Despite suffering five straight losses to the Tacoma Rainiers, the greatest and most popular team in the Pacific Coast League, the Round Rock Express West Coast road trip ended on a high note.
In an 8-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington, the Express jumped out and ended the series with a 15-hit outburst, averting its second series whitewash to the Rainiers this season.
Cody Freeman, a third baseman who recently received his first major league call-up with the Rangers, dominated at the plate and scored three of Round Rock’s eight runs. Freeman went 3-5 and blasted three home runs, all of which fell out to left field.
It wasn’t just Freeman who made contact. First baseman Blaine Crim and shortstop Richie Martin both recorded two base hits, while all ten of the Express’s batters that came to the plate recorded one.
Early in his debut, Tacoma pitcher Jonathan Diaz was going deep at-bats to battle the Round Rock hitters. Diaz was pulled after 69 pitches in the third inning, already approaching his pitch limit, after giving up four straight hits, including three extra-base singles and Cody Freeman’s second home run of the game, a two-run blast.
In the fifth inning, Freeman put the Express ahead by four runs after catching his third and last home run of the game off of a single pitch that went past Tacoma reliever Michael Mariot.
In order to get a better matchup against Tacoma pitcher Juan Burgos, Frainyer Chavez came into the game to pinch-hit for second baseman Justin Foscue. This was a wise decision since in the eighth inning, Chavez smashed a line drive toward center field for an RBI.
Round Rock’s first victory in more than a week was secured in the ninth inning when Martin and outfielder Trevor Hauver added two more runs with RBI singles as the Express had complete control of the game.
After sweeping the Las Vegas Aviators last week, the Express were in a slump heading into Sunday’s series finale. Round Rock found it difficult to match its northwest adversary’s attacking production. Tacoma had fewer than ten hits in this game, his second in the series.
The Express are struggling in the middle of the league, trailing first-place Tacoma by 5.5 games and starting the series in third place of the PCL’s overall standings after dropping five straight games. They are currently holding a 12-12 record in the second half.
This week, Round Rock will play a six-game series at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, against the El Paso Chihuahuas.
