DES MOINES, Iowa - After an early pitcher's duel, Round Rock Express (61-44) LF Kyle Tucker blasted a seventh-inning grand slam to pace a 10-2 win over the Iowa Cubs (57-49) on Saturday night at Principal Park. Tucker's grand slam was his second of the season and bumped his 2019
DES MOINES, Iowa - After an early pitcher's duel, Round Rock Express (61-44) LF Kyle Tucker blasted a seventh-inning grand slam to pace a 10-2 win over the Iowa Cubs (57-49) on Saturday night at Principal Park. Tucker's grand slam was his second of the season and bumped his 2019 home run total to 26.
Round Rock RHP Brandon Bielak (5-3, 4.45) defended his title as reigning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week with 7.0 strong innings. The righty allowed just two runs on three hits while tallying seven strikeouts in the win. Iowa starter RHP Alec Mills (6-3, 4.98) was roughed up in the loss, allowing seven runs, only six of which were earned, on 10 hits in 6.2 innings of work.
The I-Cubs opened an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. 2B Phillip Evans kicked off a two-out rally with a single prior to a Mark Zagunis walk. A clutch Jim Adduci double scored a pair of runs to give the Cubs a quick 2-0 lead.
Round Rock stormed back with a trio of runs in the top of the third to snatch the lead from Iowa. 1B Nick Tanielu began the inning by jumping aboard via a fielding error by Cubs 2B Zach Short. After SS Alex De Goti singled, 2B Josh Rojas followed up with an RBI single to put the E-Train on the board. 3B Jack Mayfield then drove in two more runs with a double to give Round Rock a 3-2 edge.
Bielak and Mills then went toe-to-toe over the next three innings, trading three straight scoreless frames. However, Tucker blew the game wide open with his grand slam in the seventh. C Garrett Stubbs , Rojas and Mayfield teamed up for three straight one-out singles to promptly load the bases. Tucker then stepped to the plate and blasted a grand slam to the deepest part of center field to give the E-Train a commanding 7-2 lead.
An inning later, Tanielu tallied his fourth double in the last two games before trotting to third on a passed ball by Iowa C Taylor Davis . An ensuing wild pitch by I-Cubs RHP Craig Brooks allowed Tanielu to score an insurance run that bumped the gap to 8-2.
Round Rock CF Chas McCormick put the game away for good in the ninth with a two-run homer that also plated DH Drew Ferguson , who was previously hit with a pitch.
The Express go for a series sweep over the Cubs on Sunday afternoon. Round Rock RHP Rogelio Armenteros (4-6, 5.05) is scheduled to take the mound against an Iowa pitcher yet to be announced. First pitch in the series finale at Principal Park is slated for 1:08 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.
