Express Drop Series Finale 5-3 Against Grizzles

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (30-41) were hit with their fifth straight loss on Tuesday night as the Fresno Grizzlies (44-27) finished off a four-game series sweep with a 5-3 win at Dell Diamond.
Round Rock reliever LHP Jeff Springs (0-1, 7.36) took home the loss in his second appearance with the team as he surrendered three runs on three hits and two walks. Fresno's rotation turned in yet another gem en route to a fifth consecutive win. Starter RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (2-0, 2.35) tossed 7.0 spectacular innings in which he permitted just two earned runs on four hits while punching out eight.
The Grizzlies bats broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, jumping out to a 3-0 lead on a pair of big hits by DH Jon Kemmer and SS Antonio Nunez . 1B A.J. Reed and 2B Jack Mayfield both walked to fire up the two-out rally before Kemmer and Nunez drove home all three runs on a single and a double off Springs.
In the top of the fifth, Express reliever LHP Brandon Mann allowed Fresno to load the bases on two free passes and a single. Grizzlies C Garrett Stubbs worked his way on base with a full count walk that brought Kyle Tucker home from third to make it 4-2.
After Dykxhoorn retired the first 15 batters he faced in order, Round Rock finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth to cut the gap in half at 4-2. SS Nick Noonan became the first E-Train batter to reach base in the game when he singled on a ground ball to lead off the inning. 2B Christian Lopes reached on a bunt single before C Juan Centeno laid down a bunt of his own to move both runners into scoring position.
The next batter, RF Scott Heineman , ended the shutout when he drove Noonan home a single to center, followed immediately by an RBI single off the bat of CF Drew Robinson to cap off the surge.
Both teams would add a run to their totals in the ninth, with Round Rock's contribution coming from 1B Tommy Joseph . LF Willie Calhoun put himself in position to score when he recorded his 20th double of the season on a line shot that bounced off the right field wall. As he's done 46 previous times for the E-Train this season, Joseph drove in the run as he singled on a soft line drive to left.
Now trailing 5-3 with a runner on first and one out in the frame, Round Rock brought the tying run to the plate in the form of 3B Andy Ibáñez . After working himself into a favorable 3-1 count, Ibanez bounced into a game-ending double play to finalize the Fresno sweep.
Following tomorrow's league-wide off day, the Express will hop back on the saddle as they travel east to continue the Battle of the Boot series with the Nashville Sounds (32-37) on Thursday night. Round Rock LHP Michael Roth (2-1, 3.52) is slated to match up against Nashville LHP Eric Jokisch (1-7, 4.62) in game one of a four-game set. First pitch at First Tennessee Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT.
For more information on the Express, visit RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!