PCL1 Round Rock Express

Storm Chasers Rough up Round Rock

Published on June 2, 2014 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - Omaha Storm Chasers (30-28) RHP Clayton Mortensen was outstanding Monday, turning in six shutout innings to lead his team to a 7-1 win over the Round Rock Express (26-32) at Dell Diamond.

Round Rock struggled mightily with Mortensen (1-0, 0.00 ERA), managing just four hits off the former first-round pick. Mortensen struck out six and walked one to pick up his first win in his second start of the season.

Omaha struck for a run in the second to get the scoring started. LF Carlos Peguero doubled with one out, stole third base and scored on a Matt Fields groundout to go ahead 1-0.

In the fourth, the Storm Chasers benefitted from a two-out Express error to quadruple their lead. RF Justin Maxwell, SS Jimmy Paredes and 1B Brian Bocock began the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases. After a Peguero grounder led to a force out at home, Fields lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Maxwell. Then came the error as Round Rock SS Jason Donald bobbled a ground ball from C Jesus Flores before rushing a wild throw to first that an outstretch J.P. Arencibia was unable to snag. The result was a two-run mistake that put the Express in a 4-0 hole.

3B Johnny Giavotella drove in 2B Christian Colon with a single to center in the seventh to up Omaha's advantage to 5-0.

Express starter RHP Justin Germano (1-5, 3.74 ERA) turned in his fifth quality start of year - 6.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K -- but was bitten by the bad luck bug once again as he suffered the loss. Round Rock is just 1-4 this season in games that Germano has made a quality start.

Storm Chasers' Flores went yard off E-Train reliever RHP Lisalverto Bonilla in the eighth, a two-run shot, to conclude Omaha's scoring at seven runs. Flores now has three homers on the season.

The E-Train broke up the shutout with a run in the ninth to bring the final score to 7-1. Arencibia led off the inning with a single, advanced to third on a C Brett Nicholas single and scored on a wild pitch by Omaha's RHP Spencer Patton, who entered for Mortensen in the seventh. Patton locked down the win one batter later to notch his league-leading 11th save of the season.

Round Rock's LF Ryan Strausborger went 2-4 with a double to pace the Express, while DH Bryan Petersen added a double and a walk in four trips.

The Express and Storm Chasers will conclude their four-game series Tuesday at Dell Diamond. RHP Phil Irwin (0-0, 20.25 ERA) will make his first start since joining Round Rock on May 29. Omaha will counter with LHP Ryan Verdugo (1-1, 7.36 ERA). First pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. as the homestand draws to a close with half-price tickets, presented by A+ Federal Credit Union.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 2, 2014


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