinori Tateyama held the opposition scoreless in seven of eight outings, allowing one run in the other appearance. Opponents are 7-for-37 (.189) with three extra-base hits (all doubles) against Tateyama, including an 0-for-8 mark with runners in scoring position.

TEAM"ˆNOTES

Round Rock was held to six hits in each of the last two games after a streak of 12 consecutive games with at least nine hits. The Express had at least 10 hits nine times in that span. ... Round Rock is 12-3 when holding the opposition to fewer than five runs but 3-13 when allowing at least five runs, dropping seven of their last eight in that situation. ... The Express are 2-6 in series openers. ... Of Round Rock's 31 home runs, 17 have been solo shots, including seven to leadoff an inning; 14 came with no outs. ... Round Rock is 1-12 when trailing after seven innings, posting their first such win May 2 with a six-run eighth to rally past New Orleans 10-5.

NEXT SERIES

Round Rock hits the road for eight games, starting with a four-game series against the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). The series runs Tuesday through Friday with a 7:35 p.m. CDT first pitch each night.

GAME"ˆ33 | TUESDAY, MAY 8 | 7:35 p.m. CDT | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (3-2, 4.03 ERA)

Bees: RHP Matt Shoemaker (2-1, 5.55 ERA)

GAME"ˆ34 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 | 7:35 p.m. CDT | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Express: RHP Greg Reynolds (2-3, 3.99 ERA)

Bees: RHP Eric Hurley (2-3, 9.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ35 | THURSDAY, MAY 10 | 7:35 p.m. CDT | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (1-2, 4.11 ERA)

Bees: LHP Brad Mills (2-2, 2.51 ERA)

GAME"ˆ36 | FRIDAY, MAY 11 | 7:35 p.m. CDT | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Express: LHP Michael Kirkman (2-1, 6.95 ERA)

Bees: RHP Trevor Bell (1-4, 7.56 ERA)

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from May 7, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central