After seven innings of struggling at the plate, the Round Rock Express managed to pull off some late-game magic. The Express defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas 6-4 at Dell Diamond on Thursday night after scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Texas Rangers, the Express’s parent club, were in the middle of a postseason run in the American League, and on the last day of the MLB trade deadline, they made moves to strengthen their relief pitching.
Just hours before tonight’s first pitch, Round Rock lost four players: two were sent to Arlington, and the other two were reassigned to the St. Louis and Arizona organizations.
After the game, designated hitter Konner Piotto stated, “It’s terrible, especially the guys that are leaving the clubhouse, which is so important in the game.” For the past four, five, or six seasons, this quintet has performed together. Seeing those guys go is terrible.
Shortstop Michael Helman’s second base hit launched a six-hit, five-run inning that helped the Express overcome the deficit and move ahead of the Chihuahuas in the late innings.
Regarding the late-game revival, Helman stated that you can “just string anything together at any given time when you have a good clubhouse of guys that click well together.” Here, it sort of cools off later.
Wes Benjamin, the starting pitcher for El Paso, spent much of the evening on the mound, slicing up the Express batters for seven innings. With just one run allowed in the sixth inning during his time on the hill and on his way to a four-hit, six-strikeout night, Round Rock had little to say to Benjamin.
In order to maintain their slim 2-1 advantage in the eighth inning, the Chihuahuas turned the mound to relief pitcher Harold Chirino after the experienced south paw had pitched 92 pitches. It turned out to be the break the Express had been seeking.
Helman walked home for the easy run after Express first baseman Justin Foscue was hit by a pitch and drove in the game-tying run with the bases full.
“Oh,” remarked Helman, “it was fantastic.” All I had to do was see (Foscue) suffer a little.
Trevor Hauver, a left fielder for Round Rock, went 0-3 against Benjamin tonight before hitting Chirino with a two-RBI single to win the game. This was Hauver’s first breakthrough at the plate.
Piotto and second baseman Alan Trejo completed the five-run inning with RBI singles, further solidifying the Express lead.
Piotto described Hauver’s two-RBI single as “awesome.” Like he always does, he hit a solid pitch with a great swing and ends up with the game-winning RBI.
After experienced closer Craig Kimbrel allowed El Paso Luis Campusano to hit with two outs and two RBI in the top of the ninth inning, the Express did require the insurance runs. The victory would be assured when Kimbrel finished the game with a full count strikeout.
