ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (11-8) fell victim to a late rally by the New Orleans Baby Cakes (11-8) in Wednesday night's series opening contest at Dell Diamond. Baby Cakes LF Austin Dean fueled the New Orleans victory with a three-run home run in the top of
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (11-8) fell victim to a late rally by the New Orleans Baby Cakes (11-8) in Wednesday night's series opening contest at Dell Diamond. Baby Cakes LF Austin Dean fueled the New Orleans victory with a three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning.
Express LHP Kent Emanuel (1-1, 9.00) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs, four of which were earned, on six hits in 2.2 innings of relief. E-Train LHP Ryan Hartman started the game and made an impressive 5.0 inning appearance, allowing only two hits and no runs while striking out seven Baby Cakes batters. On the winning side, former Express and current Baby Cakes RHP R.J. Alvarez held Round Rock to one hit and one run in his 2.0 inning relief appearance.
The E-Train took an early lead in the second inning when C Jamie Ritchie grounded into a force out that scored 1B Taylor Jones , who previously reached base on a walk. The following inning would widen the gap for Round Rock as CF Derek Fisher started with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a passed ball. The outfielder eventually touched home thanks to a Jones sacrifice fly. 2B Nick Tanielu wrapped up the third with a two-run single, serving the Baby Cakes a 4-0 deficit ahead of the fourth.
That score remained until Ritchie later kicked off the sixth with a leadoff double before Fisher followed with a walk. 3B Jack Mayfield kept the momentum in favor of the E-Train, launching a no-doubter three run homer into the center field berm to extend the gap to 7-0.
New Orleans struck back in the seventh to eventually spark a comeback and tie things up in the following inning. DH Gabriel Guerrero opened the scoring with a three-run home run that scored Dean and RF Harold Ramirez . SS JT Riddle added another run to the Baby Cakes scoresheet with a sacrifice fly that sent home CF Monte Harrison , who had previously been hit by a pitch. One out later, Ramirez washed away the New Orleans deficit after launching a three-run homer over the Dell Diamond fences.
New Orleans would later take their first lead of the night after Harrison launched a solo home run into deep center field for an 8-7 advantage. RF Kyle Tucker matched New Orleans' energy by smoking his third longball of the year to tie the game again, this time at eight to force extra innings.
Baby Cakes 2B Isan Díaz started the tenth on second base per Minor League Baseball's extra innings rules, then Riddle followed with a single. Dean played hero for the Baby Cakes, sending the team's second three-run homer of the night out of the park to secure an 11-8 comeback victory in the series opener. The Express continue a five-game series against the Baby Cakes at Dell Diamond on Thursday night with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. New Orleans RHP Héctor Noesi (2-0, 1.80) is expected to start opposite Round Rock RHP Corbin Martin (0-1, 2.70).
For more information on the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join the conversation during our historic 20th anniversary season using #20STROng.
