PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Rally Past Albuquerque 5-4

Published on July 24, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - Elio Sarmiento's two-out RBI single ended a wild 11th inning and gave the Round Rock Express a 5-4 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes in Tuesday night's Pacific Coast League series opener at The Dell Diamond. The Express (43-60) enjoyed their second walk-off victory in their last three games, rallying from deficits in each of the last two innings. The Isotopes (60-43) snapped a four-game winning streak and lead the season series 7-6.

Tim Federowicz broke a 1-1 tie with a one-out solo homer in the 10th, but that was just the beginning of a less-than-ordinary conclusion to the game. Matt Kata led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk, and Luis Martinez followed with a single. Greg Miclat's sacrifice bunt pushed the runners to second and third, and Guilder Rodriguez plated Kata with a sacrifice fly.

Albuquerque regained the lead in the top of the 11th but missed a golden opportunity to score more than the two runs that did cross the plate. Scott Van Slyke produced the first run with an RBI single; two batters later, Matt Angle's RBI single pushed the Isotopes lead to 4-2.

Brad Nelson singled to right with one out in the bottom of the 11th, and Joey Butler then walked; both runners advanced one base on Yangervis Solarte's groundout. Kata followed with an infield single, and Albuquerque third baseman Alex Castellanos' late throw to first skipped away and into the stands, allowing Butler to score from second and pushing Kata to second. Sarmiento followed with the game winning hit, just his second hit in 20 at bats since the All-Star break; it also snapped an 0-for-10 skid.

Aaron Heilman (2-1), who allowed both runs in the top of the 11th, was credited with the win. Neftali Feliz worked three shutout innings in a rehab start; he allowed one hit (double), walked one, hit one and struck out three. Justin Grimm followed and held the Isotopes to one run on two hits and three walks with one strikeout over five and two-thirds innings. Joe Ortiz retired four of the five batters he faced; the lone exception Federowicz's solo homer in the 10th.

Angel Guzman (2-1) shouldered the loss; he entered the game at the start of the bottom of the 11th. Starter Derrick Loop allowed one run on five hits and a walk over seven inning with five strikeouts.

Julio Borbon singled with one out in the first and later scored on Nelson's two-out single. That lead held until Castellanos' solo homer with one out in the sixth.

Nelson (3-for-5) hit safely for the 10th time in 12 games since the All-Star break, and he has hits in 13 of his last 24 at bats at The Dell Diamond. Borbon (3-for-5) snapped an 0-for-19 skid with his first-inning single and enjoyed his first three-hit game since June 16. Five other Express members had one hit each. Six Isotopes each had one hit.

Round Rock and Albuquerque continue their four-game series Wednesday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch at The Dell Diamond. Left-hander Ben Snyder (2-4, 3.88 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Express opposite Isotopes right-hander and former Express member Fernando Nieve (5-6, 5.81 ERA).

Check out the Round Rock Express Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from July 24, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central