E-Train Walks to Game 1 Victory, Tops Grizzlies 9-8 in 12
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series provided the promised drama as the Rock Express (4-0/78-66) tamed the Fresno Grizzlies (3-2/84-59) in 12 innings at Dell Diamond Tuesday night, 9-8. Round Rock gave up a six run lead and found itself down 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth, but late inning theatrics and a walk-off walk put Round Rock up 1-0 in the series.
Fresno wasted little time to christen the Pacific Coast League Championship Series with scoring as the Grizzlies went to work on Round Rock starter Anthony Ranaudo in the first inning. Ranaudo issued a lead-off walk to Grizzlies 2B Tony Kemp and went on to give up a base hit that put two on with no outs. Ranaudo finally recorded the first out of the inning with a flyout that froze the runners. Fresno 1B Jon Singleton then lined a sharp grounder in the glove of Express 1B Drew Robinson who went to second on the play for the second out, but a low throw from SS Beamer Weems back to Ranaudo at first allowed Singleton to reach on the throwing error and resulted in Kemp making his way home for the 1-0 Fresno advantage.
Round Rock's bats were not shy in their response as LF Lewis Brinson took Fresno starter Mike Hauschild to right field for a lead-off single in the bottom of the first. The damage came full force five pitches later thanks to a two-run bomb from Robinson that instantly put the E-Train in front 2-1.
The E-Train offense kept the pressure on Hauschild in the second with a one-out RBI from Brinson that raced DH Alex Burg home from second to make the score 3-1. Robinson kept the pace high with a single of his own that loaded the bases for RF Nomar Mazara while signaling the end of Hauschild's (0-0, 33.75) outing after 1.1 inning pitched, six hits, six runs (five earned), one walk and two Ks. Fresno reliever Luis Cruz threw a four-pitch walk against the first batter he faced, walking in the fourth Express run of the night. Round Rock 3B Ed Lucas went on to ground into a force that eliminated Mazara at second, but scored two in the process thanks to an error to augment the E-Train lead to 6-1.
Burg bumped the score in the bottom of the inning thanks to a one-out, towering shot to the left-field home run porch that extended the Express advantage to 7-1.
Ranaudo (1-0, 0.75) closed the top of the fifth with an inning-ending double play to complete his second outing of the 2015 Playoffs with 5.0 innings pitched, three hits, one run (unearned), four walks and four strikeouts. RHP Francisco Mendoza came in to start the sixth and surrendered a lead-off double to Singleton. Singleton advanced to third on a groundout and eventually made his way home courtesy of a RBI single from Grizzlies CF Andrew Aplin, putting the second Fresno run on the scoreboard.
Mendoza opened the seventh with a strikeout, but went on to give up a single. The righty countered with another K to put two outs on the board, but the Fresno bats were not ready to halt. Grizzlies 3B Tyler White made it a three-run game with a shot to deep left field, cutting the score to 7-4. Mendoza was unable to evade Singleton's second double of the game, but stopped the slight surge with a flyout to center.
Express southpaw Jimmy Reyes did not fare much better than Mendoza as he took the reins in the top of the eighth. Reyes conceded a single and a double before Grizzlies C Tyler Heineman launched a deep sacrifice fly to center that sprinted Aplin home to cut the margin to two, 7-5. Reyes continued to struggle as Kemp lined a RBI single to center that made it a one-run affair. RHP Jesus Pirela entered Game 1 for Reyes with runners on first and third and one out. He began his appearance by allowing a RBI single that tied the game and completed Fresno's six-run comeback. White broke the tie two pitches later with a RBI single off Pirela, setting the score at 8-7. Pirela finally got out of the inning with a flyout and a groundout.
Mazara woke up the Round Rock faithful from the dead with a lead-off homer that clanked of the center-field shed in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game at 8-8. The run proved to be just enough to send the game to extras as Fresno closer James Hoyt collected the next three outs with successive strikeouts.
Neither side budged in the 10th or 11th, but Round Rock's offense finally got on base as 2B Tommy Field earned a walk with one out. CF Jared Hoying followed with a walk of his own to put two on for DH Ryan Cordell. Cordell grounded into a force out that moved Field to third and saw Hoying eliminated at second, but left runners on first and third. Weems collected the third walk of the inning to load the bases for Brinson. Fresno reliever Juan Minaya took over for Jordan Jankowski, but did not shake the walk trend as he issued the walk-off walk to Brinson, giving Round Rock the Game 1 victory, 9-8.
Round Rock and Fresno meet in Game 2 tomorrow night as Express RHP Robert Coello (NR) takes on Grizzlies RHP Dan Straily (1-0, 1.50). The second act of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series is set for 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond.
For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!