Express Prevail 6-5 in 10-Inning Thriller

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Round Rock Express (43-30) faced off against the Iowa Cubs (41-33) in an extra-innings battle and secured a 6-5 win on Friday night at Principal Park. Round Rock RF Kyle Tucker went 3-5 with a run scored and the game-winning RBI to fuel the victory.
Express RHP Ralph Garza (6-1, 4.70) earned the win in a four-inning relief appearance where he fanned four I-Cubs hitters while allowing only one run on two hits. Iowa LHP Randy Rosario (0-2, 2.81) suffered the loss after surrendering an unearned run in the tenth inning.
After a scoreless first inning, Iowa broke through with a three-run homer. Cubs DH Jim Adduci got things started with a single and advanced to second when 2B Robel Garcia drew a walk. 1B Trent Giambrome then sent a trio of runs to the plate with a longball into center field.
E-Train DH AJ Reed then fired off a homer of his own to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the third. However, I-Cubs RF Donnie Dewees quickly put another run on the board as his leadoff triple was plated by an Ian Happ fielder's choice.
Round Rock inched closer in the fourth as Tucker doubled prior to being waved home on a Drew Ferguson single. The Express eventually leveled the score at four as SS Alex De Goti notched a single prior to a Josh Rojas two-run bomb.
The foes battled through three scoreless innings before the E-Train broke the tie in the ninth. Reed led off the frame and reached base after being struck by a pitch. The runner then advanced to second thanks to a Dewees fielding error and hustled to third on a Chas McCormick ground out. De Goti then launched a sacrifice fly into center field that allowed Reed to give Round Rock a 5-4 lead.
Iowa pushed back in the home half as Aducci smoked a double that was eventually plated via a single off the bat of Dixon Machado , a run that would ultimately force extra innings.
Per MiLB extra-inning rules, Rojas started the 10th inning at second base and Tucker wasted no time plating the go-ahead run with a single. Garza then threw a lights-out 10th inning where he retired the side to secure a 6-5 extra-innings victory.
Round Rock and Iowa meet for game three on Saturday night at Principal Park. Express LHP Ryan Hartman (5-1, 4.74) is slated to start opposite Cubs RHP Trevor Clifton (2-6, 4.73).  First pitch is set for 7:08 p.m.
For more information on the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join the conversation during our historic 20th season using #20STROng.
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Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros and a member of the Pacific Coast League