Express Steamroll Missions in 11-4 Victory

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Round Rock Express (17-10) brought the heat to Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium on Saturday night as 15 hits led the team to an 11-4 victory over the San Antonio Missions (15-13). Saturday marked Round Rock's first win over their primary rival since both clubs were part of the Double-A Texas League in 2004. Seven Express batters notched at least one hit, including three home runs, to secure the victory.
E-Train starter RHP Brady Rodgers (3-0, 2.75) spun a gem, allowing only one run on six hits in a 7.0 inning performance. The righty recorded 88 pitches in the outing, including 63 strikes, to earn his third win of the year. On the losing side, Missions LHP Brad Kuntz (0-2, 20.25) surrendered nine runs, eight of which were earned, on nine hits and three walks in a 2.1 inning start.
The Express picked up right where the left off after Friday night's series opener was suspended due to inclement weather, starting game two with four runs before the Missions could retire the inning. 3B Alex De Goti led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. DH Jack Mayfield then drew a walk, setting up 1B Yordan Alvarez to load the bases with a single. RF Taylor Jones worked a walk to bring in the first run of the night.
Next up, red-hot LF Kyle Tucker sent a fly ball into center field for an RBI single that scored Mayfield, then Alvarez followed him home on a Nick Tanielu sacrifice fly, increasing the E-Train lead to 3-0. LF Stephen Wrenn's bat sparked in his Triple-A debut, recording an RBI single in his first plate appearance to widen the gap to 4-0.
Missions leadoff hitter RF Nate Orf kicked off his team's night with a walk before stealing second. The home team would get a run back when 2B Keston Hiura doubled Orf home.
The next inning, Jones played long ball for the seventh time this year, scoring Mayfield and Alvarez in the process to give the Express a six-run advantage. In the third, Tanielu notched a solo blast of his own before a Wrenn triple. An ensuing sacrifice fly from C Jamie Ritchie made it a 9-1 ballgame.
The E-Train kept rolling in the sixth inning as Mayfield, Alvarez and Tucker fired off a trio of singles, prior to a Missions fielding error that allowed Tanielu to reach base while Mayfield raced home.
In the eighth, Tucker earned his fourth hit of the night after carving out a piece of center field for his seventh homer of the year, and his fifth in the last eight games, upping the Express advantage to 11-2.
After Rodgers left the game, Hiura would send two homers out of the park, adding three runs for the home team, but a comeback proved to be far out of reach for the Missions in an 11-4 final.
The Express and Missions resume Friday night's suspended game on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in the middle of the fourth inning, with a score of 6-1 in favor of the Express. A seven-inning contest will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Round Rock RHP Cy Sneed (0-3, 4.71) is set of face a Missions pitcher to be announced.
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.