PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Out-Slug New Orleans 11-9

Published on July 20, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - German Duran's three-run, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the fifth erased a two-run deficit, and the Round Rock Express never trailed again en route to an 11-9 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs in Pacific Coast League action Tuesday night at The Dell Diamond. The Express (40-57) snapped a four-game losing streak and a four-game skid against the Zephyrs (46-48). The series is tied 1-1; New Orleans leads the season series 10-4.

Duran's round-tripper was the first pinch-hit homer of the season for the Express, who scored four runs in the pivotal fifth inning. Wladimir Sutil started the rally with a one-out bunt single; Brian Esposito followed with a first-pitch single. That set the stage for Duran, who saw one pitch on the night and drilled it just inside the left-field foul pole for his first homer of the season. Collin DeLome followed with a triple and scored the eventual game-deciding run on a Brian Bogusevic two-out single.

T.J. Burton (1-3) picked up the victory in relief. After surrendering a 6-5 Express lead in the top of the fifth, Burton was the benefactor of the four-run rally in the bottom of the inning. He allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning of work. Starter Polin Trinidad surrendered five runs on seven hits and three walks with no strikeouts over 4.0 innings.

Brad Thompson, Jonah Bayliss, Dan Meszaros and Roy Corcoran each pitched an inning to close the game. Only Meszaros allowed runs; he yielded two runs on one hits and three walks with a strikeout in the eighth. Corcoran recorded his sixth save, working around a two-out single in a scoreless ninth.

New Orleans starter Dan Whisler (1-3) took the loss, allowing nine runs on eight hits and five walks with one strikeout over 4.1 innings.

Round Rock scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the first. Edwin Maysonet started the carnage with an RBI single. Drew Locke added an RBI single, and Esposito capped the frame with a two-run single. New Orleans chipped away at the deficit with a pair of runs on consecutive RBI fielder's choices. Mark Saccomanno's two-run homer in the fourth tied the game at 4-4, and Brett Carroll followed with a go-ahead solo homer.

The Express recaptured the lead in the bottom of the second on Tommy Everidge's two-out, two-run homer. It was his fifth in 23 games with Round Rock and 12th overall in the PCL this season. That lead was short-lived as the Zephyrs scored two runs on two hits in the top of the fifth. Hector Luna doubled to open the frame, and Brian Barden followed with an RBI triple; Barden later scored on a Saccomanno sacrifice fly.

Esposito was 3-for-3 with two intentional walks, reaching safely in all five plate appearances. Sutil came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and two RBI. DeLome scored three runs, while Everidge scored twice.

Saccomanno, who played for the Express each of the past three seasons, was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Luna, Gookie Dawkins and Tim Torres all had two-hit nights for the Zephyrs.

New Orleans pulled to within a run in the top of the eighth but missed a chance to get even closer. Meszaros issued a one-out, bases-loaded walk ahead of Neil Wilson's sacrifice fly. Saccomanno grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Round Rock and New Orleans continue the four-game series Wednesday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch at The Dell Diamond. Right-hander Sergio Perez (3-3, 5.29 ERA) starts on the mound for the Express, while right-hander Chris Volstad (1-0, 1.38 ERA) gets the nod for the Zephyrs.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 20, 2010


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