METAIRIE, Louisiana - The Round Rock Express (57-42) dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker to the New Orleans Baby Cakes (53-46) in their series opener on Friday night at the Shrine on Airline. The home team got the final word in a back-and-forth contest after the Express rallied to force extra innings.
METAIRIE, Louisiana - The Round Rock Express (57-42) dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker to the New Orleans Baby Cakes (53-46) in their series opener on Friday night at the Shrine on Airline. The home team got the final word in a back-and-forth contest after the Express rallied to force extra innings.
Former Express and current Baby Cakes closer RHP R.J. Alvarez (2-6, 3.67) earned the win after striking out a pair of hitters in the 10th inning. On the losing side, RHP Colin McKee surrendered an unearned run due to a pair of walks and a wild pitch while recording just two outs in his appearance out of the bullpen.
The ballgame went back-and-forth with New Orleans leading the way. The 'Cakes struck early as LF Magneuris Sierra singled and quickly moved to third when CF Derek Fisher committed a fielding error. 3B Eddy Alvarez wasted no time putting a run on the board via an RBI base hit. The following inning, C Tyler Heineman and CF Isaac Galloway went yard in consecutive at-bats to put the Express behind 3-0.
However, 3B Josh Rojas opened scoring for the E-Train in the third with a two-run blast, scoring C Jamie Ritchie , who had previously singled. After Sierra opened the fifth inning with a bunt base hit, Baby Cakes 2B Isan Díaz mimicked Rojas' two-run shot to extend the New Orleans lead to 5-2.
Not to be outdone, SS Jack Mayfield played longball to leadoff the sixth, brining the Express within two runs. Fisher followed Mayfield with a single and advanced to second base on a hit off the bat of CF Drew Ferguson . LF Chas McCormick later notched an RBI single to score Fisher then Ferguson scored shortly thereafter thanks to an Alex De Goti game-tying sacrifice fly, a tally that would eventually force extra innings.
A tenth inning filled with walks ultimately haunted the Express. Per MiLB extra inning rules, New Orleans RF Gabriel Guerrero started the 10th at second base. With two outs and first base open, McKee opted to intentionally walk red-hot 'Cakes hitter, Diaz. DH Lewis Brinson then worked a walk of his own to load the bases. In the next at-bat, a wild pitch allowed Guerrero to make a mad-dash home and seal a 6-5 walkoff victory for New Orleans.
The Express and Baby Cakes meet tomorrow night for game two of their current three-game series. Round Rock RHP Brandon Bielak (3-3, 5.48) is scheduled to start opposite New Orleans LHP Mike Kickham (3-3, 4.12). First pitch at the Shrine on Airline is slated for 6:00 p.m.
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 season using #20STROng.
