Round Rock Express Drop Second Consecutive Game

Express Bullpen Collapses Against Dodgers, E-Train Falls 8-2 in Oklahoma City

April 11, 2015

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma - The Round Rock Express could not bounce back after its first loss of the season, falling to the Oklahoma City Dodgers 8-2 on Saturday night. Round Rock starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez gave the Express 5.0 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 run (1 earned), 1 home run, and 0 walks while striking out seven Dodgers and posting a 1.80 ERA. Rodriguez left with game with a no decision. Oklahoma City starting pitcher Zach Lee took the mound for the Dodgers going 6.0 innings with 2 hits, 1 run (1 earned), 2 walks and 6 strikeouts with a 1.50 ERA and received the win.

Lee fell victim to the Round Rock bats early with a Jared Hoying RBI double that scored Thomas Field from second with two outs in the 1^st inning. This marked the second game in a row that the Express scored a run in the 1^st inning. However, the bats would not make noise again until the 7^th inning when Hanser Alberto hit a RBI single off of Oklahoma City LHP Adam Liberatore to bring home OF Alex Hassan, cutting the deficit to one.

Cody Kendall made his first career Triple-A appearance in the 6^th inning in relief for Rodriguez and went 1.1 innings with 3 hits, 2 runs (2 earned), 1 home run and 0 walks allowed. Chris Heisey hit his second home run of the night against Kendall, giving Oklahoma City a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Kendall earned his first Triple-A strikeout immediately after the Heisey home run, sending CF Enrique Hernandez back to the Dodger dugout on swinging strikes. Kendall received the loss.

The hill became even steeper for Round Rock in the bottom of the 8^th inning when Hernandez singled off LHP Edwar Cabrera to score 2B Darnell Sweeney from third to make the score 6-2 in favor of Oklahoma City. Cabrera finished the game with 1.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 K and a 27.00 ERA. Oklahoma City totaled four runs and five hits in the 8^th inning to stretch the lead to 8-2 and put any chance of a Round Rock threat out of reach..

Newly acquired OF Alex Hassan made his first appearance with the E-Train in the designated hitter role going 1-for-4 with 1 hit. The Rangers received Hassan on a waiver claim and optioned him to Round Rock after Carlos Peguero was called up to Arlington. RHP Ryan Rodebaugh was the other recently added member of the Express roster after RHP Jon Edwards was brought up to the Rangers. Rodebaugh spent last season in Double-A Frisco and was transferred to Round Rock on Saturday from Extended Spring. Rodebaugh entered the game in the bottom of the 8^th inning to replace Edwar Cabrera and went 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER and 1 BB.

The series finale will feature the first Triple-A start for Round Rock RHP Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez as he battles Oklahoma City RHP Mike Bolsinger. Gonzalez, the #5 Rangers prospect, posted attention-grabbing figures in Frisco with a 7-4 record and a 2.71 ERA in 14 starts for the RoughRiders. Bolsinger went 1-6 last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 5.53 ERA in 9 starts. The first pitch is set for 2:05 p.m at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!