Round Rock Drops Series Opener to Albuquerque, 8-6
Published on September 3, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Round Rock Express News Release
Express Comeback Attempt Falls Short Tuesday Against Isotopes
GAME 131 | AWAY GAME 65 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2025
ALBUQUERQUE, N. Mex. - Isotopes Park R H E
ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (31-25 | 65-66) 6 10 0
ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES (55-77 | 24-34) 8 9 1
WP: LHP Lucas Gilbreath (1-0, 6.25) FIRST PITCH: 6:35 p.m. MT ATTENDANCE: 6,626
LP: RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (2-1, 4.44) GAME TIME: 2:57
SV: Collin Baumgartner (1) TEMPERATURE: 87 degrees, Partly Cloudy
HOME RUNS: NO. INN. ON OUT COUNT DISTANCE/EXIT VELO. LOCATION
Jose Torres 4 2 2 0 1-2 417 feet/99 MPH Left Field Bushes
Jose Torres 5 7 0 0 1-0 369 feet/102.3 MPH Home Bullpen (Left Field)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Round Rock RHP Tyler Mahle retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first, but CF Sam Hilliard and DH Blaine Crim got aboard with back-to-back singles. 1B Michael Toglia then cleared the bags with a triple into center field and the Isotopes held a 2-0 edge after the first.
An inning later, Isotopes LF Sterlin Thompson led off with a walk and C Daniel Cope singled on the first pitch he saw. Rounding out the order, SS Jose Torres recorded his fourth home run of the year. The 417-foot homer extended the Albuquerque lead to 5-0.
The Express got on the board with a run in the top of the fourth. SS Richie Martin and RF Billy McKinney kicked it off with a pair of base hits. With runners on the corners, 1B Abimelec Ortiz grounded into a double play but Martin came home and Round Rock trailed, 5-1.
Albuquerque scratched another run across on Crim's RBI double in the bottom of the fifth, adding to their 6-1 lead.
Round Rock CF Dustin Harris extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a leadoff single in the top of the sixth. Harris later stole second and moved to third on a Cope throwing error. Ortiz would later drive him in with a base hit to right, cutting the E-Train deficit to four.
3B Alan Trejo led off the seventh with a double then the Express drew three consecutive walks to plate a run. After a pitching change, Harris drew another walk and Martin grounded into a force out, bringing in two more runs. McKinney capped off the inning with a base hit up the middle and Round Rock tied the game at six apiece.
The Isotopes took a 7-6 lead in the bottom half of the seventh on Torres' second home run of the night.
Crim led off the bottom of the eighth off for Albuquerque with his third base hit of the night, a double down the third base line. PR Braiden Ward replaced Crim at second base. A Toglia groundout allowed Ward to advance to third then 3B Owen Miller drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right field. The Isotopes led 8-6 heading into the ninth where the score stood final.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
HARRIS' HITTING STREAK: CF Dustin Harris went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored, two walks and a strikeout on Tuesday night. Harris now has a hit in 15 consecutive games, passing INF Cody Freeman for Round Rock's longest hitting streak this season and the longest since OF Elier Hernandez hit safely in 17 consecutive games from July 23 to August 12, 2023. Since the streak began on August 15, Harris is batting .395 (25-63) with nine doubles, a triple, five RBI, 11 runs scored, eight walks, 10 strikeouts and six stolen bases.
BILLY BATS: RF Billy McKinney led the Express with three hits while recording an RBI and a strikeout in the series opener. Since coming off of the injured list on August 19, McKinney is slashing .295/.326/.568 with three doubles, three homers, 10 RBI, six runs scored, two walks and 10 strikeouts.
C.J.: Despite taking the loss, RHP Carl Edwards Jr. matched his season high with eight strikeouts and did not issue a walk. The right-hander allowed four hits and three earned runs, tossing the final 5.0 innings for the Express on Tuesday night. Edwards Jr. has thrown at least 5.0 innings in six of his eight outings with Round Rock. He has struck out 16 batters and walked one in his last 10.1 innings.
NEXT GAME: Wednesday, September 3 at Albuquerque FIRST PITCH: 7:35 p.m. CT BALLPARK: Isotopes Park
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