Round Rock Routs Oklahoma City 15-6 as Homers Fly at Dell Diamond

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (2-0) offense remained red-hot on Friday night as the team collected 13 hits, including five home runs, in a dominant 15-6 victory over the Oklahoma City Dodgers (0-2) at Dell Diamond. The win pushed Round Rock out to a 2-0 lead in the inaugural Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series between the two clubs.

Express reliever RHP Jharel Cotton (1-0, 0.00) picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one hit while striking out three in 2.0 shutout innings of relief. E-Train RHP Jason Bahr surrendered four runs on four hits with four walks while striking out three in his 4.1 inning start. On the losing side, OKC starter RHP Yefry Ramírez (0-1, 18.00) allowed eight runs on seven hits, including three homers, in 4.0 frames. The righty struck out five and walked two.

Round Rock set the tone in the very first inning, jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead. 2B Yonny Hernandez and SS Anderson Tejeda started the frame with back-to-back walks. After Hernandez scored on a throwing error by Dodgers C Tim Federowicz, DH Elier Hernandez singled Tejeda home. LF Jason Martin kept the hit parade going with a single, then 1B Curtis Terry launched Round Rock’s first home run of the evening, a two-run shot that made it 5-0.

After the Dodgers plated a pair of runs on a two-run homer off the bat of SS Omar Estévez in the top of the second inning, Martin blasted a 412-foot homer of his own to push the Round Rock lead to 6-2. The hits kept coming in the fourth as C Yohel Pozo collected his first career Triple-A base hit on a single before Tejeda smoked a booming 446-foot home run to deep left-center field.

In the fifth, OKC 2B Carlos Asuaje led off with a single before an Estévez walk, Luke Raley hit-by-pitch and DJ Peters single plated a run. With the bases loaded, Bahr walked DH Rangel Ravelo to force in another run. However, Round Rock answered in the bottom of the frame as Elier Hernandez walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a Carl Chester single.

Just for good measure, Round Rock dropped a six-spot in the very next frame. The big sixth inning began just as the big first inning did, with consecutive walks by Yonny Hernandez and Tejeda. Elier Hernandez then collected his first homer of 2021, putting three more runs on the board. The frame continued with a Martin walk followed by an RBI double by Terry. Chester put the bow on the convincing win with his first career Triple-A home run, a blast that extended the final score to 15-6.

The Express and Dodgers continue their season-opening six-game series on Saturday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock LHP Joe Palumbo is set to make his first start of the year as the Dodgers plan to counter with LHP Mike Kickham. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

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