New Orleans Avoids Sweep with 2-1 Win over Round Rock

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The New Orleans Baby Cakes (69-61) avoided a series sweep at the hands of the Round Rock Express (79-53) thanks to a narrow 2-1 victory in Sunday night's finale at Dell Diamond. The E-Train was limited to just three hits in the last-ever meeting between the two clubs.
New Orleans RHP Joe Gunkel (7-2, 3.97) was sharp in the win, holding Round Rock to a run on three hits while walking two in 7.0 innings. On the losing end, Express RHP Brendan McCurry (3-4, 4.13) gave up the go-ahead run on a total of four hits in 2.0 innings of relief.
In his Triple-A debut after being promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi over the weekend, Express starter RHP Cristian Javier limited the Baby Cakes scoreless on just two hits and two walks while racking up eight strikeouts in 6.0 strong innings.
The two teams traded four scoreless innings before Round Rock broke through in the fifth on a solo Lorenzo Quintana home run, his third in as many days.
New Orleans rallied to tie the game with rehabbing Houston Astros RHP Josh James on in relief in the seventh. 2B Deven Marrero collected a one-out single before promptly stealing second base. An ensuing Peter O'Brien double plated Marrero to level the score at 1-1. James finished having allowed just the one run on two hits while picking up a strikeout in an inning of relief.
The visitors pulled ahead for good in the eighth thanks to a Magneuris Sierra leadoff single followed by a McCurry throwing error on a pickoff attempt that moved the infielder to second. Following a Rosell Herrera groundout that pushed Sierra to third, SS Yadiel Rivera doubled home the go-ahead run to put New Orleans up 2-1.
Baby Cakes RHP Brett Graves threw a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning of relief to pick up the save and preserve the narrow victory in the final meeting between the two clubs before the New Orleans franchise moves to Wichita, Kansas following the season.
With a one-game lead in the Pacific Coast League's American Southern Division, the Express now turn their attention to the second-place San Antonio Missions (Milwaukee Brewers affiliate), who come to town for a four-game set beginning on Monday night. Round Rock RHP Jose Urquidy (4-3, 5.04) is slated to take the mound against San Antonio RHP Shelby Miller (1-1, 3.12) in the series opener. First pitch at Dell Diamond is scheduled 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.