Chihuahuas Top Express 5-2 in Tuesday’s Series Opener 

EL PASO, Texas – The Round Rock Express (14-8 | 58-38) dropped their series opener by a score of 5-2 against the El Paso Chihuahuas (8-14 | 40-57) on Tuesday night at Southwest University Park.

Round Rock starter RHP Daniel Robert (1-1, 4.28) was tagged with the loss in his first career start. The righty threw 2.2 innings and allowed two runs and three walks and recorded three strikeouts. El Paso starter LHP Jay Groome (4-6, 8.01) claimed the win after throwing 5.2 innings that saw two runs, five hits, two walks and 11 punchouts. Chihuahuas LHP Ray Kerr went home with a save after throwing a scoreless ninth inning.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock plated the night’s first run in the third inning when 2B Dio Arias hit a single then moved to third on a ground rule double from C Matt Whatley. CF Bubba Thompson sent Arias home with a single to make it 1-0.
• El Paso responded quickly and took over for a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the frame. C Austin Nola and 3B Tim Lopes both worked walks before scoring as 2B Eguy Rosario sent a home run down the left field line.
• Express LF J.P. Martinez knocked a leadoff triple in the sixth and scored when 1B Blaine Crim grounded out to bring the good guys within one.
• The bottom of the inning once again saw a response from the Chihuahuas. Three singles and a walk helped two El Paso batters round the bases for a 5-2 lead, which held to be final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express RHP Chase Lee posted the team’s lone scoreless outing on Tuesday night. The reliever threw a scoreless inning in the eighth and recorded two strikeouts. All four Round Rock pitchers tallied multiple strikeouts as RHP Daniel Robert, RHP Edwar Colina and RHP Cole Winn all punched out three El Paso batters.
• Round Rock 1B Blaine Crim went hitless on Tuesday for the first time since July 16 in Tacoma. Crim recorded at least one hit in all five games that he appeared in against Reno.
• Chihuahuas 3B Tim Lopes and E-Train RF Elier Hernandez each notched one hit on Tuesday and remain in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, in the Pacific Coast League for total hits this season. Lopes has 102 while Hernandez sits at 101.

Next up: Round Rock and El Paso will meet for game two at Southwest University Park on Wednesday, with first pitch set for 7:35 p.m. CT. Express RHP Seth Nordlin (0-1, 4.15) is scheduled to start up against Chihuahuas LHP Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.53).

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