Irwin, Express Shut Down Fresno 4-1
ROUND ROCK, Texas - RHP Phil Irwin recorded a career-high in strikeouts and 1B J.P. Arencibia and CF Jared Hoying combined for three home runs Tuesday to lead the Round Rock Express (39-40) to a 4-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies (39-41) at Dell Diamond.
With the win, Round Rock finished off the eight-game homestand with its sixth series win of the season. The Express has now won three of its last four four-game sets.
Irwin (4-1, 2.22 ERA) was filthy from the get-go in this one, dominating the Grizzlies for seven innings to become just the second Round Rock pitcher to chalk up W's in four consecutive starts this season. He permitted just four hits and issued no free passes in the game to accompany a career-high 11 strikeouts, which also set a season-high for the Express. Irwin's previous career-high, 10 strikeouts, came on May 26, 2011 while with the Class-A Advanced Bradenton Marauders.
Offensively, all four Round Rock runs came on three swings of the bat Tuesday.
In the fourth, Arencibia took Fresno starter LHP Edwin Escobar deep to left to break the scoreless tie. Two innings later, he clubbed another solo shot onto the left field berm to up the Express advantage to 2-0. The first baseman now has eight big flies on the season.
Arencibia collected his third hit of the game with two outs in the eighth, a rocket line drive single to center to extend the inning. Hoying followed by hitting his 14th home run of the season to double Round Rock's lead to 4-0.
Fresno scored a run in the ninth off reliever RHP Lisalverto Bonilla to spoil the shutout, but LHP Justin Marks and RHP Roman Mendez tidied up the two-on, one-out mess to give the E-Train a 4-1 win. Mendez now has three saves on the season.
After a day off Wednesday, the Express will head to Memphis to begin a four-game series with the Redbirds Thursday at AutoZone Park. RHP Miles Mikolas (4-1, 3.49 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Round Rock, while Memphis's starter has yet to be announced. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
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!