PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Out-Slug Tucson 10-8

Published on May 13, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


TUCSON, Ariz. - Kevin Cash was 2-for-4, including a game-deciding, two-run double, as the Round Rock Express out-slugged the Tucson Padres 10-8 in Thursday night's Pacific Coast League action at Kino Stadium. The Express (23-11) maintained the league's best record and established the best 34-game start in the Triple-A era of the franchise (since 2005). The Padres (15-20) have lost five of their last six.

Round Rock trailed 6-4 through five innings rallied for a three-run sixth and never relinquished the lead. All three runs in the inning were unearned thanks to a leadoff error. Esteban German had an RBI infield single ahead of a run-scoring wild pitch. Endy Chavez capped the frame with an RBI fielder's choice, giving Round Rock a 7-6 lead.

The Express pushed that lead to 10-6 with a three-run seventh. Deeds delivered an RBI single and later scored on Cash's two-run double. Those runs proved to be the difference as the Padres tightened the game in the final two innings. Matt Clark led off the eighth with a home run - his second of the game. Anthony Rizzo walked with two outs in the ninth, and Jesus Guzman followed with an RBI double. However, Clark flied out to deep left-center to end the game.

Express starter Derek Hankins (5-1) picked up the win and leads the league in victories. He allowed six runs - five earned - on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Yhency Brazoban worked 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to bridge the gap between Hankins and Phillips, who pitched the eighth and ninth.

Reliever Samuel Deduno (2-1) was saddled with the loss for Tucson. He allowed three runs - all unearned - on two hits and two walks in 1.0 inning. Starter Jeremy Hefner worked 5.0 innings and surrendered four runs - three earned - on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

All nine Express starters hit safely, tallying 13 knocks on the night. Matt Kata led the hit parade, going 3-for-5. Deeds was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Brad Nelson had a two-run homer in the first to give Round Rock the early lead. Kata pushed that lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the second. However, the Padres battled back with a three-run bottom of the second, keyed by Clark's two-run homer. Alex Cintron's RBI triple and Luis Durango's RBI single pushed the Tucson lead to 5-3.

The Express got an unearned run in the top of the fifth on Brian Barden's RBI fielder's choice, but the Padres answered on a Luis Martinez RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Four Tucson errors led to four unearned runs on the night.

Round Rock and Tucson conclude the four-game series Friday with a 9:05 p.m. CDT first pitch at Kino Stadium. Right-hander Seth McClung (2-0, 3.90 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Express, while right-hander Will Inman (1-3, 6.19 ERA) is slated to go for the Padres.

NOTES: The Express scored seven-plus runs for the seventh consecutive game. ... Round Rock has scored 89 runs in the last 10 games, establishing a franchise record for the highest-scoring 10-game span. The previous mark of 84 runs occurred three times - once last season and in Round Rock's two 10-game spans prior to tonight's game.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 13, 2011


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