Leblanc, Express Walk-Off Dodgers 4-3 in 11-Inning Marathon

ROUND ROCK, Texas – As lightning flashed across the Central Texas sky, Round Rock Express (24-17) 2B Charles Leblanc brought the thunder with a walk-off double in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the E-Train a 4-3 victory over the Oklahoma City Dodgers (20-21) on Monday night at Dell Diamond, just moments before thunderstorms invaded the area.

Leblanc’s heroics helped give Express RHP Scott Engler (1-0, 11.57) his first career Triple-A victory after the righty tossed a perfect 1-2-3 11th inning of relief, recording a strikeout in the process. On the losing side, Oklahoma City RHP Kevin Quackenbush (1-1, 0.00) allowed the game-winning run, which was unearned, on a hit while recording a strikeout in 0.1 innings of relief. Round Rock starter RHP Brock Burke allowed all three Oklahoma City runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three in 4.0 frames.

The visitors opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as RF DJ Peters worked a leadoff walk before moving to second on a Keibert Ruiz groundout. An ensuing Sheldon Neuse RBI double plated the first run of the evening. Oklahoma City upped their lead to 3-0 in the third thanks to a Drew Avans single followed by a two-run Peters homer.

Round Rock rallied to tie the game at 3-3 with solo runs in each of the next three frames. In the fourth, DH Curtis Terry launched his team-leading 12th home run of the season to put the E-Train on the board.

An inning later, RF Carl Chester poked long fly ball into left field. Dodgers SS Carlos Asuaje, 3B Cristian Santana and LF Luke Raley converged with all three losing track of the ball in the high sky, allowing Chester’s flare to roll all the way to the left field wall, resulting in the first recorded inside-the-park home run for any Express hitter in Dell Diamond’s 21-year history.

Round Rock tied the game in the sixth thanks to consecutive one-out walks from Terry and SS Ryan Dorow followed by an RBI double by Chester.

After four scoreless innings, Leblanc ended the game with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the 11th. Dorow began the frame at second base in accordance with Major League Baseball’s extra-inning rules. After Quackenbush struck out Chester, Leblanc lined a game-winning double into deep left field, giving Round Rock their first win of the series at 4-3.

The Express bullpen dominated over the final eight frames as LHP Joe Palumbo, RHP Jake Lemoine, RHP Jason Bahr, RHP Shaun Anderson, RHP Joe Barlow and Engler combined to allow just five baserunners while striking out eight to keep Round Rock’s chances alive. Most impressively, Barlow and Engler didn’t allow either of Oklahoma City’s automatic runners in extra innings to advance past their starting post at second base.

The Express and Dodgers close out their six-game series on Tuesday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock RHP Tyler Phillips (--) is scheduled to make his Triple-A debut up against Oklahoma City RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (4-1, 4.41). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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