Chupacabras Outlast Baby Cakes 3-2
August 26, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Chupacabras (60-72) narrowly bested the New Orleans Baby Cakes (66-65) on Sunday night at Dell Diamond, taking game three of four by a final score of 3-2.
Chupacabras starter RHP Chris Rowley (2-3, 3.03) was brilliant in 6.0 innings of work, holding the Baby Cakes to one run on three hits while striking out seven and walking a pair on his way to the win. New Orleans starter RHP Zac Gallen (8-8, 3.82) finished with the loss after throwing 6.0 frames of three-run ball while permitting six hits.
Round Rock CF Scott Heineman gave the Chupacabras an early 1-0 edge in the bottom of the first when he connected on his 10th longball of the season, a towering solo shot that crash-landed onto the berm in left. In the fourth, the outfielder added to Round Rock's lead with his second solo blast of the game, a sky-scraping missile that found its way into the Chupacabras bullpen in left-center.
Heineman's double-dinger performance marked his second multi-homer outing of 2018, the first of which came in Round Rock's June 9 win over the Las Vegas 51s.
With Rowley putting up zeros on the mound, Round Rock's bats expanded their lead to 3-0 in the fifth. SS Cliff Pennington and C Tony Sanchez opened the side with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, RF Christian Lopes reached on an error to load the bases before Pennington raced home on a passed ball.
The Baby Cakes finally cracked Rowley's code in the top of the sixth as they cut the Chupacabras lead to 3-1. DH Jonathan Rodriguez led off the inning with a walk and came around to score when rehabbing Miami Marlins CF Lewis Brinson smoked a triple to center.
New Orleans would narrow the gap even further in the seventh, pulling within a run of a tie at 3-2. RF J.B. Shuck produced a leadoff single to right before stealing second base and eventually advancing to third a wild pitch by Round Rock reliever RHP Connor Sadzeck. 'Cakes 3B Cristhian Adames brought Shuck home on a base hit to center, but Sadzeck was able to finish the side with the Chupacabras still ahead.
In the top of the ninth, New Orleans threatened to tie or take the lead as they docked a pair of runners in scoring position with none out. However, Round Rock reliever RHP Reed Garrett retired the next three hitters on a pop out and a pair of strikeouts to secure his fifth save of the season.
The Chupacabras will transform back into the Express for Monday night's series finale at Dell Diamond. Round Rock RHP Adrian Sampson (6-4, 3.85) is penciled in to face New Orleans RHP Jeff Brigham (5-1, 2.85). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT.
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