PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express - Game Notes vs. Oklahoma City (Houston Astros)

Published on June 14, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


GAME 68 | 14 JUNE 2012 | 7:05 P.M. CDT | THE DELL DIAMOND | ROUND ROCK, TEXAS

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (29-38) vs. OKLAHOMA CITY REDHAWKS (39-27)

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

EXPRESS: RHP Neil Ramirez (6-6, 7.88 ERA) | REDHAWKS: LHP Dallas Keuchel (5-4, 4.26 ERA)

TONIGHT, TONIGHT

Round Rock begins a nine-day, eight-game home stand, opening a four-game series against division-rival Oklahoma City RedHawks (Houston Astros). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT at The Dell Diamond. The Express most recently won two of three at Albuquerque, winning each of the last two games including a 5-2 victory last night. Round Rock is 3-7 over its last 10 games and 15-13 at home. The RedHawks most recently lost two of three at New Orleans, dropping last night's series finale 3-0. Oklahoma City is 6-4 over its last 10 games and 14-17 on the road. Round Rock is fourth in the PCL's American Southern Division, 10-and-a-half games back of Oklahoma City and five-and-a-half games behind third-place New Orleans. Oklahoma City has a two-and-a-half-games lead over Albuquerque.

RADIO GA GA

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

US AND THEM

This is the second of four series between the two teams. The RedHawks won three of four at Oklahoma City in late April. The teams do not meet again until the season's final three weeks. The RedHawks return to The Dell Diamond for a four-game series Aug. 18-21, and the Express revisit Bricktown Ballpark for the season's final series Aug. 31-Sept. 3. ... SERIES HISTORY: Oklahoma City leads the all-time series 61-54, including a 52-43 advantage prior to the affiliation switch in 2011. The RedHawks are 30-25 at The Dell Diamond, while the Express are 29-31 at Bricktown Ballpark. Round Rock won season series in 2005 (10-6), 2006 (10-6) and 2011 (10-6), while Oklahoma City won season series in 2007 (8-7), 2008 (11-5) and 2010 (13-3). The teams split 16 games in 2009. The Express have three sweeps (2005 at Oklahoma City, 2006 at home, 2011 at Oklahoma City), while the RedHawks have two sweeps (2009 and 2010, both at Oklahoma City). ... 2012 SERIES: Oklahoma City won three of four April 26-29 at Bricktown Ballpark. The RedHawks won games one (11-5), three (11-5) and four (9-4) with the Express posting an 8-3 victory in game two. Round Rock is hitting .295 (44-for-149) with five homers and 5.5 runs per game. Luis Hernandez is 9-for-20 (.450) with two homers, five RBI and four runs scored in four games. Leonys Martin is 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles, three runs scored and a stolen base in four games. Brad Nelson is 6-for-15 (.400) with two RBI and five runs scored in four games. Express pitchers have an 8.73 ERA (32 ER/33.0 IP) with 27 strikeouts against 11 walks. Martin Perez owns Round Rock's lone win; he allowed three runs on four hits over 6.0 innings. Oklahoma City is hitting .362 (51-for-141) with five homers, 11 doubles and 8.5 runs per game. The RedHawks were 5-for-5 with the bases loaded in the April series at Bricktown Ballpark. Scott Moore is 7-for-16 (.438) with eight RBI and five doubles in four games. J.B. Shuck, who played for the Express in 2010, is 8-for-10 (.800) with three RBI, a double, a triple and four runs scored in two games. Brad Snyder, brother of Express reliever Ben Snyder, is 6-for-14 (.429) with a homer and three RBI in four games.

SERIES"ˆINFORMATION

GAME"ˆ68 | THURSDAY, JUNE 14 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (6-6, 7.88 ERA)

RedHawks: LHP Dallas Keuchel (5-4, 4.26 ERA)

GAME"ˆ69 | FRIDAY, JUNE 15 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Martin Perez (3-5, 5.40 ERA)

RedHawks: RHP Brian Bass (1-0, 5.17 ERA)

GAME"ˆ70 | SATURDAY, JUNE 16 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (2-7, 5.08 ERA)

RedHawks: RHP Armando Galarraga (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME"ˆ71 | SUNDAY, JUNE 17 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: TBA

RedHawks: RHP Paul Clemens (8-4, 6.31 ERA)

START ME UP

RHP NEIL RAMIREZ (6-6, 7.88 ERA, 52 K)

2012: Appeared in two games at Rangers spring training ... allowed seven runs on nine hits over four innings, posting a 15.75 ERA ... walked three and struck out two ... no-decision in season's first start April 7 at Iowa, a 7-2 Express win ... earned wins April 17 vs. Omaha, April 22 at New Orleans, May 3 vs. New Orleans, May 8 at Salt Lake, May 24 vs. Sacramento and June 3 vs. Albuquerque ... losses April 12 at Omaha, April 28 at Oklahoma City, May 13 at Tacoma, May 19 vs. Fresno, May 29 at Memphis and June 9 at Omaha ... allowed career-high eight runs (seven earned) over 3.1 innings in May 13 loss at Tacoma ... surrendered six-plus runs in six of last nine starts ... 3.47 ERA (14 ER/36.1 IP) in six wins ... 14.21 ERA (40 ER/25.1 IP) in six losses ... surrendered at least one home run in nine consecutive starts (10 homers) after not allowing a home run in first four starts ... 9.00 ERA (25 ER/25.0 IP) through first two innings ... worked at least 6.0 innings in six of 13 starts, including season-long, 7.0-inning outing in May 3 win vs. New Orleans ... opponents hitting .211 (4-for-19) with runners in scoring position and two outs ... opponents are 3-for-5 with bases loaded (two grand slams, 11 RBI) ... five of 10 home runs surrendered were solos ... 4-1, 4.31 ERA (15 ER/31.1 IP) in five home starts with 21 strikeouts and seven walks.

LAST START: Lost June 9 start at Omaha, a 12-5 Storm Chasers win ... allowed seven runs on eight hits (one home run) over 3.1 innings with three walks and four strikeouts ... utilized one double play ... squandered 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning ... did not work a scoreless inning, surrendering a run in the first, a run in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth ... left game trailing 7-2 ... one bequeathed runner did not score ... used 99 pitches, 59 strikes.

2012 vs. OKLAHOMA CITY: Suffered least effective start of professional career in April 28 loss at Oklahoma City, an 11-5 RedHawks win ... yielded six runs on five hits (one home run) in a lone inning of work with three walks and two strikeouts.

CAREER vs. OKLAHOMA CITY: 1-2, 5.06 ERA"ˆ(9 ER/16.0 IP) in five starts ... 1-1, 1.80 ERA"ˆ(3 ER/15.0 IP)"ˆin four starts in 2011 ... allowed one unearned run on two hits and three walks with season-high nine strikeouts over 5.0 innings April 19, 2011, at Oklahoma City in second career Triple-A start ... shouldered loss at home five days later, surrendering three runs on three hits and three walks over 5.0 innings with three strikeouts ... left May 31, 2011, start after being struck by a comebacker on final pitch of the third inning; did not miss next start ... exited June 28, 2011, start after 2.0 scoreless innings with arm fatigue; missed next start.

NOTABLE: Neil Andrew Ramirez ... hobbies include fishing, reading, and golf ... attended Kempsville [Va.] High School ... named 2006 first-team all-district by the Virginia High School Baseball Coaches Association after going 4-3 with a 1.05 ERA and 67 strikeouts against 15 walks during his junior season ... also saw time at first base, shortstop and left field ... played with the Maryland Orioles in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect as a high school player ... selected to play in the 2006 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic ... earned a silver medal with Team USA in the 2006 World Junior Championship, along with fellow 2007 Rangers draftees Blake Beavan and Michael Main ... went 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA"ˆ(3 ER/9.1 IP) and 10 strikeouts against eight walks in the tournament (two starts) ... went 6-2, 1.46 (11 ER/52.2 IP) with 74 strikeouts during his senior season ... did not allow a run in 15.1 postseason innings ... named the 2007 Gatorade Virginia Baseball Player of the Year ... ranked as the No. 71 prospect in the 2007 draft by Baseball America ... originally signed a letter of intent to attend Georgia Tech.

BRING IT ON HOME

Round Rock begins an eight-game home stand this season, and the Express have faired significantly better at The Dell Diamond than on the road. While Round Rock's bats have been more potent on the road (.289, 53 homers, 6.03 runs per game) than at home (.268, 18 homers, 4.57 runs per game), the Express pitching staff has been strikingly better at home (15-13, 3.99 ERA) than on the road (14-25, 5.97 ERA). Round Rock is 5-3 at The Dell Diamond since suffering its first home sweep in three years May 17-20 vs. Fresno.

OFF HE GOES

Julio Borbon is riding a 21-game hitting streak (.435, 40-for-92), the longest of his career and Round Rock's fourth of at least 15 games in 2012. Borbon is one game shy of Yangervis Solarte's franchise-record, 22-game streak from earlier this season. Interestingly, Borbon's streak began the night Solarte's streak ended. Borbon has 13 multiple-hit games during the streak, including seven in his last 10 games. He has a sextet of three-hit games, 15 RBI and 18 runs scored during the streak. Ironically, Borbon has not walked since May 9 "" three games before the streak began. Borbon has hit safely in 30 of his last 32 games (.396, 57-for-144) with 19 multiple-hit outings, seven three-hit games, five home runs, 22 RBI, 10 doubles, three triples, 24 runs scored and nine stolen bases. His average skyrocketed from .186 to .316 in that time. Borbon has hit safely in 15 consecutive home games, the PCL's longest active streak and tied for the league's longest this season. He also has hit safely in 13 straight road games, the PCL's second-longest active streak.

RAMBLIN' MAN

Brad Nelson hit safely in 26 of his last 27 road games, going 41-for-109 (.376) on the road since an 0-for-4 night April 21 at New Orleans. That stretch included a 21-game road hitting streak that is the PCL's longest this season. His lone hitless outing over the last 27 road games was June 8 at Omaha when he was hitless in a pinch-hit role. Nelson is hitting more than 100 points better on the road (.336, 48-for-143) than at home (.235, 23-for-98). All seven of his homers and 28 of his 35 RBI were in road games, and his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) is .963 on the road as opposed to .599 at The Dell Diamond. Nelson has not gone hitless in consecutive games regardless of location since a three-game spell April 19-21. He has hit safely in 40 of 45 games since, enjoying hitting streaks of 11, nine and eight games. Nelson currently is riding a five-game hitting streak (.364, 8-for-22) with three multiple-hit games and five RBI. He also has hit safely in eight consecutive starts (.353, 12-for-34).

UNDER PRESSURE

Matt Kata is hitting .465 (20-for-43) with runners in scoring position, delivering 30 RBI. He is even more deadly with runners in scoring position and two outs, going 8-for-15 (.533) with 16 RBI. Kata's grand slam May 31 at Memphis was Round Rock's first this season. He is 4-for-6 with a double and 11 RBI with the bases loaded, going 3-for-3 since delivering a game-winning, three-run double May 24 vs. Sacramento. Furthermore, Kata gets better as the game goes along, hitting .378 (14-for-37) after the seventh inning with eight RBI. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games (.397, 25-for-63) with two homers, 14 RBI, three doubles, eight multiple-hit outings and three multiple-RBI games.

HELP!

Zach Jackson tied the Express franchise record with 13 wins last season despite a 5.51 ERA. Round Rock supported Jackson to the tune of 6.17 runs per game in his 23 starts in 2011. This season, Jackson's ERA is lower (5.08) but his record is just 2-7. That largely is because the Express have averaged just 3.50 runs per game in Jackson's 12 starts, scoring three or fewer runs eight times and fewer than three runs five times. Round Rock scored a total of 17 runs in his seven losses. Jackson yielded three or fewer earned runs in six of eight starts since tossing six shutout innings in a win April 24 at New Orleans. However, he is 1-5 in those eight starts. Jackson surrendered one unearned run over six innings in his June 5 start vs. Albuquerque; the Express were shutout 2-0.

FORK IN THE ROAD

Round Rock is 12-22 since blowing a 9-5 lead in the ninth inning May 9 at Salt Lake. The Express were 17-16 prior to that loss, the only point at which they were over .500 this season. Round Rock has been outscored 221-181 over the last 334 games, surrendering double-digit runs seven times. Express pitchers have a 6.03 ERA (195 ER/291.0 IP) in that time. A closer look into the numbers shows the Express are hitting .188 (33-for-176) with runners in scoring position in the 22 losses and .394 (56-for-142) in the 12 wins. Conversely, opponents are hitting .348 (88-for-253) with runners in scoring position in the 22 Express losses and .146 (14-for-96) in Round Rock's 12 victories.

FIVE TO ONE

The Express are 22-4 when holding the opposition to fewer than five runs but 7-34 when allowing at least five runs. Round Rock surrendered at least five runs six times in the recent seven-game losing streak, also dropping a 2-0 decision June 5 vs. Albuquerque. Meanwhile, the Express are 5-20 when scoring fewer than five runs.

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

In stark contrast to last season, The Dell Diamond has not been a launching pad for the Express. Round Rock averages 0.64 homers per game through 28 home dates this season (18 homers). The Express have not homered in nine of their last 11 home games. Conversely, Round Rock averages 1.36 homers in 39 road games (53 homers), including a season-high five May 8 at Salt Lake. The Express clubbed at least two homers 13 times on the road. Meanwhile, the Express have four multiple-homer games at The Dell Diamond. Last season, Round Rock 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 9.29 runs per game at The Dell Diamond this season as opposed to the 11.90 average in 2011.

EVERYDAY PEOPLE

Mike Bianucci is 5-for-29 (.172) over his last seven games. He has gone hitless in consecutive games twice this season (April 17-18, April 24-26). Bianucci leads the Express with 12 home runs; he has three homers in his last 118 at bats since homering in four of six games May 6-11. He also has not gone more than two consecutive games without a strikeout and has 11 strikeouts over his last eight games. Bianucci has one walk over his last 14 games (62 plate appearances) and none in his last 11 games (44 plate appearances). He is 4-for-11 (.364) with the bases loaded (two doubles, two walks, 10 RBI) and 16-for-33 (.485) in the fourth inning (three homers, seven RBI). ... Dusty Brown snapped an eight-game, 24-at-bat hitless skid with his third-inning single Sunday at Omaha. It was his first hit since a seventh-inning double in his last at bat May 22 vs. Sacramento. Brown is 2-for-46 (.043) since an eighth-inning double May 11 at Salt Lake; he has 18 strikeouts in that time and nine strikeouts over his last five games. He is 2-for-20 (.100) with runners in scoring position; both hits came with two outs. Brown owns a .500 on-base percentage when leading off an inning, hitting .333 (7-for-21) with one homer and seven walks against four strikeouts. He has three walks and two sacrifice flies in six bases-loaded plate appearances. ... Joey Butler leads the PCL with 44 walks, three more than any other player; however, he has two in his last nine games. Butler is hitting .397 (69-for-174) when putting the ball in play. He is 11-for-23 (.478) in the fifth inning with four homers and eight RBI; he also has 10 eighth-inning RBI. Butler is 21-for-61 (.344) with runners in scoring position, producing four homers, 30 RBI and six doubles. However, he is 9-for-35 (.257) with runners in scoring position and two outs, producing no homers and 11 RBI. He is second on the team with 11 home runs, six of which were solo shots. Butler is 5-for-25 (.200) over his last six games and has at least one strikeout in seven of his last eight games (10 strikeouts). ... Luis Hernandez is 10-for-27 (.370) over his last seven games with four multiple-hit outings (each of the last three games), one home run, four RBI, three doubles, a triple and five runs scored. He has not walked since May 19, a span of 22 games and 102 plate appearances, with 14 strikeouts in that time. Three of his four home runs were solo shots. Hernandez committed two errors in Monday night's series opener at Albuquerque, matching his season total entering the game. He had not committed an error in 11 straight games. ... Leonys Martin is riding a six-game hitting streak (.391, 9-for-23) with at least one RBI in each game. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games (.364, 20-for-55) with six multiple-hit games. His lone hitless outing in that time was his first game back from a five-week disabled-list stint (June 7 at Omaha). Martin owns a .444 on-base percentage when leading off an inning, going 13-for-33 (.394) with three homers and three walks against three strikeouts. ... Luis Martinez is 5-for-12 (.417) with five walks, a double, a triple and four runs scored over his last four games. He is 13-for-29 (.448) in the third and fourth innings but 16-for-86 (.186) the rest of the game, going 2-for-19 (.105) prior to the third inning. He is 2-for-21 (.095) with runners in scoring position and two outs, and he is 0-for-5 with the bases loaded (one walk, one hit-by-pitch, one sacrifice fly). ... Tommy Mendonca has at least one strikeout in 15 of his last 16 games (23 strikeouts), including nine strikeouts over his last four games. Mendonca has not gone more than two straight games without a strikeout. Meanwhile, he has homered in three of his last five games. He has not walked since May 2 vs. New Orleans, a span of 27 games and 107 plate appearances. Mendonca is 15-for-47 (.319) after the seventh inning. ... Greg Miclat's two-hit game in last night's series finale at Albuquerque was his first multiple-hit outing since a two-hit night April 23 at New Orleans "" his only other multiple-hit game this season. Six of his last eight hits were doubles. ... Yangervis Solarte leads the league with 13.29 plate appearances per strikeout. He collected two hits in each of his last two games after going hitless in consecutive games for only the third time (April 5-6, April 13-15). Solarte has one strikeout in his last 15 games (59 at bats) and no strikeouts in his last 10 games (35 at bats). Solarte is hitting .224 (19-for-85) through the first three innings but .321 (53-for-165) thereafter with five of his six home runs and 25 of his 29 RBI. He is 13-for-34 (.382) when leading off an inning with one home run and three walks (.432 on-base percentage). Solarte is 4-for-37 (.108) with runners in scoring position and fewer than two outs. Five of his six home runs were solo shots. ... Ryan Spilborghs snapped a 2-for-19 (.105) skid last night, going 3-for-5. It was his 14th multiple-hit outing in 35 games with the Express and sixth game with at least three hits. Spilborghs produced an RBI in two of his last three games after going 10 consecutive games without an RBI. He has not homered since May 26, a span of 15 games and 58 at bats. Spilborghs has reached safely in all but three of his 35 games with the Express and managed a sacrifice fly in one of those three games. He is 5-for-22 (.227) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Spilborghs has played 218 career PCL games, hitting .345 (285-for-825) with 24 homers, 119 RBI and 64 doubles.

BROTHERS IN ARMS

Neal Cotts, who has battled injuries over the past three seasons, made his Texas Rangers organizational debut June 12 at Albuquerque. It was his first outing since June 24, 2009, with the Iowa Cubs. ... Mark Hamburger recorded at least one strikeout in all but two of 19 outings. He surrendered 15 runs in 22.0 innings (6.14 ERA) over his last nine appearances after yielding only one run over his first 9.2 innings (0.93 ERA) as a reliever. He worked 3.0 scoreless innings Tuesday at Albuquerque, his longest scoreless outing this season. Opponents are hitting .417 (15-for-36) with runners in scoring position (two home runs, 23 RBI). He has stranded all three inherited runners. ... Derek Hankins has one walk in his last eight outings (15.1 innings) with seven strikeouts and a .167 opponents' average (10-for-60). Opposing batters are 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position and two outs, and 0-for-5 with the bases loaded. Hankins stranded 10 of 11 inherited runners. ... Aaron Heilman has a 2.38 ERA (3 ER/11.1 IP) over his last nine outings, going 1-0 with two saves. He recorded at least one strikeout in 18 of 19 appearances since failing to do so in each of the season's first two outings, including a season-high three strikeouts June 3 vs. Albuquerque. He has 26 strikeouts in his last 21.2 innings. Four of 10 inherited runners scored, and opponents are hitting .361 (13-for-36) with runners in scoring position. ... Ben Snyder is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP) in nine outings at The Dell Diamond but 0-2 with a 5.08 ERA (13 ER/23.0 IP) in 13 road games. He has at least one strikeout in each of his last seven appearances, recording 13 strikeouts over 12.0 innings with three walks. Opponents are hitting .333 (7-for-21) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Snyder stranded nine of 15 inherited runners. ... Johan Yan surrendered at least one run in four of six outings since joining the Express (May 25) and allowed an inherited runner to score in one of the other two outings. Opponents are 5-for-12 (.417) against him with runners on base.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH

Round Rock is hitting .333 (24-for-72) with the bases loaded, going 14-for-34 (.412) since May 21. Meanwhile, opposing batters are 27-for-65 (.415) with the bases loaded, including six grand slams. ... Round Rock is tied for third in the PCL with 71 homers, 53 of which were on the road. ... Round Rock is 5-11 in series openers. ... Of Round Rock's 71 home runs, 38 were solo shots, including 19 to leadoff an inning. ... Round Rock leads the PCL with 78 double plays turned. ... The Express have at least one double in 63 of 67 games, including a 47-game streak after not getting a double in the season opener. Round Rock has at least one double in all 28 home games. ... Round Rock is 7-10 in one-run games. Seven of the 17 games were against Iowa. ... Round Rock is 1-29 when trailing after seven innings, posting their lone win May 2 with a six-run eighth to rally past New Orleans 10-5. Conversely, the Express have five losses in 32 games when leading after seven innings.

WHO'S NEXT

Following the season's fourth of five off-days Monday, Round Rock continues eight-game home stand with a four-game series against the Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs). The series runs Tuesday through Friday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch each night. This is the third of four series between Round Rock and Iowa. The teams split a four-game series to start the season April 5-8 at Des Moines and split a four-game series the following week (April 13-16) at The Dell Diamond. The Express will follow the Cubs back to Des Moines for a four-game series June 23-26.

GAME"ˆ72 | TUESDAY, JUNE 19 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Greg Reynolds (5-5, 4.57 ERA)

Cubs: TBA

GAME"ˆ73 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (6-6, 7.88 ERA)

Cubs: TBA

GAME"ˆ74 | THURSDAY, JUNE 21 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Martin Perez (3-5, 5.40 ERA)

Cubs: TBA

GAME"ˆ75 | FRIDAY, JUNE 22 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (2-7, 5.08 ERA)

Cubs: TBA

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 14, 2012


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