Round Rock Rolled by Oklahoma City 11-1
July 15, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - In the final meeting between the two teams this season, the Round Rock Express (44-49) were roughed up by the Oklahoma City Dodgers (49-40), dropping the finale by a final score of 11-1 on Sunday night at Dell Diamond. The Dodgers finish ahead in the season series after taking 10 of 16 games.
Round Rock starter LHP David Hurlbut (4-6, 5.86) was left with the loss after laboring through a tough start in which he lasted just 3.2 innings while allowing nine runs, all earned, on 11 hits. Earning the win was Oklahoma City starter RHP Drew Hutchison (3-1, 3.60), who tossed 6.0 shutout innings, permitting just seven baserunners on four hits and three walks.
The Dodgers offense took control in the early going, constructing an 8-0 lead by the third inning. In the first, Oklahoma City collected four singles off Hurlbut, including RBI knocks by 1B Edwin Rios and SS Donovan Solano to pull ahead 3-0. The following frame saw the visitors add another run to their lead when CF Tim Locastro connected on a solo home run to left-center.
Things really went off the rails for the Express in the top of the third when the visitors added four runs to their total, pulling away 8-0. LF Travis Taijeron mashed his second homer of the series, a two-run blast that scored Rios from first before C Rocky Gale brought home DH Breyvic Valera and Solano with a double to left.
After Round Rock scored their first run of the contest in the eighth on RF Hunter Cole's sacrifice fly, Shaq Matta made the second pitching appearance of his professional career, allowing the Dodgers to extend the gap to 11-1. Matta, a catcher, gave up two runs on two hits and two walks before inducing an inning-ending 2-4-3 double play on a weak tapper off the plate.
Round Rock LF Willie Calhoun saw his 18-game hitting streak come to an end following an 0-3 day at the plate. However, Calhoun did reach on a walk in the eighth, maintaining an on-base streak that began on June 24th, the same day as his career-long hitting streak.
The E-Train rolls into Colorado on Monday night for the first of four games against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (51-41) at Security Service Field. Round Rock RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-3, 4.47) is slated to match up with Colorado Springs LHP Nick Ramirez (2-1, 4.02). First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m. CDT.
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