Express Complete Thrilling 11-8 Victory Over Redbirds

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (57-40) fought through an early deficit to serve the Memphis Redbirds (38-59) an 11-8 loss on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond. Rehabbing Houston Astros SS Carlos Correa posted an impressive night at the plate, going 3-4 with two RBI and a run scored in his second rehab appearance.
Round Rock LHP Kent Emanuel (4-1, 4.74) earned a well-deserved win after tossing 6.0 innings out of the bullpen. Emanuel held Memphis to only one run on six hits while fanning four. On the losing side, Redbirds RHP Jesus Cruz (6-2, 7.78) surrendered three runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits and a walk in a 1.1 inning relief appearance.
Memphis started hot as 2B Ramón Urías and DH Rangel Ravelo teamed up for a pair of walks before LF Lane Thomas plated Urias on a single. The next at-bat, RF Johan Mieses notched a three-run homer to put the 'Birds ahead 4-0. The hits kept rolling in as C José Godoy doubled. The runner then advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a Kramer Robertson base hit.
The visitors didn't let up in the following inning, in fact, Arozarena and Urias each recorded doubles, the second of which scored Memphis' sixth run. Urias later advanced to third when Ravelo flew out to center field and raced home on a single off the bat of Thomas to hand Round Rock an early 7-0 deficit.
However, with Emanuel on the mound for Round Rock, the team began a second inning rally. LF Drew Ferguson singled for the E-Train's first hit of the evening and quickly moved to second when RF Kyle Tucker worked a walk. DH Alex De Goti then wasted no time putting the Express on the board with a three-run bomb. The hits continued from there as CF Chas McCormick singled prior to a Jamie Ritchie RBI double. To cap the exciting inning, Correa tacked on a hit, the first of his major league rehab, to send Ritchie home and bring Round Rock within 7-5.
2B Josh Rojas then started what would become a dazzling night at the plate with a solo shot to lead off the fourth. Diaz then reached base on a fielding error and hustled home when Correa smoked a double into right field. McCormick eventually plated Correa with a single for the go-ahead run.
Round Rock tacked on insurance runs in the seventh inning to complete an incredible comeback win. Tucker opened the frame with a double and scored when Ritchie mimicked the hit. The red-hot Rojas then plated another set of runs with his second longball of the night, a 430-foot shot that careened off the top of the centerfield groundskeeping barn.
In the eighth, Memphis threatened a comeback as Mieses and Robertson singled in back-to-back at-bats. Shortly thereafter, 3B Jose Martinez grounded into a double play that allowed Mieses to score the 'Birds last run. E-Train RHP Brendan McCurry shut down any hope of a last-minute comeback, throwing 1.1 hitless innings to earn the save and secure an 11-8 victory.
Round Rock aims for a series win in Thursday night's finale. E-Train RHP Carson LaRue (0-1, 6.00) is scheduled to start against Redbirds LHP Austin Warner (0-0, 7.02). First pitch at Dell Diamond is slated 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.
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Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros and a member of the Pacific Coast League.