Oklahoma City Holds On for 4-3 Final Over Round Rock

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (27-27 | 64-64) dropped game four to the Oklahoma City Baseball Club (28-27 | 68-62) by a final score of 4-3 on Friday night at Dell Diamond. The six-game series is now tied at two.

Round Rock reliever RHP Reid Birlingmair (0-2, 11.81) was tagged with the loss after his 1.2-inning outing saw one run, one hit, two walks and four strikeouts. Oklahoma City starter RHP Jon Duplantier (2-1, 4.91) went home with the win as his 5.0 innings included two runs, two hits, three walks and nine punchouts. Baseball Club RHP Michael Peterson earned his 10^th save of the season with a shutout ninth frame that included two strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock jumped in front, 2-0, in the first inning. A leadoff walk from 1B Justin Foscue was followed by a single off the bat of SS Jonathan Ornelas that put runners on the corners. Foscue scored on a sacrifice fly from 1B Blaine Crim and, after stealing second, Ornelas found home as C Sam Huff
• The lead was cut to 2-1 in the second when Oklahoma City DH Hunter Feduccia scored RF Ryan Ward on a sacrifice fly.
• The Baseball Club took over in the fourth inning as 3B Kody Hoese and C Diego Cartaya both crossed home, making it a 3-2 game.
• Both teams plated one run each in the seventh. In the top of the inning, Oklahoma City 2B Austin Gauthier reached first base on a Round Rock error, second on a Andre Lipcius groundout then scored as Ward singled. The bottom of the frame saw Express LF Trevor Hauver round the bases on a walk, Kellen Strahm single, Jax Biggers sacrifice bunt and Frainyer Chavez The 4-3 score held final through two scoreless frames.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express RHP Marc Church and RHP Steven Jennings recorded scoreless outings in relief as Church threw one hitless frame and Jennings recorded three strikeouts through one perfect inning. RHP Tim Brennan allowed one run over 2.0 innings, though the run was unearned. Brennan’s relief innings saw three hits, one walk and one K.

Next up: Round Rock and Oklahoma City are slated to meet for game five of the series on Saturday night. Express RHP Peter Solomon (4-4, 6.79) is scheduled to take the mound up against Baseball Club RHP Ben Casparius (4-3, 3.30). First pitch from Dell Diamond is set for 7:15 p.m. CT.

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!