River Cats Top Express 5-1 in Series Opener

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (50-44) fell by a final score of 5-1 against the Sacramento River (41-53) at Dell Diamond on Tuesday evening. The loss snaps the E-Train’s four-game winning streak.

Round Rock starter RHP Cole Winn (6-2, 6.11) earned the loss after 2.1 innings and three runs on six hits, four walks and three strikeouts. Sacramento RHP Tristan Beck (4-6, 6.27) took home the win following 6.0 innings and only one run allowed, but it was unearned, on three hits and four strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Sacramento struck first in the first frame. After a one-out double for 1B Jason Krizan, DH Willie Calhoun walked. 3B Jason Vosler hit into a fielder’s choice which put runners on the corners. 1B Austin Dean flared one into the shallow grass in center field and the River Cats held a 1-0 lead.
• In the third inning, Sacramento loaded the bases after back-to-back singles for Vosler and Calhoun started the frame. 2B Isan Díaz loaded them up when he walked with one out. C Andrew Knapp hit a double off the wall to score two runs and pushed the lead to 3-0.
• Krizan, the Austin native, laced a solo home run for the River Cats in the fourth inning. His sixth home run of the season traveled 382-feet to right field and the visitors led 4-0.
• Díaz made Round Rock pay in the fifth inning with his 18th home run of the season. The solo dinger to left field gave Sacramento a 5-0 lead.
• The E-Train ended the shutout in the sixth inning. CF Bubba Thompson reached base on an error and LF J.P. Martinez doubled down the right field line to score Thompson and cut the River Cats lead to 5-1. The Express couldn’t scratch anymore runs across and the score stood final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express DH Josh Sale and RF Steele Walker each had multi-hit performances. Sale finished 2-for-4 with a single and a double while Walker went 2-for-4 with two singles.
• While RHP A.J. Alexy allowed two runs in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, RHP Daniel Robert, RHP Demarcus Evans, RHP Chase Lee and RHP Jesus Tinoco each provided one scoreless inning of work. The Express bullpen has allowed only two runs in their last 16.0 innings on the mound. Lee had one strikeout while Evans and Robert each had two. Alexy and Tinoco collected three strikeouts apiece.

Next up: Round Rock will get set for game two on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond. River Cats LHP Enmanuel De Jesus (3-3, 4.77) is scheduled to start against Express RHP Tyson Miller (2-5, 5.26). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

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!