NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Round Rock Express (31-20) shut down the Nashville Sounds (20-31) in a pair of Memorial Day games, ending the afternoon with two wins coming in shutout and comeback fashion at First Tennessee Park. Express RHP Brandon Bielak, 2B Anibal Sierra and C Lorenzo Quinatana made their
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Round Rock Express (31-20) shut down the Nashville Sounds (20-31) in a pair of Memorial Day games, ending the afternoon with two wins coming in shutout and comeback fashion at First Tennessee Park. Express RHP Brandon Bielak, 2B Anibal Sierra and C Lorenzo Quinatana made their Triple-A debuts on the holiday, while LF Yordan Alvarez carved his name into the Express history books with his 20th home run of the season.
The E-Train and Sounds resumed a scoreless game that was previously suspended in the home half of the second on April 18 to begin the afternoon. Express RHP Cy Sneed (3-5, 4.11) came in for relief of former Round Rock and current Houston Astros RHP Corbin Martin. Sneed torched the Sounds in his 8.0 inning appearance out of the bullpen, holding the club to only two hits while fanning 10 to earn the win. On the losing side, Sounds RHP Tim Dillard (3-4, 5.11) surrendered two runs on seven hits in a 7.0 inning relief appearance.
Alvarez broke the scoreless tie in the third as he launched a solo shot into the left field berm for his 20th homer of the year. The blast makes Alvarez the fastest player in franchise history to reach 20 longballs, taking only six weeks and six days to reach the milestone. The next inning, RF Drew Ferguson smoked a leadoff triple before racing home on a Jamie Ritchie sacrifice fly that would eventually wrap up scoring on a 2-0 shutout victory.
Nashville flipped the script in the second inning of game two as SS Andy Ibáñez and 1B Hunter Cole tallied back-to-back doubles, the second of which drove in a run. Before the frame was retired, C Adam Moore grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Cole to extend the Sounds' lead to 2-0.
Nashville's lead lasted mere minutes as Quintana notched a single prior to Sierra and LF Kyle Tucker working back-to-back walks. With the bases loaded, CF Myles Straw recorded and RBI single, good for Quintana's first Triple-A run. The next at-bat, Alvarez grounded into a fielder's choice that plated Sierra to tie the game at two.
After two quiet innings, a Straw single was doubled home by Alvarez to take a 3-2 lead. In the home half, Nashville leveled the score yet again when CF Delino DeShields reached base to be eventually be plated on a two-out base hit thanks to rehabbing Texas Rangers OF Scott Heineman. The tying run ultimately forced extra innings in the intended seven-inning contest.
Round Rock finally broke the tie in the top of the ninth when Sierra sparked scoring on a four-run inning with a double that plated an ensuing Nick Tanielu walk and Quintana fielder's choice. Tucker then followed with a double of his own to drive in Sierra, extending the E-Train lead to 6-3. As icing on the cake, Straw notched a sacrifice fly to send home De Goti who previously worked a walk. Alvarez then singled Tucker home to secure to tack on the team's eighth run.
Nashville tried to spark a rally in the bottom half of the ninth when RF Carlos Tocci, who started on second base per MiLB extra inning rules, hustled home on a Quintana passed ball, but a four-run deficit proved too much for the Sounds to overcome.
Sounds RHP Zac Curtis (1-1, 7.61) suffered his first loss of the year after allowing four earned runs on two hits in a tough 1.1 inning relief appearance. On the winning side, Express RHP Gabriel Valdez (1-0, 0.00) earned his first win after holding Nashville without an earned run in 3.0 innings out of the bullpen.
The Express and Sounds meet for game four on Tuesday night. Nashville RHP Seth Maness (2-1, 4.50) is set to start opposite a Round Rock pitcher to be determined. First pitch in Nashville is set for 6:35 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
