Duran Smacks Two Home Runs, Express Beat Chihuahuas 7-4

EL PASO, Texas – The Round Rock Express (47-43) salvaged the series and took home a 7-4 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas (52-38) at Southwest University Park on Sunday night. Round Rock won two of the six games in the series.

Express reliever RHP Ryder Ryan (5-4, 3.32) earned the win after a 2.0-inning performance that saw no earned runs and no hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out two. Chihuahuas starter RHP Matt Waldron (1-3, 9.15) was tagged with the loss after a 5.0-inning outing that saw five earned runs on six hits. He also struck out five. RHP Jesus Tinoco collected his 9th save of the year after a three-up, three-down ninth inning with one strikeout.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock SS Ezequiel Duran got the offense started with a solo home run in the first inning with two outs. His 422-foot shot lifted the Express to a 1-0 lead.
• El Paso answered with a home run of their own. After LF Taylor Kohlwey earned a leadoff walk, 2B C.J. Hinojosa hit a two-run home run with two outs and the Chihuahuas held a 2-1 advantage.
• Duran tagged his second home run of the night in the third inning, this time with an exit velocity of 108.7 mph. CF Bubba Thompson singled to start the frame and, with two outs, Duran smoked a home run to left center field to give the Express a 3-2 lead.
• SS Ryan Dorow started the fifth inning with a double for Round Rock. He advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt from C Matt Whatley. With two outs, RF Steven Duggar lifted his first home run as a member of the E-Train to center field and the Express advantage increased to 5-2.
• In the eighth inning, Thompson singled before stealing second base for Round Rock. Duggar walked and a double steal alongside Thompson put runners on second and third base. Duran hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Thompson and advanced Duggar to third base. LF Steele Walker singled to score Duggar and extend the lead to 7-2.
• El Paso answered with two runs in the home-half. After C Michael Cantu singled, a one-out, two-run home run for RF Brent Rooker cut the Round Rock advantage to 7-4. The Express not allow a run the remainder of the game to snag the series finale win.

E-Train Excerpts:

• SS Ezequiel Duran went 11-for-26 with five runs scored, two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI in the six-game series. Three of his four home runs came in the first inning.

• CF Bubba Thompson stole his 42nd and 43rd bases of the year. Thompson is now two stolen bases away from setting the franchise’s Triple-A stolen base record. He also went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

• LHP Kolby Allard made the start for the Express and tossed 4.0 innings while allowing two runs on two hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

• Round Rock finished the series with El Paso by scoring a first-inning run in five of the six games. They scored a total of nine runs in the first inning throughout the series.

  Next up: Round Rock will have four days off before returning to the field on Friday, July 22 against the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics affiliate) at Dell Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Starting pitchers for both teams will be announced later in the week.

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!