Express Lose Another 1-Run Game!

The Tracy Express lost their fifth one run game of the season, as they fell to Pipestone in the second game of a double header on Sunday afternoon, 3-2.

The Express fell despite another solid outing from Eric Hendrickx, who gave up just five hits and three runs over seven innings of work on Sunday afternoon.

Pipestone used a leadoff triple from Greg Quist to score their first run in the second inning, and a lead off double in the seventh from Jordan Karrels to start a two run rally in the seventh inning. 

The theme of the day for the Express was missed opportunities, as Tracy stranded had a chance in the first inning to set the tone for the day, and they did, Robbie Slinkman walked to lead off the game, and Andrew Suby followed with a single, and both advanced on a wild pitch to put runners at second and third with nobody out.  And that’s right where they stayed as the Express were unable to score either.

In fact, Tracy stranded seven runners in scoring position in the game, and watched as multiple opportunities for big innings slipped through their finghers.

Tracy did score to tie the game at 1, in the fourth, Andy Lanoue led off and was hit by a pitch, and Brady Webb singled to put runners on first and second with nobody out.  Aaron Walling bunted both over, and Lanoue scored on a wild pitch, but Webb was left on third base.

The fifth and sixth innings saw the Express leave more runners in scoring position.  In the 5th, Dane Jensen was hit by a pitch with one out.  After a fly out, Andy Lanoue singled, moving Jensen to third, but  the inning ended on a fielders choice leaving Jensen standing at third.  In the sixth, Casey Polzine bunted for a base hit, and he moved to second when Troy Kepler grounded out.  The inning ended on a deep fly ball from Slinkman, and the Express rally again ended.

Things didn’t change much in the 7th, Suby led the inning off with a solo home run.  The first of the season for Suby, and 2nd of his Express career.  Jensen followed with a base hit, representing the tying run.  But a double play ball ended the Express threat, and the game ended when Lanoue ground out to third.

Suby finished 2-3 with the home run to lead the Express.  Jensen, Webb, and Polzine all finished 1-3, and Aaron Walling was 1-2 on the afternoon for Tracy.

The loss drops the Express to 6-16 on the season, and 4-13 in the Gopher League.  Tracy will play Hadley Wednesday evening at 6:15 in Tracy in a Gopher League game.