Express Fall in Tacoma for Second Straight Night

TACOMA, Wash. – The Round Rock Express (41-30 | 85-60) dropped game two of the series to the Tacoma Rainiers (40-31 | 77-69) by a final score of 5-2 on Wednesday night at Cheney Stadium.

Express starter RHP Robert Dugger (7-10, 4.31) earned the loss after giving up four runs, one of which was earned, on seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Rainiers starter RHP Darren McCaughan (7-8, 5.83) earned the win after going 5.1 innings and giving up two runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• The Rainers scored their first run in the bottom of the second inning when LF Adam Engel launched a solo home run. A single, walk and Express fielding error loaded the bases before a two-out single from 1B Cooper Hummel plated two runs and pushed the lead to 3-0.
• Round Rock cut the lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning after SS Jonathan Ornelas led off the inning with a walk, stole second base and eventually scored on a double from CF J.P. Martinez.
• In the home half of the fifth inning, singles from Tacoma C Brian O’Keefe and DH Isiah Gilliam had runners on the corners before a Round Rock throwing error allowed O’Keefe to score as Tacoma’s lead was extended to 4-1.
• Round Rock had runners on the corners in the sixth inning after RF Elier Hernandez drew a walk and 3B Davis Wendzel singled with one out on the board. After a pitching change, LF Dustin Harris smacked a single to pull the E-Train within two runs.
• The go-ahead run was at the plate for the Express in the seventh inning after Martinez and DH Wyatt Langford drew walks to open the inning, but three straight outs stranded the runners.
• In the bottom of the eighth inning, Engel singled, advanced to second after a balk and crossed home plate after 3B Robbie Tenerowicz hit a double as the Rainers took a 5-2 lead into the final frame.
• The Express had a runner on in the ninth after Langford worked a one-out walk, but two strikeouts ended the game and the 5-2 score stood final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• With a two-out single in the first inning, Express 1B Blaine Crim extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games, which is one game shy of his season high of 12 games that came April 23-May 10. Crim’s streak is the second-longest active streak in the Pacific Coast League, trailing Albuquerque OF Wynton Bernard and Reno C Ali Sanchez, who each have 12-game hitting streaks.
• Round Rock RHP Robert Dugger set a new career-high single-season strikeout record on Wednesday after fanning three Tacoma batters and now sits at 143 strikeouts on the season. The righty’s previous career high of 141 strikeouts came in 2018 between High-A and Double-A as a member of the Marlins’ organization.
• Wednesday’s two errors were the most for the E-Train in nearly a month after the team last committed two errors on August 22 against Salt Lake. Round Rock has committed two or more errors 24 times this season.

Next up: Round Rock will face off in game three against the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. CT with Express RHP Owen White (2-2, 4.88) taking the mound against Rainiers LHP Kyle Hart (4-5, 4.54).

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!