PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Splits Double-Dip at Dell Diamond

Published on July 21, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK - Josh Muecke and Jason Smith helped the Express pick up a win over Albuquerque in the first of a two-game set at The Dell Diamond on Tuesday before the Isotopes and Henry Bonilla shut Round Rock down in the second game.

Muecke tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball in Game 1 of a double-header, which was a continuation from a June 11 suspended game, as the Express cruised to a 5-1 win. In the second, seven-inning contest, Bonilla allowed just one hit - Tommy Manzella's 22nd double - over four innings of work to help Albuquerque to a 3-1 victory.

Manzella recorded the two of three Round Rock hits in the second game, giving him 11 base knocks over his last six games.

Round Rock's Game 1 win counted toward the club's ‘Express Win/Fans Win' promotion, which trims a dollar off the price of a reserved ticket for the Aug. 5-12 home stand for every home win Round Rock posts in July. With two home games remaining, the ticket price has fallen from $12 to $7 - just one dollar more than a general admission ticket.

Game 1 Muecke picked up where Yorman Bazardo (2 IP, 0 R) led off on June 11, tossing 5 1/3 innings of shutout baseball to help the Express to a 5-1 win in the first game of Tuesday's double-header.

Smith notched three RBI as Round Rock polished off its fourth win in as many days.

Originally postponed due to rain, the Express wasted no time on Tuesday, jumping out to a quick lead as Mark Saccomanno sent starter Giancarlo Alvarado's first pitch into right field for a single. Smith then launched the first pitch he saw onto the right field berm to give Round Rock a 2-0 lead.

Smith's fifth home run of the year was all the run support Muecke would need. Muecke scattered five hits while striking out three to improve his record to 2-5 with his first win since June 30 against Iowa.

Manzella helped pad the lead in the sixth with a two-out single to right field. Brian Bogusevic followed with a double down the left field line that advanced Manzella to third before a wild pitch made it 3-0.

Johnson followed with a deep double that made it a four-run lead and later scored on an RBI single from Smith.

The Isotopes weren't able to crack the scoreboard until the eighth when reliever Geoff Geary replaced Muecke with bases loaded and one out. First baseman J.D. Closser's sacrifice fly accounted for Albuquerque's only run.

Game 2 Albuquerque jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning of Game 2 on Tony Abreu's solo home run to lead off the game before McLemore settled in.

McLemore allowed just one hit over the next 3 2/3 innings before Chin-Lung Hu doubled to left-center to start the fifth. Hu moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Abreu's sacrifice fly to right, padding the lead at 2-0.

Saccomanno drew a pinch-hit walk to start the bottom of the sixth and Manzella singled past short against reliever Erick Threets, bringing on right-hander Travis Schlichting.

Bogusevic fought back from an 0-2 hole, delivering an RBI-bounder up the middle that closed the lead to 2-1. But Schlighting got John Gall to bounce into a double-play, ending Round Rock's threat.

Brett Harper homered off reliever Jose Capellan in the top of the seventh to close the scoring.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 21, 2009


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