Ezequiel Astacio fired his first complete game shutout in more than 4 years yesterday, as Round Rock won their decisive Game 5 with Nashville, 8-0, to clinch the PCL’s American Conference title. Joe McEwing was 2 for 3, hitting a 2-run HR in the 6th off the Sounds’ Chris DeMaria.
The Express will contend for the PCL Championship in just their 2nd year in the league, with a best-of-5 series against Tuscon starting tomorrow night. Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) will be played at the Dell Diamond next weekend.
The newly-crowned American Association champion Fort Worth Cats celebrated their victory over the St. Paul Saints last night with a bar brawl that left one of their players pepper-sprayed by police. Saints mascot Mudonna was not involved in the fight, but there’s always next year.
Former Mets OF Alex Ochoa hit a bomb game winning HR for the Chunichi in their Saturday clash with Hiroshima, lowering the Dragons’ magic number for clinching the Central League pennant to 21.