Redhawks comeback falls short

Press Release

Oklahoma City, Okla. – The Oklahoma City RedHawks (4-9) broke up a no-hit bid in the eighth inning before scoring three late runs in a 5-3 loss to the Round Rock Express (10-4) in front of 2,963 Wednesday night at RedHawks Field at Bricktown.

Express starter Zach Jackson (2-0) carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, before a Carlos Corporan double ended the bid. Jackson was charged with three runs off four hits with three walks and five strikeouts over eight and one-thirds innings in the win. RedHawks starter Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1) allowed two runs and five hits over five innings in a losing decision. Cody Eppley (3) saved the game for Round Rock after allowing two inherited runners to score in the ninth inning.

Round Rock opened the scoring in the first inning against Rowland-Smith. Esteban German singled, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Brian Barden sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

In the second inning German led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored later on a Chad Tracy single to extend the Express lead to 2-0.

Round Rock took advantage of three Oklahoma City errors in the eighth inning and plated three more runs. German singled, and moved up to second on an Endy Chavez hit. The throw behind German at second went wild from left fielder J.B. Shuck, moving German to third base. Brian Barden next grounded a ball to second base where Anderson Hernandez mishandled for the second error of the inning, allowing German to score for a 3-0 lead. Tracy next doubled home Chavez for a 4-0 score. Barden later scored on a dropped pop fly by Hernandez at second base, opening a 5-0 Round Rock lead.

Corporan led off the Oklahoma City eighth inning with a double, breaking up the no-hit bid by Zach Jackson, and would later score on an Oswaldo Navarro sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-1. In the ninth inning, Collin Delome doubled in a run before a Corporan ground out ended the scoring at 5-3.

RedHawks RH Fernando Nieve will face Round Rock RH Derek Hankins in game three of the series Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (405) 218-1000 or by visiting http://www.okcredhawks.com.