Round Rock Takes Series Over Sacramento With 9-4 Win 

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (54-45) finished out their homestand with a 9-4 victory over the Sacramento River Cats (42-57) on Sunday night at Dell Diamond. The E-Train claimed two series victories during the nine-game homestand with a three-game sweep of Las Vegas and 4-2 victory against Sacramento.

Round Rock starter RHP Cole Winn (7-2, 5.72) posted a 5.0-inning scoreless outing en route to earning the win. The righty allowed one hit and three walks while recording nine punchouts. Sacramento starter RHP Sean Hjelle (4-5, 5.22) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Express DH J.P. Martinez started the night’s scoring off in the first inning when he hit his third home run in as many games. The 399-foot shot to left field put Round Rock ahead 1-0.
• The good guys added four runs in the second inning. With two outs, E-Train 2B Diosbel Arias and 1B Josh Sale worked back-to-back walks before SS Ryan Dorow reached on a River Cats error to load the bases. Arias and Sale scored thanks to a LF Bubba Thompson single before Thompson found home as Martinez singled. The four-spot increased the Express lead to 5-0.
• Round Rock kept the action going in the third when C Sam Huff hit a leadoff single, moved to second as RF Steele Walker singled, found third when CF Steven Duggar hit into a double play then scored on a single from Arias.
• In the fifth frame, Walker knocked a leadoff double then scored on a double from Duggar, which gave the Express a 7-0 advantage.
• Sacramento brought their first runner of the night home in the top of the sixth inning. CF Bryce Johnson hit a triple and scored on a C Jhonny Pareda sacrifice fly to start the frame.
• Round Rock widened the gap yet again in the bottom of the sixth. Huff blasted a home run into left field that scored 3B Brad Miller, who had reached on a two-out walk, and made it a 9-1 game.
• The River Cats worked at a comeback in the eighth inning. 1B Andrew Knapp hit a three-run home run to score Johnson and Pareda, who had hit a single and drawn a walk, respectively. The dinger made it a 9-4 game, which held to be final when Express RHP Daniel Robert struck out the side.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Round Rock DH J.P. Martinez’s home run on Sunday night marked his third consecutive game going yard. The outfielder finished the night 2-for-5 with one run scored and three RBI.
• Texas Rangers RHP Joe Barlow finished his first Major League rehab outing with 0.1 innings pitched out of the bullpen, two hits, one earned run and one walk.
• Sacramento 1B Andrew Knapp hit a home run in his fourth straight game on Sunday. The feat marked the first time that a Round Rock opponent has hit a home run in four consecutive games.
• Five Express batters finished with two hits, including LF Bubba Thompson, Martinez, C Sam Huff, RF Steele Walker and CF Steven Duggar. Along with Martinez’s three RBI, Thompson and Huff both tallied mutli-RBI nights with two apiece.

Next up: After Monday’s league-wide off day, Round Rock begins its 12-game road trip with a six-game series in Sugar Land. An Express pitcher to be announced will start against Houston Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-6, 6.85), who is on a Major League rehab assignment, will start for the Space Cowboys. Tuesday’s first pitch at Constellation Field 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!