E-Train Fall 6-3 to Aces in Series Opener

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (11-5 | 55-35) dropped the series opener 6-3 to the Reno Aces (8-8 | 52-39) on Tuesday night at Dell Diamond after the visitors put up a five-spot in the first inning.

Express starter RHP Robert Dugger (5-6, 5.28) was tagged with the loss after tossing 0.1 innings and allowing four hits and five runs with one walk. Aces starter RHP Bryce Jarvis (5-5, 5.81) took home the win after throwing 6.0 innings that saw one run on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts. RHP Zach McAllister collected the save with his hitless outing in the ninth inning.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Reno struck first in the first inning after 2B Ryan Bliss was hit by pitch and scored on an RBI single from DH Kyle Lewis. A walk to 1B Phillip Evans loaded the bases and a double from 3B Buddy Kennedy gave the Aces a 3-0 lead. SS Blaze Alexander tacked on a two-RBI single and prompted a pitching change after Reno led 5-0.
• Round Rock was on the board in the second inning after three singles from 1B Blaine Crim, SS Jonathan Ornelas and 3B Dio Arias cut the lead to 5-1.
• The visitors tagged on another run in the fifth inning after Lewis drew a walk, rounded the bases on a ground out and fielder’s choice before eventually scoing on Alexander’s RBI single which extended the Aces lead to 6-1.
• In the bottom of the seventh, walks for CF Bubba Thompson and Ornelas followed by a single from Arias had the bases loaded. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from DH J.P. Martinez and 2B Justin Foscue cut the lead to 6-3. The Express weren’t able to mount a comeback in the final two innings and the score stood final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express RHP Robert Dugger recorded just one out which is just the fourth time in 115 starts that the righty has thrown less than 1.0 inning in a start in his career. Two of those outings have come this season.
• Round Rock SS Jonathan Ornelas extended his hit streak to 12 games with a single in his first at-bat against Reno. Ornelas went 2-for-3 with a run score, a walk and a strikeout in the loss. The 12-game streak sits at third in the Pacific Coast League.
• The three strikeouts by the E-Train pitching staff are the third fewest recorded in a game all season. Round Rock is 0-3 this season when the staff records four or fewer strikeouts.

Next up: Round Rock will face Reno in game two at Dell Diamond on Wednesday, July 19 at 7:05 p.m. CT. Express LHP Taylor Hearn (2-2, 3.66) will start on Wednesday while the Aces have not yet named a starter.

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