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Express heading to home stretch 
GAMES: Athletes of all ages competed in the Games of Texas over the past week. Most of the events were held in the western half of Wiliamson County. Several of the events were a change of pace for spectators with fencing, badminton and even paintball a part of the games. |
The Express' struggles have continued after the All-Star break, with the team going 8-9 over the last three weeks. Saturday the Express started a four-game series with the Las Vegas 51's, playing under tough conditions with temperatures breaking 100 degrees at the first pitch. Troy Patton was the starting pitcher to open the series, giving up three runs over five innings with three strikeouts in just his fourth career Triple-A start. Patton walked three batters and gave up seven hits. The Express didn't score until the fourth inning and took over the lead with three runs in the fifth inning. Brooks Conrad hit an RBI single to score Tim Raines Jr., and Mark Saccomanno was walked after 12 pitches with the bases loaded to score Conrad. Humberto Quintero was hit by a pitch, bringing Danny Klassen home for the last run of the night for the Express. The lead was short lived for Round Rock. Las Vegas score three more runs and got plenty of help from the bullpen. The 51's relief pitchers combined for four and a half shutout innings to secure the 5-4 victory. Sunday the teams met again with the Express falling behind early, but they couldn't pull ahead despite 12 hits. The lone rally came in the third inning when Klassen singled to left field to score Josh Anderson. Ransom added another RBI with a single that score Raines, and Saccomannao hit a base hit to right field, scoring Klassen. Starting pitcher Chance Douglass gave up three runs to Las Vegas in the first inning but settled in from there. In the bottom of the third, the 51's Larry Barnes hit a solo home run to break the tie. The Express had some success against Las Vegas starter Miguel Pinango, but the bullpen was much tougher with three relievers combining for four shutout innings, allowing two hits and one walk. The 51's added an insurance run late in the game and went on to a 5-3 win. Monday night, the two teams faced off for the third game of the series, this time going to extra innings to decide the winner. Cody Ransom was the catalyst of the the Express 11-5 win, smacking three doubles. His first double came in the first inning, sparking a three-run outburst. Saccomanno hit a home run over left center field bringing home Jesse Garcia and Ransom for an early lead. Las Vegas scored unearned runs in the first and fifth innings after two Express errors. Later in the fifth inning, Andy LaRoche hit a home runs to tie the score at 5-5. With the game heading to the 10th inning, the Express bats came to life with six runs scored on relief pitcher Wesley Wright. Saccomanno led off with a walk and scored after a throwing error on a Quintero bunt. With two outs, the Express drew an intentional walk and connected for four hits, including a three run home run by Garcia to cap off the inning. All-Star pitcher Travis Driskill came on to preserve the victory in the bottom of the tenth. Tuesday night the Express were soundly beaten, 12-4, to end their trip to Las Vegas on a sour note. Chan Ho Park had a tough night, giving up eight runs on 10 hits in just over five innings, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning. The 51's took advantage of the loaded bases. Wilkin Ruan hit a triple off reliever Paul Estrada to clear the bases. Later in the inning, John Lindsay hit a three-run homer to give Las Vegas a 12-2 lead. Ransom and Conrad hit home runs for the Express, and Raines added a two run homer in the eighth, but it wasn't enough to overcome the sixth inning display by the 51's. Wednesday night the Express will return to Dell Diamond to begin an eight game home stand, first against Colorado Springs Sky Sox for four games and then against the Salt Lake Bees starting Sunday. The Express have 33 games left with 20 of those coming at home.
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