ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (25-18) battled the Nashville Sounds (17-26) through 12 back-and-forth innings, ultimately suffering an 8-6 loss on Monday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock appeared dominant through the first nine innings as they combined for three home runs, but a busy ninth for
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (25-18) battled the Nashville Sounds (17-26) through 12 back-and-forth innings, ultimately suffering an 8-6 loss on Monday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock appeared dominant through the first nine innings as they combined for three home runs, but a busy ninth for the Sounds forced extras, where the visitors ultimately prevailed.
Round Rock's Jamie Ritchie (0-1, 9.00), a catcher by trade, suffered the loss after he was called on to pitch the 12th inning of relief. The righty allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits while notching a strikeout in his first career pitching performance. Nashville RHP Tim Dillard (3-2, 5.30) picked up the win, his second of the series, after holding the E-Train to a run on one hit in a 2.0 inning relief appearance.
Nashville wasted no time getting on the board thanks to a solo home run off the bat of LF Delino DeShields in the top of the first inning.
Two frames later, 2B Alex De Goti sparked the Express offense with a three-run shot, plating 3B Nick Tanielu and C Garrett Stubbs , who previously teamed up for a pair of singles to kick off the frame. Round Rock continued to pour it on in the fourth when SS Jack Mayfield dropped a leadoff bomb into left field. The next at-bat, LF Kyle Tucker joined the longball party with an opposite field blast, extending the Express lead to 5-1.
After dropping a run via a Matt Davidson RBI single in the eighth, the Sounds started the ballgame over in ninth, completing a three-run comeback to level the score at five. Sounds C Jett Bandy got things started with a one-out homer after Express RHP Ralph Garza entered the game in relief. RF Zack Granite and DeShields followed with base hits before both runners scored on a game-tying two-run RBI single by 3B Patrick Wisdom to force extra innings.
After a quiet 10th inning, the Sounds took a brief lead in the 11th when Granite notched a single that plated 2B Nolan Fontana , who started the inning on second base per MiLB extra innings rules. In the home half, De Goti matched the Sounds single, allowing Tanielu, who also started the inning at second, to hustle home and level the score once again.
Nashville got the last word in the back-and-forth contest in the 12th inning as 1B Hunter Cole singled home Wisdom. Before the end of the inning, Granite sent one more Sounds run home with an RBI single to finalize an 8-6 final score.
The Express begin their final series of the homestand on Tuesday night as they welcome in their I-35 Rivalry Series foe the San Antonio Missions (Milwaukee Brewers affiliate). Round Rock RHP Brady Rodgers (4-0, 3.22) is slated to start opposite San Antonio RHP Thomas Jankins (3-1, 3.79). 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.
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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
