Round Rock Bests El Paso 10-5 in Series Opener

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Three home runs helped power the Round Rock Express (28-23) over the El Paso Chihuahuas (20-32) by a final score of 10-5 in Tuesday night’s series opener at Dell Diamond.

Round Rock starter RHP Adrian Sampson (6-2, 4.27) earned the night’s win after tossing 5.0 innings that saw three runs, one of which was earned, on six hits with two strikeouts. El Paso starter LHP Jackson Wolf (1-6, 6.69) was tagged with the loss as his 2.2-inning outing included five runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and two walks with one K.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock RF Sandro Fabian got the action going quickly with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first.
• El Paso put three runners aboard in the third inning to take over for a 3-1 lead. After CF Oscar Mercado hit a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and Round Rock error put SS Mason McCoy on base. A Nate Mondou single scored Mercado and a double from DH Matthew Batten scored McCoy. Batten crossed home on a groundout from 2B Graham Pauley.
• The Express pulled ahead 5-3 with four runs in the bottom of the third. CF Jose Barrero knocked a leadoff single and rounded the bases on a stolen base, Fabian groundout and fielder’s choice. Singles from DH Andrew Knapp and 1B Blaine Crim loaded the bases before a Chihuahuas error cleared the bases and allowed 2B Matt Duffy to reach second.
• Wendzel hit Round Rock’s second solo home run of the night as he extended the lead to 6-3 in the fourth inning.
• The E-Train kept chugging along as LF Dustin Harris worked a walk then scored thanks to another El Paso error. The sixth-inning run gave the good guys a 7-3 advantage.
• Chihuahuas RF Cal Mitchell hit a single that scored teammates Batten and 3B Eguy Rosario in the top of the eighth inning, making it a 7-5 contest.
• The Express responded in the bottom of the frame when Barrero launched a three-run home run that scored Harris and SS Jonathan Ornelas.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Texas Rangers LHP Brock Burke made his second Major League rehab appearance on Tuesday night. He threw one shutout inning of relief and recorded one strikeout.
• Four Express batters tallied multi-hit games on Tuesday. RF Sandro Fabian went 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, 3B Davis Wendzel hit 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, SS Jonathan Ornelas finished 2-for-4 with one run scored and CF Jose Barrero went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Fabian, Wendzel and Barrero all went yard.
• Tuesday marked the sixth time this season that Round Rock has scored 10 or more runs in a game. The Express have yet to lose when reaching double digits.

Next up: Round Rock and El Paso return to Dell Diamond for game two on Wednesday night, with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. CT. Express RHP Jack Leiter (1-1, 2.37) is scheduled to make the start up against Chihuahuas RHP Gabe Mosser (1-2, 9.00).

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