Round Rock Beats Albuquerque 18-6 in Grand Fashion 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Round Rock Express (25-22) scored first and never looked back as the bats came alive in an 18-6 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes (21-27) in game three of the series on Thursday night at Isotopes Park. The 20-hit win was highlighted by a multi-homer performance from SS Davis Wendel.

Round Rock reliever and reigning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, RHP Chase Lee (2-0, 3.71) earned the win after allowing two hits with one walk and two strikeouts during his one inning of work. Albuquerque RHP Phillips Valdez (3-3, 9.09) earned the loss after allowing eight hits and five earned runs over 2.0 innings. He recorded two walks and just one strikeout.

Along the Train Tracks

• Round Rock recorded a two-out rally with back-to-back singles in the first frame. 1B Blaine Crim doubled home 2B Justin Foscue and put the Express on the board for a 1-0 lead.
• Texas Rangers DH Travis Jankowski notched his first hit of his rehab stint and doubled in RF Rafael Ortega to extend the lead at 2-0 in the second inning.
• The Isotopes answered back in the home half of the second inning and loaded the bases off three-straight singles. A passed ball allowed CF Trevor Boone to score and cut the Express lead. 2B Hunter Stovall doubled in two runs and advanced on an error to put Albuquerque ahead 3-2. RF Yonathan Daza notched an RBI single up the middle and made it a 4-2 game.
• Another two-out rally for the E-Train came in the third inning when the Express put up a four-spot after five hits, one walk and one hit by pitch. Round Rock batted around and took a 6-4 lead.
• Back-to-back homers from SS Davis Wendzel and RF Elier Hernandez extended the lead to 8-4 in the fourth inning. A sacrifice fly from Ortega scored LF Josh Sale to extend the advantage at 9-4.
• In the sixth inning, Sale pushed the Express into double digit runs with an opposite-field solo shot to left.
• Albuquerque took a run back with runners on the corners for DH Brian Serven. He singled two runs home and made it a 10-5 game after six innings.
• In the seventh, Round Rock loaded the bases and a walk for Crim extended the lead to 11-5. Wendzel launched his second home run of the game, but this time it was a grand slam, as the lead ballooned to 15-5.
• Isotopes 3B Aaron Schunk hit a solo shot with a full count in the seventh inning to cut the Express lead to 15-6.
• In the ninth, Round Rock put three runs on the board which was highlighted by a single to score two runs for PH Jordan Procyshen. The Express held the Isotopes scoreless to clinch the double-digit win in Albuquerque.

E-Train Excerpts:

• The back-to-back Express homers from SS Davis Wendzel and RF Elier Hernandez in the fourth inning marked the first time since July 26, 2021 that Round Rock has hit back-to-back dingers. Round Rock has now homered in 11 straight games.
• The four E-Train home runs are the most in a game this season and are the most since the club recorded four on Sept. 21, 2022 against Tacoma.
• SS Davis Wendzel’s seventh-inning grand slam marks the second multi-homer game of his career and is the club’s fourth grand slam this season.

Next up: Round Rock and Albuquerque will face off in game four on Friday night at Isotopes Park. Express LHP Josh Dye (0-0, 9.00) will get the start against Colorado Rockies rehabber RHP Dinelson Lamet (0-0, 1.50). First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. CT.

Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now. 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!