Redbirds Fight Back But Lose Late, 8-7

ROUND ROCK, Tex. - The Round Rock Express withstood a late rally from the Memphis Redbirds in picking up an 8-7 win at the Dell Diamond on Thursday night. The Express blew a five-run lead in the eighth, but recovered in the ninth on Jared Hoying's clutch pinch-hit.

Memphis trailed 7-2 heading to the eighth inning, but jumped on Round Rock reliever Lisalverto Bonilla, who retired the first batter he faced, but none of the next five. Rob Johnson and Greg Garcia singled. Chad Huffman followed with a three-run homer to left field, his second in as many nights.

After Bonilla walked Adron Chambers and Ryan Jackson drew walks, Bonilla was pulled in favor of former Redbirds lefty Nate Robertson. He was greeted by a Kolten Wong single to right and Brock Peterson tied the game with a two-run single. Robertson kept the game tied by getting the next two batters, stranding a pair of runners.

The Redbirds came into the game 0-28 when trailing after seven innings. Despite the rally, they would fall to 0-29.

Victor Marte was called on to begin the ninth for Memphis and promptly walked Jim Adduci who would move into scoring position on a Marte wild pitch. Aaron Cunningham's ground out to short advanced Cunningham to third.

'Birds manager Pop Warner had Marte walk Chris McGuiness intentionally, bringing up pinch-hitter Jared Hoying. Hoying ripped Marte's first pitch to the right field wall scoring, Adduci with the winning run.

Robertson (2-2) picked up the win and a blown save. The loss dropped Marte to 2-1 on the season.

Huffman and Jackson led the Redbirds 12-hit attack with three hits apiece. Huffman has homered twice and driven seven runs in the last two games. His homer was his eighth of the year.

Maikel Cleto started for the Redbirds and once again battled control problems. He walked six in 4.2 innings, giving him fourteen bases on balls in 7.2 innings covering his last two starts.

Johnson returned to action following a three-game suspension and collected a pair of hits. Redbirds outfielder Jamie Romak was ejected in the seventh after striking out for the fourth time.

The loss drops the Redbirds into second place in the American Northern Division, one-half game behind the Iowa Cubs. Memphis concludes their series at Round Rock Friday night at 7:05 PM. Their record on the current trip is 1-6.