Express Sails Past Zephyrs in Series Opener 6-5

NEW ORLEANS - The Round Rock Express (42-40) wasted no time getting on the board in the series opener and never looked back, taking game one of the four game series 6-5 over the New Orleans Zephyrs (43-41) at Zephyr Field Monday night.

Seven different Express players had a multi-hit game and Round Rock overcame stranding 14 runners on base to win the series opener. The loss was the fourth in a row for the Zephyrs, who fell out of first place for the first time in 15 days and into a second-place tie with the Express, a half-game behind Nashville.

The Express missed an early chance to score, loading the bases in the first inning before 2B Ryan Rua grounded out to end the inning and the threat.

They took full advantage of scoring opportunities in the second inning, thanks to three doubles. LF Jake Smolinski sent a one-out grounder past a diving Josh Rodriguez at third base, and scored when 3B Jason Donald roped a double to the gap in right-center field. With two outs, Engel Beltre's grounder stayed fair down the first base line to score Donald, giving the E-Train a 2-0 lead.

New Orleans starter Elih Villanueva's struggles continued in the third inning. DH Bryan Petersen, a former Zephyr, drilled a one-out double and scored a batter later on a single by Brett Nicholas. Villanueva stranded the bases loaded for the second time in the first three frames, but was removed from the game after making 83 pitches.

The Z's cut Round Rock's lead to one in the third inning. A leadoff walk by Jordany Valdespin followed by a double by Mark Canha put runners at second and third with no outs. A wild pitch by Express starter Luke Jackson scored Valdespin and Justin Bour's groundout to second plated Canha. That would be it for Jackson as he was replaced by RH Lisalverto Bonilla in the fourth inning.

Round Rock got a run back in the fourth when Valdespin misplayed a single by Beltre into a two-base error, and Beltre trotted home on CF Jared Hoying's sacrifice fly.

Luis Sardinas led off the sixth with a solo home run against reliever Rett Varner, but Kyle Jensen answered in the bottom of the inning with his team-leading 14th homer of the year, getting the Z's back within two runs.

Hoying belted Round Rock's sixth double of the game to drive in a run in the seventh against Arquimedes Caminero, but again New Orleans came back in the bottom of the frame.

Danny Black and Jake Marisnick drew back-to-back walks from LH Robbie Ross, and a double steal put two runners in scoring position for Canha, who singled through the hole to drive in a run. Bour followed with a screaming line drive to second baseman Ryan Rua, who could not corral the ball, but Hoying raced in from center to throw out Canha at second for a force out even as Marisnick scored to bring the Zephyrs within 6-5.

That was as close as the Zephyrs got, however, as Neftali Feliz worked around a leadoff single to Black in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.

Villanueva (8-5) took the loss, the third in his last four outings. He surrendered three runs and six hits with three walks in three innings, his shortest start in more than two years.

Ross (1-0) gave up three runs on one hit in 2 1/3 innings and picked up the win in relief of Jackson, the Rangers' reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Jackson yielded two runs and four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in three innings in his Triple-A debut.

The Express and Zephyrs will continue their series Tuesday night at Zephyrs Field. RH Phil Irwin (4-1, 2.22 ERA) will toe the rubber for Round Rock against New Orleans RH Alex Sanabia (3-1, 3.22 ERA).

Listen to the game live on 104.9 FM The Horn or online at hornfm.com. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook and Twitter!