Round Rock Blanks Fresno for Second Straight Night

ROUND ROCK, Texas - For the second night in a row, the Round Rock Express (64-44) shut out the Fresno Grizzlies (53-56), this time by a 6-0 final on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond. The back-to-back shutouts mark the first time the Express have held an opponent scoreless in consecutive games since July 21-22, 2013.
Just like last night, Round Rock benefited from a strong performance by their starting pitcher. LHP Kent Emanuel (6-1, 3.98) blanked the Grizzlies on just four hits and two walks while striking out six in 5.0 innings of work. Fresno RHP Wil Crowe (0-1, 3.46) suffered the loss after dishing out five runs on five hits in 6.2 frames.
In a strikingly similar series of events as Tuesday night's 5-0 Express win, Round Rock pounced for multiple runs in the first inning. SS Jack Mayfield kickstarted the scoring with a one-out single before RF Drew Ferguson and LF Kyle Tucker followed up with a pair of walks to load the bases. CF Chas McCormick then stepped to the plate and lined a bases-clearing triple to the right field corner to give the E-Train a quick 3-0 edge. The inning continued as 3B Nick Tanielu singled home McCormick to make it 4-0.
Both starting pitchers then settled in as Emanuel allowed just four hitters to reach base over the next four innings while Crowe was equally impressive, permitting only one additional baserunner in that span.
The Express added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth to put the game away for good. DH Jamie Ritchie jumped aboard via a fielding error by Fresno 3B Carter Kieboom in the seventh. An ensuing double off the bat of C Garrett Stubbs pushed Ritchie to third, where he eventually scored on an Alex De Goti sacrifice fly.
An inning later, 1B Taylor Jones worked a one-out double prior to a McCormick walk. After Tanielu loaded the bases by reaching on another Grizzlies fielding error, Ritchie drew a walk to force in Round Rock's sixth run.
The Express aim for their second straight series sweep in Thursday night's finale. Round Rock RHP Carson LaRue (0-3, 5.71) is scheduled to face Fresno RHP J.J. Hoover (4-4, 7.52). First pitch at Dell Diamond is set for 7:05 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.