PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Game Notes

Published on July 30, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME

Round Rock returns to the road, opening a four-game series against the Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers). First pitch is scheduled 6:35 p.m. CDT at Herschel Greer Stadium. The Express are 5-5 in their last 10 games after winning the final three games of their most recent series (Memphis). The Sounds are 7-3 in their last 10 games after splitting a four-game series at Oklahoma City, including a 5-3 loss in last night's series finale. Round Rock is 29-22 on the road, while Nashville is 32-23 at home.

RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION

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

EXPRESS-SOUNDS SERIES

This is the fourth and final series between Round Rock and Nashville this season; the Express lead the season series 9-3. Round Rock won all eight meetings at The Dell Diamond, sweeping four-game series in early May and early July. The Express dropped three of four at Nashville in mid-June. SERIES NOTES: Only two of the first 12 meetings have been decided by more than three runs - both lopsided Express wins. ... The teams have played seven one-run games; Round Rock has won four of those games - all walk-off wins. ... The teams have played three extra-inning games with the Express winning twice. ... Despite all the close games, Round Rock has out-scored Nashville 88-63 on the strength of 18-9 and 10-2 wins May 8 and 9, respectively. The Express established a franchise record for runs in the 18-9 victory. ... Round Rock and Nashville have combined for 39 home runs on the series with the Express owning a three-homer edge. Doug Deeds, Mike Napoli, Taylor Teagarden and Chad Tracy all have homered three times against the Sounds. Only Tracy is currently active with the Express. ... Deeds, who currently is on the disabled list, hit .323 (10-for-31) with four doubles and 11 RBI in seven games against the Sounds. ... Joey Butler is hitting .393 (11-for-17) in eight games against Nashville with seven doubles, one home run, four RBI and 10 runs scored. ... Esteban German is 0-for-22 (.409) with a double, a triple and five runs scored in six games against the Sounds. He is three-for-three in stolen base attempts. ... Tracy and Matt Kata each have been hit three times by Nashville pitchers. ... The winning pitchers in four of Round Rock's nine wins are no longer with the team - Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, Seth McClung and Zach Phillips, the last two of which are no longer in the Rangers organization. ... Mark Hamburger is 2-0 in three relief appearances and has not allowed a run over 4.1 innings against the Sounds. ... Mat Gamel has feasted on Round Rock pitching, going 17-for-35 (.486) with five home runs and 10 RBI in eight games. ... Gamel, Caleb Gindl (four) and Brett Carroll (five) have combined for 14 of the 18 home runs Nashville batters have hit against Round Rock; no other player has more than one. Carroll is not currently active with the Sounds. ... Gindl is hitting .348 (16-for-46) against Express pitching, while Taylor Green is hitting .354 (17-for-48). ... Round Rock faces Nashville with Taylor Green immediately after facing Memphis with Tyler Greene.

EXPRESS STARTER

RHP Ryan Tucker (2-2, 4.75 ERA)

Last Outing: Earned victory in July 25 at Omaha, a 9-2 Express win ... First win since April 25 vs. Oklahoma City ... Allowed one run on six hits, a walk and one hit batter over 5.0 innings with season-high five strikeouts ... Lone run scored in fifth inning; escaped further damage with inning-ending double play ... Used 98 pitches, 64 strikes.

2011: Makes 25th appearance, fourth start with Express ... Logged 41.2 innings with 18 walks, 40 strikeouts and a .276 opponents' average ... Earned wins April 25 vs. Oklahoma City (relief) and July 25 at Omaha (start)... Lost in season's first outing April 8 vs. Iowa (relief) and season's first start May 15 at Memphis ... Recorded saves April 13 vs. Omaha and May 27 vs. Iowa ... 3.55 ERA (10 ER / 25.1 IP) over last 12 appearances with 22 strikeouts against six walks in that time ... 1-1, 5.56 ERA (7 ER / 11.1 IP), .365 opponents' average in three starts ... Three of four home runs allowed were solo shots ... Opponents hitting .292 (7-for-24) with runners in scoring position and two outs ... Allowed two hits in five at bats with bases loaded, inducing one double play ... Also made five relief appearances with Rangers in late April, early May ... Did not record a decision with a 7.20 ERA ... Struck out all three batters faced April 29 in first Rangers outing ... Assigned to Round Rock prior to May 19 game.

2011 vs. Nashville: 0-0, 2.70 ERA, .286 opponents' average in two relief appearances ... Worked 1.2 innings June 15 at Nashville in 10-inning, 4-3 Express win ... Surrendered two hits, including Brett Carroll's eighth-inning solo homer ... No walks with three strikeouts ... Scattered two hits with one strikeout over 1.2 scoreless innings July 2 at The Dell Diamond.

2010: Pitched in the Florida Marlins organization ... Split season between New Orleans, the Gulf Coast League and the Jupiter Hammerheads, combining for a 2-8 record in 32 appearances.

Notable: Florida Marlins 2005 first-round draft pick (34th overall) out of Temple City [Calif.] High School ... Career-best seven wins in 2006 with Greensboro, logging 131.1 innings ... MLB debut June 8, 2008, with Marlins against Cincinnati ... Made 13 MLB appearances prior to this season ... Considered Marlins' sixth-best prospect entering 2010 season, according to Baseball America ... Claimed by Rangers off waivers Oct. 6, 2010.

LAST NIGHT'S GAMES

Val Majewski's two-out, three-run double keyed a four-run first inning as the Express defeated Memphis 10-1 in the series finale. Majewski was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. He sparked Round Rock's five-run fourth inning with a leadoff double. Eric Hurley won his fifth straight start, holding Memphis to one run on eight hits and three walks over five innings with three strikeouts. Derek Hankins and Michael Kirkman each tossed two scoreless innings of relief; Kirkman struck out five. Joey Butler and Kevin Cash both were 2-for-4, while Guilder Rodriguez was 2-for-3.

MEMPHIS SERIES RECAP

Round Rock won three of four in the series, rebounding from a 10-4 loss in the series opener. After posting a 13-4 barrage in the series' second game, the Express rallied for an 11-inning, 9-8 victory Thursday night. Val Majewski torched the Redbirds for nine hits, including four doubles and two home runs with 10 RBI. Joey Butler was 8-for-16, and Brad Nelson tallied seven RBI. Esteban German was 6-for-6 in stolen-base attempts.

ROUND ROCK AMONG TOP PCL TEAMS

The Express (63-44, .589) own the PCL's third-best record behind Sacramento (64-43, .598) and Reno (63-43, .594). The Express are five-and-a-half games ahead of Omaha (57-49, .538) in the overall American Conference standings. Only six of 16 PCL teams are above .500.

DIVISION STANDINGS UPDATE

Round Rock (63-44, .589) increased its lead over Albuquerque (56-51, .523) in the American Southern Division standings to seven games last night. While the Express defeated Memphis 10-1, the Isotopes lost 10-1 at Omaha. It marked ninth time in the last 10 games that Round Rock and Albuquerque had the opposite result. Round Rock is 26-13 since June 18, during which time Albuquerque is 17-22. The Express have at least shared the division lead following 85 of 107 games this season and have led the division outright since June 25. Round Rock's largest division lead was eight games at the start of play July 20. New Orleans (52-55, .486) trails Round Rock by 11 games, while Oklahoma City (48-59, .449) is 15 games back.

ROUND ROCK vs. AMERICAN NORTHERN DIVISION

The Express are 37-19 against the American North Division so far this season. Round Rock has not lost a series to a cross-division foe since dropping three of four at Nashville in mid-June. Since then, the Express have won four series (Omaha, Nashville, at Memphis, Memphis) and split two series (Memphis, at Omaha) for an 18-7 record in that time. The Express have clinched the season series against Omaha (9-3) and Nashville (9-3) with four games remaining in each series of the last two series. Round Rock has concluded its season series against Iowa (9-7) and Memphis (10-6). The Express play their final series against an American Northern Division foe Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Omaha.

JONES APPROACHING MILESTONE

Express manager Bobby Jones enters tonight's game with 1,492 career managerial wins - all of which have come in the Texas Rangers organization. His tally includes stints with Class-A Charlotte (1988-1990), Double-A Tulsa (1991-1992, 1996-2000), Triple-A Oklahoma City (1993-1994, 2002-2010) and Round Rock. Jones' most successful season at the Triple-A level was 2004 when he led Oklahoma City to 81 wins and the PCL American Southern Division title. He owns 12 division titles and guided the 1998 Tulsa squad to a Texas League championship.

MY, MY... MAJEWSKI

Val Majewski (my-ESS-kee) signed free-agent contract July 25 with the Rangers and was assigned to the Express. It marked his first Triple-A stint since patrolling the outfield for the Express in 2008 while a Houston Astros farmhand. Majewski has enjoyed quite the return, hitting safely in each of his first four games with two homes and 10 RBI; he 9-for-17 (.529) with four doubles and four runs scored. Majewski began the season with the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League. He was a third-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2002 and played nine games with the O's in 2004.

HURLEY COMEBACK STORY REMARKABLE

Eric Hurley lost his first start of the season April 8 vs. Iowa and missed his next scheduled start due to a viral infection. He sustained a skull fracture on the fourth pitch of his second start April 18 at New Orleans and spent the next two months on the disabled list. Hurley is 6-0 in eight starts since his return to the mound June 20 against Omaha, winning each of his last five starts. Furthermore, the Express have won each of his last nine starts, including the game in which he sustained the skull fracture. Hurley has pitched at least into the sixth inning in five of his last six starts, going seven innings in two of the last three. He is 4-0 with a 2.52 ERA (7 ER / 25.0 IP) and a .265 opponents' average in four starts since the All-Star break; five of the seven runs scored in his July 19 start against New Orleans.

SNEAKY THIEF

Esteban German is second on Round Rock's single-season list with 33 stolen bases after swiping three bags last night. He trails only Josh Anderson (40, 2007) on the list. German also is in the PCL and was successful on 15 of his last 16 stolen base attempts.

HOME SWEET HOME

After struggling at The Dell Diamond early in the season, the Express have been strong at home over the past month. Round Rock is 34-22 (.607) at home, winning 17 of 23 home games since June 18. The Express own the league's third-best home record behind Reno (34-18, .654) and Albuquerque (34-21, .618). Round Rock has won six home series, lost three and split five. The Express have swept three home series (Omaha once, Nashville twice) and have not been swept at home.

EXPRESS STRONG ON THE ROAD, AS WELL

Round Rock (29-22, .560) owns the best road record in the American Conference and the PCL's second-best road record behind only Sacramento (35-16, .686). The Express and Omaha (25-25, .500) are the only American Conference teams at or above .500 on the road; in fact, each of the other six American Conference teams is at least eight games under .500 on the road. Round Rock has won five road series, lost four and split four. Two of the four road series losses were three-game sets (1-2 in each); the Express swept a four-game series at Oklahoma City in mid-April and have not been swept on the road.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY

The Express continue a 29-game, 28-day stretch tonight. With only one off-day between the All-Star break and the end of the regular season, Round Rock will play 54 games in 54 days. The Express are 11-6 in that time.

RARE HOMER-LESS SCORING BARRAGE

Last night's 10-1 victory over Memphis marked the first time Round Rock scored more than six runs in a game without the benefit of a home run since an 8-4 win June 3 at Oklahoma City.

BIG-FLY GUYS

The Express enter today's game with 142 home runs on the season - second in the league behind only Reno (147). Round Rock was the first PCL team to 100 home runs this season and has 10 more homers than any other American Conference team (Albuquerque). The Express clubbed 59 homers over the last 39 games after being shutout in consecutive games.

EXPRESS ON RECORD HOMER PACE

Round Rock already has eclipsed the franchise's season home-run totals from 2007 (134), 2009 (97) and 2010 (108). The Express hit 170 home runs in 2006, an average of 1.18 per game and still the club's Triple-A era (since 2005) record. The 2011 Express average 1.33 home runs per game and are on pace to hit 191 on the season. Since the Express joined the PCL in 2005, only one team has eclipsed 190 homers in a season - Albuquerque hit 197 in 2008. Tacoma led the PCL with 185 home runs last season despite finishing 15th out of 16 teams in the league in team batting average (.264).

OFFENSE STRUGGLES WITHOUT HOMERS

The Express have homered in 70 of 107 games this season, going 47-23 in those games. However, Round Rock is 16-21 when failing to hit at least one home run. The Express average 3.89 runs per game (144 total) when failing to homer. Meanwhile, Round Rock averages 6.34 runs per game (444 total) when hitting at least one home run. The Express have homered in 33 of their last 49 games and scored a total of 53 runs in the other 16 games (3.31 runs per game), getting shutout three times and scoring one run three times.

MORE HOME-RUN NUMBERS

Only twice this season has Round Rock gone more than two straight games without a home run - a four-game stretch in mid-April, and a three-game stretch earlier this month. ... The Express have won 20 of their last 25 games when hitting at least one home run. ... Round Rock has homered at least twice 43 times, going 33-10 in those games. The Express have won 14 of their last 16 games when hitting multiple homers. ... Round Rock has homered multiple times in 14 road games, going 11-3 in those games. ... The Express are 17-2 when hitting at least three home runs and 7-0 when hitting at least four home runs. ... Round Rock has four four-homer games (June 18 vs. Omaha, June 19 vs. Omaha, July 2 vs. Nashville and July 28 vs. New Orleans), two five-homer games (May 15 at Las Vegas, June 28 vs. Oklahoma City) and one six-homer game (April 9 vs. Iowa). ... The six-homer game was the second-best game total in franchise history, a single-game Dell Diamond record and one homer shy of the club record set at Albuquerque in 2006.

BIG-INNING THEORY

Round Rock is 22-6 this season when scoring at least four runs in an inning and 41-38 when failing to do such. However, the difference in record is even more pronounced based upon what the opponent does. The Express are 57-24 when not allowing an inning of at least four runs but 5-20 when the opponent posts such an inning. Round Rock posted an inning of at least four runs in three of the five victories when allowing an inning of at least four runs. Likewise, the opponent had an inning of at least four runs in four of Round Rock's six losses with an inning of at least four runs.

COMEBACK KIDS

The Express have 34 comeback wins this season (trailing at any point in the game). Round Rock has won 13 times when trailing after five innings, nine times when trailing after six innings, nine times when trailing after seven innings and five times when trailing entering the ninth inning.

FIVE IS THE KEY

Round Rock is 52-14 this season when scoring at least five runs, going 11-30 when scoring fewer than five runs. Meanwhile, Round Rock is 39-13 when allowing fewer than five runs and 24-31 when allowing five or more. The Express have lost seven of their last 10 in that situation.

ROUND ROCK ECLIPSES 2010 WIN TOTAL

The Express have surpassed win totals from the 2007 (61) and 2010 (57) seasons and matched the wins total from the 2009 season (63). They can match the 2008 total with a win tonight. The 2010 Express - then the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros - posted their 57th and final victory Sept. 4 in the season's antepenultimate game. Round Rock finished above .500 only twice since joining Triple-A in 2005. The Express won the American Southern Division title in 2006 with an 85-59 record and finished 74-70 in 2005. Round Rock did not reach 65 wins in any of the last four seasons.

EXPRESS LEAD PCL IN ATTENDANCE

Round Rock leads the PCL in attendance, averaging 8,510 fans per game. Sacramento is second with an 8,045 per-game average, while Albuquerque (7,862) is third. Round Rock is on pace to eclipse the 600,000 plateau for the sixth time in seven Triple-A seasons. The Express have finished second or third in the PCL each season since joining the league in 2005.

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 30, 2011


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