Round Rock wins in 15 innings
Published on September 6, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK - For the second night in a row, Round Rock (62-81) pitching kept Omaha (64-79) at bay, and the Express bats edged the Royals 3-2 in extra innings.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 15th inning, Jason Smith reached on an infield single to second base with one out. One out later, Chris Johnson ripped a line drive off the glove of Omaha third baseman Scott Thorman, bringing home Smith for the winning run.
It was the Express pitching staff that got the team to that point, though. Starting in the seventh inning, the battery of Geoff Geary, Chris Sampson, Chad Paronto and Ryan McKellar retired 30 straight Omaha batters over the final 9 2/3 innings. McKellar did the bulk of the work, throwing four perfect innings with four strikeouts from the 11th to the 15th inning.
Round Rock starter Roy Corcoran gave the Express a good head start, allowing just two runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
Johnson led Round Rock at the plate with three hits, an RBI and a run scored.
Omaha got the jump on Corcoran in the top of the third inning when John Suoi singled through the hole at shortstop to lead things off. Former Express outfielder Tim Raines, Jr., followed up with a bunt single to third base, and J.R. House kept things rolling with a single through the hole at shortstop to score Suomi and move Raines to third. Alex Gordon added another run with a sacrifice fly to score Raines.
Round Rock answered in the bottom of the third inning when Abercrombie singled through the hole at shortstop, and John Gall scored from second when Suomi bobbled the ball in left field, making it 2-1, Omaha.
The Express grabbed the tying run in the bottom of the ninth when Johnson hit a one-out double, and Mark Saccomanno brought him home with a single up the middle off of reliever Disco Hayes. That sent the game into extra innings.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Lou Santangelo led off with a double down the right field line. Reggie Abercrombie struck out, but Jason Smith walked to put runners at first and second. The rally died when both Brian Bogusevic and Johnson struck out swinging to end the threat. It stayed that way, with just a few small rallies before the 15th inning.
The two teams meet for the series and season finale for both squads Monday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. Left-hander Polin Trinidad is scheduled to take the mound for Round Rock, and right-hander Chris Nicoll is scheduled to take the mound for Omaha.
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