Eighth-Inning Surge Pushes Express Over River Cats

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Round Rock Express (35-35) fought back from a four-run deficit as they earned a 5-4 win over the Sacramento River Cats (42-29) in extra innings at Sutter Health Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Round Rock reliever LHP Antoine Kelly (2-0, 8.22) went home with the win after keeping the River Cats off the board in the 10^th inning. Kelly logged 1.2 innings that included one hit and three strikeouts. Sacramento reliever RHP Tanner Andrews (2-3, 7.03) got the loss as the winning run scored during his 1.0-inning outing that saw one walk and one K.

Along the Train Tracks:

• The first run of the day was scored in the fourth inning when Sacramento CF Hunter Bishop hit a leadoff triple then was brought home as RF Jerar Encarnación grounded out.
• The River Cats plated three more in seventh to take a 4-0 advantage. With one out, back-to-back walks for SS Marco Luciano and 2B Brett Auerbach started the action. 1B Blake Sabol doubled to score Luciano then a ground-rule double sent both Auerbach and Sabol home.
• Round Rock surged back to tie the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning. After RF Sandro Fabian reached base on a forceout, he moved to second when 1B Blaine Crim walked and scored thanks to a Jantzen Witte With two runners on base, 2B Jax Biggers hit his second home run in as many games and tied the contest up.
• In the top of the 10^th inning, Crim, who started on second base for the Express, gave the good guys a 5-4 lead after moving to second base when Biggers grounded out then scoring on a wild pitch. A groundout, strikeout and flyout for the River Cats in the bottom of the inning solidified a 5-4 win for Round Rock.

E-Train Excerpts:

• 3B Josh Jung played nine innings on Wednesday, marking the first time during his Major League rehab stint that he has played a full standard game. Jung finished 1-for-5 at the plate with one strikeout. Defensively, the third baseman recorded one putout and four assists.
• Texas Rangers RHP Josh Sborz made his second Major League rehab appearance on Wednesday. Sborz threw a 0.2-inning relief outing that saw three runs, two hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
• Express 2B Jax Biggers homered for the second game in a row, becoming the sixth Round Rock hitter to do so this season. Biggers is now 5-for-17 in his last five games with three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored.
• Round Rock’s late-inning surge was good for the team’s sixth win when trailing entering the final two innings and just third win this season when trailing after seven full frames.

Next up: Round Rock and Sacramento face off for game three of the series Thursday night. Express RHP Owen White (1-3, 5.01) is slated to make the start against River Cats RHP Mason Black (2-3, 4.26). First pitch from Sutter Health Park is set for 8:45 p.m. CT.

Single game tickets as well as full season and other 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!