Round Rock Express Edged By Colorado Springs Sky Sox 5-4
Published on May 20, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Jordan Pacheco punched a one-out RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the top of the ninth to give the Colorado Springs Sky Sox a 5-4 victory over the Round Rock Express in Friday night's Pacific Coast League action at The Dell Diamond. The Express (25-16) saw a five-game home winning streak end, while the Sky Sox (17-25) snapped a five-game skid.
Mike Jacobs led off the ninth with a double to center and moved to third on Matt Macri's sacrifice bunt. Pacheco then singled past a diving Express third baseman Matt Kata on a full-count Pedro Strop offering, and Jacobs scored the eventual winning run. Jim Miller retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth.
Texas Rangers outfielders Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton both were in the Express lineup; the former played right field, while the latter was the designated hitter. Cruz was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and Hamilton was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Strop (2-2) was saddled with the loss; he allowed one run on two hits over 1.1 innings with no walks and two strikeouts. Starter Seth McClung worked 6.2 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Zach Phillips retired all three batters he faced with two strikeouts, stranding an inherited runner at second with a strikeout to end the seventh.
Rex Brothers (2-1) picked up the victory in relief for Colorado Springs. He worked around a pair of two-out singles for a scoreless eighth. Brothers walked Omar Quintanilla to open the frame but then picked him off first before striking out Hamilton. Cruz then singled and took third on Chad Tracy's single, but Brad Nelson struck out to end the inning. Starter Alan Johnson surrendered four runs on seven hits and a walk with one strikeout through 6.0 innings. Miller recorded his second save.
Colorado Springs got a run in the first when Charlie Blackmon tripled with one out and scored on Chris Nelson's RBI groundout. The Express quickly answered in the bottom of the inning, but it could have been more. Esteban German led off with a single but was picked off first. After Quintanilla grounded out, Hamilton doubled to right-center. Cruz followed with a towering home run to right field on a 3-0 pitch.
The Sky Sox recaptured the lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run double from Mike Jacobs. Round Rock again answered with a Luis Cruz two-run single in the bottom of the inning. In the seventh, Pacheco doubled with one out and later scored on a game-tying sacrifice fly from Eric Young Jr.
Luis Cruz finished 3-for-4, while Tracy was 2-for-4.
Round Rock and Colorado Springs continue the four-game series Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch at The Dell Diamond. The Express send right-hander Neil Ramirez (3-1, 3.69 ERA) to the mound, opposite Sky Sox right-hander Greg Reynolds (3-1, 6.29 ERA).
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