Express, Chihuahuas Split Monday Twin Bill

EL PASO, Texas – The Round Rock Express (26-21) and El Paso Chihuahuas (21-25) split a pair of contests on Monday night at Southwest University Park with the E-Train claiming a 9-4 victory in the resumption of Sunday night’s suspended game before the Chihuahuas rebounded for a 6-3 win in the regularly scheduled contest.

Express RHP Ryder Ryan (1-2, 3.93) earned his first career Triple-A victory in the resumption, holding the Chihuahuas to just one walk in an otherwise perfect inning of relief. On the losing side, El Paso RHP Jose Quezada (0-1, 23.14) allowed three runs on a hit and two walks while recording just one out in his relief appearance.

Round Rock jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Sunday night as LF Delino DeShields led off the contest with a walk prior to a Leody Taveras single. 1B Curtis Terry then doubled both runners home to begin the scoring on the evening. In the home half of the inning, 2B Tucupita Marcano walked before promptly stealing second base. An ensuing Matthew Batten single pulled El Paso to within 2-1.

Both teams traded runs in the third as the rain began to fall. Taveras led off the inning with a solo home run before El Paso countered with a Ben Ruta double prior to a Batten RBI single. After a scoreless fourth inning, play was halted due to a torrential downpour.

The game resumed on Monday night with El Paso scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a brief 4-3 lead. With RHP Scott Engler on the mound, Batten and LF Brian O’Grady worked a pair of one-out walks. RF Patrick Kivlehan and C Luis Campusano then teamed up for a pair of RBI hits to give El Paso the lead right back.

However, in the seventh, Express 3B Yonny Hernandez and DeShields worked back-to-back walks of their own before Taveras doubled both runners home. Terry then followed up with another double, scoring Taveras to put Round Rock ahead 6-4. The E-Train added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning for good measure. DeShields walked prior to a Ryan Dorow single. After a Taveras walk loaded the bases, DH Yohel Pozo plated a trio of runs with a double, extending the final score to 9-4.

After a brief intermission, Round Rock LHP Joe Palumbo (1-2, 13.50) suffered the loss in the regularly scheduled contest, allowing four runs on a hit and three walks without recording an out in his relief appearance. El Paso starter RHP Caleb Boushley (2-0, 5.25) earned the win after holding Round Rock to three runs on eight hits in 7.0 strong innings.

The E-Train opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning as Taveras led off with a double before Pozo collected an RBI single. El Paso tied the game an inning later thanks to a Gosuke Katoh triple followed by an Ivan Castillo RBI single.

The home side stormed ahead for good with a five-run fourth inning. After Palumbo surrendered a leadoff double to CF Taylor Kohlwey, Castillo, C Michael Cantu and Marcano and Batten worked four straight walks to drive in a pair of runs and leave the bases loaded. Kivlehan then added to his impressive RBI count in the series with a run-scoring sacrifice fly. The final blow came in the form of a two-run Pedro Florimón single, pushing the Chihuahuas ahead 6-1.

Round Rock attempted a late rally in the sixth inning. DH John Hicks tallied a one-out single before an RBI single courtesy of Pozo. An ensuing Dorow double sent Pozo home, however the rally stalled as El Paso held on to claim the 6-3 victory in game five.

The two teams close out their six-game series on Tuesday night at Southwest University Park. Express RHP Tyson Miller (0-0, 9.53) is scheduled to get the start against Chihuahuas LHP Ryan Weathers (1-0, 0.00). First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. CT.

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