COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - The Round Rock Express (44-50) came up just short on the first night of an eight-game road trip, dropping Monday night's battle with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (52-41) at Security Service Field by a score of 5-4. Round Rock starter RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-4, 4.80)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - The Round Rock Express (44-50) came up just short on the first night of an eight-game road trip, dropping Monday night's battle with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (52-41) at Security Service Field by a score of 5-4.
Round Rock starter RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-4, 4.80) suffered the loss after a tough beginning to his 5.2-inning outing. After allowing four earned runs in the first frame, Bibens-Dirkx tossed 4.2 shutout innings to keep his team within striking distance. Tonight's winning pitcher, Sky Sox reliever RHP Tim Dillard (1-1, 7.94), picked up his first win of the year when he recorded all three outs in the seventh, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks.
Colorado Springs got off to a loud start in the bottom of the first, taking a 4-0 lead on three hits and a walk. SS Orlando Arcia took ball four as the first batter to reach base in the frame before scoring on a base hit by CF Tyrone Taylor . After RF Domingo Santana plated Taylor on an RBI single, C Christian Bethancourt blasted a two-run homer to left-center.
The E-Train were held scoreless by Sky Sox starter LHP Nick Ramirez until the top of the fifth when they manufactured their first run of the contest on three singles. With one out in the inning, C Tony Sanchez lined a base hit to center, advanced to second when DH Juan Centeno grounded a base knock to right, and eventually scored on CF Drew Robinson 's single up the middle to make it 4-1.
Later in the sixth, Round Rock scored a pair of runs to pull within a run of a tie at 4-3. RF Scott Heineman led off the side with a single before LF Willie Calhoun boomed a run-scoring double into the gap in right-center, his fifth two-bagger of July. With Calhoun now in scoring position, Sanchez collected his second single of the evening to drive in the second Express run of the frame.
In the bottom half of the sixth, the Colorado Springs offense tallied a much-needed insurance run when DH Jett Bandy ripped an RBI double to extend Colorado Springs' lead to 5-3. Round Rock would score once more in the bottom of the eighth when SS Cliff Pennington worked a bases-loaded walk, but ultimately fell just short of tying things up in the final two innings as they finished with the 5-4 loss.
The series continues Tuesday night at Security Service Field as the Express look to get back on track after dropping their last four games. Round Rock RHP Richelson Peña (2-1, 4.29) is slated to get the start on the bump in opposition of Colorado Springs RHP Adrian Houser (1-1, 3.68). First pitch is set for 7:40 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!
