Round Rock Express, Nelson Slam Iowa 5-2
Published on June 24, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
DES MOINES, Iowa - Brad Nelson's sixth-inning grand slam propelled the Round Rock Express to a 5-2 victory over the Iowa Cubs in Sunday afternoon's Pacific Coast League action at Principal Park. The Express (35-42) have won four straight road games, their longest road winning streak of the season. The Cubs (32-45) have lost eight of their last nine home games. Round Rock leads the season series 8-6.
Nelson, a native of Algona, Iowa, clubbed his first grand slam since Aug. 18, 2009, with Tacoma. It was Round Rock's second grand slam this season (Matt Kata, May 31 at Memphis), and it snapped a scoreless tie. Nelson's grand slam was Round Rock's second hit of the game.
Julio Borbon drew a one-out walk, and Yangervis Solarte followed with a double that pushed Borbon to third. After Ryan Spilborghs walked, Nelson ripped his 11th homer of the season to right. It was his ninth homer on the road.
Iowa answered with solo spots in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings on a Welington Castillo RBI single and a Brett Jackson solo homer, respectively. Round Rock added an insurance run in the top of the ninth thanks to an Iowa throwing error.
Express starter Greg Reynolds (7-5) earned his third straight win and moved to 4-1 in his last five starts. He allowed one run on six hits and three walks over five and two-thirds innings with one strikeout. Joe Ortiz surrendered Jackson's solo homer over one and one-third innings, and Aaron Heilman tossed a pair of scoreless innings on one hit and a strikeout for his fourth save.
Cubs starter Rodrigo Lopez (1-3) suffered the loss, his second in six days against Round Rock. Lopez yielded only three hits but one was Nelson's slam; he also walked three and struck out five over six innings.
Spilborghs and Mike Bianucci both had two-hit games. It was Spilborghs' first multiple-hit outing since June 13 at Albuquerque; he was 4-for-30 between the multiple-hit games. Luis Martinez was 0-for-3 with a walk, snapping his season-best eight-game hitting streak. Borbon was 0-for-4, his sixth straight hitless game; he is 0-for-26 with three walks since hitting safely in six consecutive at bats June 16-17.
Castillo was 3-for-4, while Blake DeWitt was 2-for-4.
Round Rock and Iowa continue their four-game series Monday with a 12:05 p.m. CDT first pitch at Principal Park. It will be dueling southpaws as Express left-hander Ben Snyder (1-2, 4.50 ERA) faces Iowa lefty and former Texas A&M standout Brooks Raley (3-2, 4.72 ERA).
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