Round Rock Sees 6-1 Game Two Loss to El Paso

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The El Paso Chihuahuas (38-52) claimed a game two victory over the Round Rock Express (42-49) by a final score of 6-1 on Friday night at Dell Diamond. The high-scoring pitchers’ duel saw 28 total strikeouts, 11 from the Express and 17 from the Chihuahuas.

Round Rock LHP Hyeon-Jong Yang (0-3, 5.60) suffered the night’s loss after tossing 2.1 innings of relief that saw three runs, two earned, on three hits with five punchouts. The win went to El Paso RHP Steven Wilson (1-0, 2.95), who spent 2.0 frames on the mound in relief and allowed one run on two hits and one walk with four K’s.

Express starter RHP A.J. Alexy along with Chihuahuas starter RHP Jesse Scholtens and reliever RHP Taylor Williams all combined for a scoreless five innings that included 12 strikeouts to start the contest.

El Paso found home plate as SS Matthew Batten scored in the sixth. The infielder reached on a Round Rock error, moved to second as C Luis Campusano was hit by a pitch and scored thanks to a Jose Azocar single for a 1-0 lead.

The Express knotted the game at 1-1 in the seventh inning when SS Ryan Dorow launched a home run into left field.

The visitors broke things open in the eighth, plating three runs to break the tie and gain a 4-1 advantage. Batten and RF Taylor Kohlwey started the inning with back-to-back singles that put runners on the corners. Batten scored as Azocar grounded out before 1B Gosuke Katoh drove Kohlwey home with a single. Katoh came home for the third run of the inning thanks to a double from LF Patrick Kivlehan.

El Paso used the top of the ninth to add two insurance runs. DH Webster Rivas knocked a leadoff home run before 2B Ivan Castillo made it to second base on a fielding error then third on a wild pitch before scoring as Campusano singled. The Chihuahuas took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the inning.

Round Rock put two runners on base in their half of the frame as 1B Curtis Terry recorded a one-out base hit and RF Elier Hernandez reached with two outs on an El Paso error, but Chihuahuas LHP Nick Ramirez struck out C Jack Kruger to clinch the 6-1 win and earn the save.

Game three between the in-state foes will take place on Saturday evening at Dell Diamond, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. Express RHP Glenn Otto (1-1, 3.60) is set to start up against Chihuahuas RHP Brett Kennedy (1-4, 9.11).

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!