PCL Round Rock Express

Express Match Best Start in Franchise History with 6-3 Win

Published on May 9, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Round Rock Express News Release


ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (4-0) matched their best start in franchise history with a 6-3 victory over the Oklahoma City Dodgers (0-4) on Sunday afternoon at Dell Diamond. E-Train CF Jason Martin hit Round Rock's Triple-A West League-leading 12th homer of the season in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone.

Express RHP Sam Gaviglio (1-0, 0.00) earned the win in his first start since 2018 after holding the Dodgers to just one unearned run on three hits and two walks while recording nine strikeouts in 6.0 strong innings. E-Train RHP Joe Barlow sealed the deal and picked up his first save of the season with 1.1 shutout innings of relief. OKC starter RHP Aaron Wilkerson (0-1, 13.50) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on six hits in 2.2 frames.

Round Rock continued the team's theme of jumping out to early leads with a three-run first inning. DH Delino DeShields and SS Anderson Tejeda opened the contest with back-to-back doubles, giving the E-Train an immediate 1-0 lead. Martin then stepped to the plate and lined a two-run homer to deep right field, extending the gap to 3-0.

The Dodgers responded in the top of the second as 2B Carlos Asuaje worked a leadoff walk before moving to third on an error and eventually scoring on a Hamlet Marte groundout. The Express picked that run right back up in the bottom of the frame thanks to singles by C Yohel Pozo, DeShields and Tejeda.

Round Rock surged ahead in the sixth inning to put the game away for good. 1B Curtis Terry sparked a two-out rally with a single, then RF Carl Chester kept the buzz going with an RBI knock of his own. Pozo extended the Express lead to 6-1 with an RBI double that sent Chester flying home.

OKC LF Rangel Ravelo and 3B Andy Burns recorded back-to-back home runs off E-Train RHP Demarcus Evans in the eighth inning, however the power surge was too little, too late as Round Rock held on to win 6-3.

The Express look to improve to 5-0 for the first time ever on Monday night against the Dodgers. Round Rock LHP Brock Burke is slated to get the starting nod up against former Express and current Dodgers RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx. First pitch at Dell Diamond is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 9, 2021


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