Express Fall to Isotopes 10-2 in Opening Weekend Finale

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (1-2) fell 10-2 to the Albuquerque Isotopes (2-1) at Dell Diamond on Sunday afternoon, dropping their Opening Weekend series two games to one.

Express starter RHP Robert Dugger (0-1, 67.50) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs, five of which were earned, four hits and two walks during 0.2 innings of work. Isotopes reliever RHP Jeff Criswell (1-0, 0.00) claimed the win thanks to a scoreless 3.2-inning outing that included two hits, two walks and five strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Albuquerque busted out of the gate with seven runs in the first inning. The frame was highlighted by home runs from both CF Cole Tucker and SS Connor Kaiser. Tucker’s dinger scored three runners and Kaiser’s solo blast made it a 7-0 game.
• Express C Sam Huff sent 2B Jonathan Ornelas home with a single in the bottom of the first to put Round Rock on the board.
• After E-Train DH Sandy León scored RF Elier Hernandez in the third frame, Isotopes DH Nolan Jones and 1B Michael Toglia hit back-to-back jacks in the fifth to give Albuquerque a 9-2 lead.
• Albuquerque added one more run in the eighth inning as a double from Kaiser scored 2B Hunter Stovall for the eventual 10-2 final score.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Round Rock 2B Jonathan Ornelas tallied his first Triple-A hit on Sunday afternoon. The infielder hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning and finished the game 1-for-5 with one run scored and one K.
• C Sam Huff recorded the team’s lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two singles, one RBI, one walk and one strikeout.
• Express relievers RHP Grant Anderson, RHP Zack Littell and RHP Daniel Robert all saw scoreless outings on Sunday. Anderson went 2.1 innings and struck out three while Littell and Robert both tossed one frame and recorded one strikeout.

Next up: Round Rock hits the road for the start of its first six-game series of the season on Tuesday, April 4 when the team takes on Sugar Land at Constellation Field. Space Cowboys RHP JP France (--) is slated to start against an Express pitcher to be announced.

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!