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PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Game Notes May 5

May 5, 2011 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (16-10) at IOWA CUBS (13-13)

GAME 27 | 5 MAY 2011 | 12:05 P.M. CDT | PRINCIPAL PARK | DES MOINES, IOWA

TODAY'S GAMES

Round Rock continues the season's second road trip with the finale of a four-game series against the Iowa Cubs (Chicago-NL). First pitch between the Express and Cubs is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CDT at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Today's game airs on KZNX-AM 1530 Austin. Express Director of Broadcasting Mike Capps provides play-by-play.

EXPRESS-CUBS SERIES

The Cubs lead the season series 4-3. Iowa won three of four at Round Rock in the season's first series. However, the Express have won two of three in this series, giving the road team a 5-2 record. This is the first of two trips to Des Moines for the Express this season; Round Rock returns to Principal Park June 9-12.

GAME 24 - MONDAY, MAY 2

Express 5, Cubs 0

WP: Hankins (4-1). LP: Coello (2-3). SV: None.

GAME 25 - TUESDAY, MAY 3

Express 9, Cubs 3

WP: McClung (1-0). LP: Mathes (1-2). SV: None.

GAME 26 - WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 - 6:35 p.m. CDT

Cubs 3, Express 1

WP: Ortiz (1-1). LP: Kirkman (0-3). SV: Maine (5)

GAME 27 | THURSDAY, MAY 5 | 12:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Neil Ramirez (2-1, 1.69)

Cubs: RHP Thomas Diamond (0-2, 8.86 ERA)

STARTING PITCHERS

EXPRESS: RHP Neil Ramirez (2-1, 1.69 ERA)

Last Outing: Started but did not factor in decision of 5-4 Round Rock win April 29 at Memphis ... Surrendered one run on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over 5.1 innings ... Left game leading 4-1 but bullpen surrendered three runs before Express won in 13 innings.

2011: Makes fifth start for Round Rock today, sixth start overall ... Ranks third in the PCL with 1.69 ERA and first in opponents' batting average (.157) ... 25 strikeouts against eight walks over 21.1 innings with Express ... Began season with Class A-Advanced Myrtle Beach where he made one start (no-decision) ... 34 strikeouts over 26.0 innings on season between two Round Rock and Myrtle Beach.

2010: Spent entire season with Hickory Crawdads (A) ... 10-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 games, 26 starts ... Tossed one complete game ... 142 strikeouts, 37 walks over 140.1 innings.

Notable: Rangers first-round pick (44th overall) in 2007 out of Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, Va. ... School also produced former professional baseball player and NFL running back D.J. Dozier, and former NBA player J.R. Reid ... One of five Rangers first-round picks in 2007.

CUBS: RHP Thomas Diamond (0-2, 8.86 ERA)

NOTE: RHP Todd Wellemeyer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start in his first outing this season. Diamond will piggy-back his start.

Last Outing: Started but did not factor in decision of 7-6 Iowa loss April 30 at Omaha ... Surrendered three runs on four hits and six walks with five strikeouts over 5.0 innings ... Left game with 3-3 tie but Cubs bullpen surrendered four runs.

2011: Makes sixth start today ... Faced Round Rock on opening day April 7 giving up two earned runs on three hits in 4.0 innings, did not factor into decision ... 21.1 innings with a .329 opponents' batting average and 22 strikeouts against 17 walks ... Allowed six homes runs this year but none at home

2010: Split season between Chicago Cubs and Triple-A Iowa Cubs ... made Major League debut on Aug. 3, 2010 against Milwaukee Brewers giving up three earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings ... appeared in 16 total games, three starts, for the Cubs ending with 1-3 record and 6.83 ERA ... Started 21 games for the Iowa Cubs with 5-4 record and 3.16 ERA ... lost only start against Rangers Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City in 2010

Notable: Selected by Texas Rangers in first round (10th overall) of 2004 amateur entry draft ... named Texas Rangers Minor League Player of the Year in 2005 ... underwent Tommy John surgery and missed entire 2007 season

EXPRESS CONTINUE CLUB-BEST START

The Express are tied for the club's best 26-game start since Round Rock joined Triple-A in 2005. The previous best record through 26 games was 16-10 by the 2006 team, which started 7-9 before winning four straight and 15 of 16. The 2006 team's 11-game winning streak was the club's best Triple-A streak.

CHAVEZ WORKING ON ANOTHER STREAK

OF Endy Chavez has not struck out in 21 consecutive plate appearances, dating back to his penultimate plate appearance in the April 28 game at Memphis. Prior to that strikeout, he went 39 consecutive plate appearances without a punch-out. He leads the PCL with 20.60 plate appearances per strikeout, more than five plate appearances per strikeout ahead of second-place David Cooper of Las Vegas (14.83). Chavez has one strikeout in his last 60 plate appearance and five in 103 trips to the plate this season.

ROAD WARRIORS

Round Rock is in the throws of a 31-game stretch with 23 road games. The Express are 10-4 on the road this season, the best road record in the PCL this season. Only three other PCL teams are above .500 on the road - Sacramento (9-3), Reno (9-4) and Salt Lake (6-4). Round Rock won three of four at New Orleans, swept a four-game series at Oklahoma City, and dropped two of three in a weather-shortened series at Memphis.

MEMPHIS RAINOUT RESCHEDULED

Sunday's series finale between Round Rock and Memphis at AutoZone Park was postponed due to inclement weather in the Memphis area. The game has been rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Friday, July 15, at 5:05 p.m. CDT.

TEAM NOTES

The Express are 3-2 in series finales.

Round Rock has committed 13 errors in the previous eight games. The Express have not lost three straight games, losing consecutive games three times.

Round Rock is 3-4 in series openers and 2-3 on travel days after Monday's victory in the series opener at Iowa.

The Express have homered in 13 of 26 games, hitting at least two home runs eight times. However, Round Rock has not posted a multiple-homer game since hitting two April 22 at Oklahoma City.

Round Rock grounded into seven double plays in the season's first 10 games, but the Express have grounded into 22 double plays over the last 16 games, including 15 in the last 10 games.

Express pitchers have induced 26 double plays, including 11 over the last eight games and 17 over the last 13 games.

Round Rock ranks fifth in the PCL in staff ERA (4.04), tied for third in saves (9), tied for third in strikeouts (213) and third in fewest walks (91).

The Express bullpen is 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA, nine saves and 111 strikeouts against 45 walks over 111.1 innings.

The bullpen has allowed 12 of 29 inherited runners to score (41.4 percent).

The Express have scored in the first inning 11 times, going 7-4 in those games. Interestingly, Round Rock is 7-2 when allowing a first-inning run.

Round Rock is 10-2 when scoring first and 12-2 when out-hitting the opponent.

The Express are 10-4 when not committing an error and 6-6 when committing at least one error.

Round Rock is 5-1 in one-run games.

PLAYER NOTES

IF Brian Barden is 7-for-14 (.500) when leading off an inning. He is hitting .405 (17-for-42) when ahead or behind in the count but only .229 (8-for-35) when the count is even. Barden has not gone hitless in consecutive games, hitting safely in 16 of 21 played. He has hit safely and/or produced at least one RBI in 12 of the last 14 games. OF Joey Butler has hit safely in 10 straight and 13 of 15 since joining the Express April 14 with three multiple-hit outings. His current 10-game hitting streak matches the longest by a Round Rock player this season. Butler is 5-for-14 with a double, a triple, a home run, six RBI and four runs scored over the last three games. C Kevin Cash has hit safely in five of his last eight games.

OF Endy Chavez has reached safely in all 22 games played and leads the team with 11 multiple-hit games. He has hit safely in nine of the last 12 games with six multiple-hit outings. Chavez has hit safely in five of the last eight games, all of which have been multiple-hit outings. He is 7-for-18 over the last four games.

SS Luis Cruz is 7-for-39 (.179) since hitting a game-winning home run April 22 at Oklahoma City. However, he has hit safely in five of the last six games. Cruz is 9-for-24 (.375) in the first and second innings on the season but only 15-for-79 (.190) after the second inning.

OF Doug Deeds has reached safely in five of his last 13 plate appearances. He is 8-for-20 (.400) with two outs but hitless in his last six such at bats.

C Robinson Diaz has hit safely in each of his first five games with the Express, going 9-for-18 with multiple hits in three of the five games. All nine hits were singles.

OF Craig Gentry has hit safely in five of his last seven games and has not gone hitless in consecutive games since failing to hit safely in four straight April 12-15. However, he has only one multiple-hit outing sin April 18 (12 games).

OF Esteban German has hit safely in 20 of 25 games this season with no consecutive hitless games. He has hit safely in three of four games. German is hitting .343 (24-for-70) since April 16. He is second on the team with 10 multiple-hit games and leads the Express with four three-hit outings.

IF/OF Matt Kata's three-hit day Tuesday was his first multiple-hit outing since a two-hit game April 10 - his first game of the season. He has produced an RBI in five games, four of which were two-RBI outings.

1B Brad Nelson has hit safely in five straight with multiple hits in three of those games. He is hitting .348 (8-for-23) in that time, which comes on the heels of a 3-for-34 skid (.088). Nelson has produced at least one RBI in five of seven. He has reached safely in seven straight games.

1B Chad Tracy has hit safely in five of his last six games, going 7-for-24 (.294) in that time. He is hitting .362 (17-for-47) with runners on base and .419 (13-for-31) with runners in scoring position. Tracy leads the Express with 21 RBI and seven multiple-RBI games. He has eight RBI in his last six games.

RHP Derek Hankins leads the PCL with four wins. Monday's game marked his first start this season in which he did not allow a home run. Hankins has allowed six homers, five of which were solo shots. RHP Neil Ramirez leads the league in opponents' batting average (.157). He is third in the league in ERA (1.69) and WHIP (0.89). Ramirez leads league starters in opponents' batting average, ranks second among starters in strikeouts per nine innings (10.55) and second among starters in fewest base-runners per nine innings (8.44).

RHP Yoshi Tateyama is fourth among PCL relievers in walks per nine innings (1.29). He has 17 strikeouts over 13.0 innings in his last eight appearances, notching at least two strikeouts in six of those eight outings.

NEXT SERIES

Round Rock returns home for one series, a four-game set against the Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers). The series opens Friday at 7:05 p.m. CDT, followed by games Saturday at 7:05 p.m., Sunday at 1:05 p.m. and Monday at 12:05 p.m.

GAME 28 | FRIDAY, MAY 6 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Zach Jackson (2-0, 5.01 ERA)

Sounds: RHP Frankie De La Cruz (0-1, 2.42 ERA)

GAME 29 | SATURDAY, MAY 7 | 7:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Derek Hankins (4-1, 4.94 ERA)

Sounds: RHP Josh Butler (1-2, 4.76 ERA)

GAME 30 | SUNDAY, MAY 8 | 1:05 p.m. CDT

Express: RHP Seth McClung (1-0, 2.91 ERA)

Sounds: LHP Chase Wright (0-2, 5.40 ERA)

GAME 31 | MONDAY, MAY 9 | 12:05 p.m. CDT

Express: LHP Michael Kirkman (starts tomorrow)

Sounds: RHP Amaury Rivas (starts tomorrow)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 5, 2011


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