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PCL Round Rock Express

Round Rock Takes Both Games from Albuquerque on Saturday

July 27, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Round Rock Express News Release


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Round Rock Express (14-11 | 51-48) took both games of the untraditional doubleheader from the Albuquerque Isotopes (11-15 | 37-64) on Saturday at Isotopes Park. The Express won the first game, 8-5, which was a continuation of last night's suspended contest. Game two was a seven-inning tilt and the E-Train rolled to an 11-3 win. Round Rock has taken the six-game series after winning four of the five games played heading into the series finale.

Along the Train Tracks - Game 1 (Suspended Game):

Round Rock reliever RHP Matt Festa (1-1, 3.86) recorded the victory after tossing 2.0 innings where he allowed two unearned runs on three hits with one strikeout. Albuquerque starter RHP Karl Kauffmann (5-8, 7.66) took the loss, giving up five runs on nine hits and one walk with one punchout in 3.1 innings.

For the third straight night, the Express got the first run across the plate. 3B Ezequiel Duran led off the contest with a two-bagger into the gap before LF Dustin Harris traded places with him at second base to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Round Rock SS Davis Wendzel doubled the lead in the third frame after his RBI single scored Duran.

The Express tacked a third run on in the fourth on Friday night. After a single for 1B Blaine Crim, DH Andrew Knapp walked. A single for RF Trevor Hauver scored Crim to make it 3-0. The red-hot offense continued into Saturday after the game was suspended due to unplayable field conditions in the top of the fourth. Duran's bat stayed warm overnight as he drove in Knapp and Hauver on a single to right to increase the Round Rock advantage to 5-0.

CF Sandro Fabian launched a solo homer in the top of the fifth to add a sixth run to the E-Train's tally.

Albuquerque finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth frame as CF Jimmy Herron and C Willie MacIver came around to score on a dropped fly ball in center field.

Duran continued his torrid stretch at the dish, blasting his fourth home run in as many games in the top of the sixth. It was a two-run shot allowing Hauver to score and increasing the lead to 8-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Albuquerque 1B Grant Lavigne picked up an RBI on a ground out to first base that allowed MacIver to score the team's third run of the game.

Isotopes DH Drew Romo singled home 2B Hunter Stovall to cut it to 8-4 in the eighth inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Albuquerque RF Sean Bouchard drove in Lavigne on a double to cut it to three, but the Express hung on for an 8-5 victory.

Along the Train Tracks - Game 2:

Express starter RHP Jack Leiter (5-4, 3.72) picked up the win after giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Isotopes starter LHP Juan Hillman (1-3, 7.11) was credited with the loss after 3.2 innings where he allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with four punchouts.

The Isotopes struck first in the bottom of the third as 1B Elehuris Montero beat out an infield single on a ball that deflected off the foot of the pitcher which allowed CF Jordan Beck to score.

Round Rock put up a five-spot in the top of the fourth to jump out to a 5-1 lead. 2B Matt Duffy drove in two runs on a single to score 1B Blaine Crim and CF Dustin Harris to make it 2-1. Crim and Harris pulled off a double steal of second and third, putting them in scoring position for Duffy. RF Sandro Fabian singled home SS Ezequiel Duran, who entered as a pinch-runner for Duffy, and 2B Jax Biggers to increase the lead to 4-1. A passed ball allowed LF Kellen Strahm to come home for the fifth and final run of top of the fourth frame.

In the home half of fourth, Albuquerque 2B Hunter Stovall scored on a triple by DH Grant Lavigne before Lavigne scored on a sacrifice fly by 3B Cristopher Navarro to cut it to 5-3.

The Express added four runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by DH Sam Huff and a three-run homer by Crim, increasing their lead to 9-3.

Biggers gave Round Rock its 10th run of the night on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh which scored Crim. C Andrew Knapp scored on a bases loaded walk to make it 11-3.

E-Train Excerpts:

After his two-run blast in the sixth inning of the suspended game, 3B Ezequiel Duran became the first Round Rock hitter to belt a home run in four consecutive games since former Express and current Seattle Mariners 3B Josh Rojas accomplished the feat against the Iowa Cubs from June 20-24, 2019.

Express 1B Blaine Crim recorded multiple hits in both contests and extending his on-base streak to 22 games and hitting streak to eight games. Crim went a combined 5-for-6 with a homer, three RBI, four runs and two walks in the two games.

This marked the second time that the Express have swept the Isotopes in a doubleheader with the only other time happening in Round Rock on May 24, 2015.

Next up: Round Rock and Albuquerque will wrap up their six-game series at Isotopes Park with the finale on Sunday. Express RHP Adrian Sampson (8-5, 5.72) is scheduled to throw against an Isotopes pitcher to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT.

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

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