Round Rock Sweeps Monday Doubleheader Over Sugar Land

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (8-3) defeated the Sugar Land Skeeters (7-4) in both seven-inning matchups on Monday at Dell Diamond, winning the first contest 6-4 and the second 5-4 in walk-off fashion. C Yohel Pozo closed out the day’s action with a walk-off two-run home run to give the Express a series lead heading into Tuesday’s finale.

In game one, Round Rock reliever RHP Demarcus Evans (1-0, 3.18) earned the afternoon win after two hitless innings in which he walked two and struck out five. LHP Framber Valdez (0-1, 3.00) got the loss for Sugar Land in a rehab start for the Houston Astros. Valdez allowed five runs, one earned, over seven hits and struck out three batters in his 3.0 innings.

The Skeeters started the game’s action by bringing two runners home in the top of the first inning. 3B Taylor Jones hit a double to left field, which scored both DH Bryan De La Cruz and RF Ronnie Dawson.

The Express offense responded in the bottom of the inning with five runs of their own thanks to five singles, two stolen bases and a Skeeters throwing error. SS Yonny Hernandez, 2B Eli White, C John Hicks, LF Jason Martin and 3B Charles Leblanc all scored runs to give Round Rock a 5-2 lead heading into the second inning.

Sugar Land put two more runs on the board when LF Alex De Goti crossed home plate in the third inning before De La Cruz scored his second run of the game in the fourth, pulling the visitors to within 5-4.

Round Rock secured the 6-4 win with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when 1B Elier Hernandez, who finished the game with two hits and three RBIs, singled to right field to push Martin across the plate.

In game two, Express reliever RHP Luis Ortiz (1-0, 2.25) earned the evening win, throwing one scoreless inning with three strikeouts. The loss went to Skeeters RHP Shawn Dubin (1-1, 4.63), who tossed 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits while walking one batter and striking out four.

Round Rock blasted three home runs in the second matchup of the day, starting with a leadoff 404-foot shot from DH Delino DeShields in the bottom of the first inning. The hit was his second leadoff homer of the series with Sugar Land, with the first coming on May 15.

In the third inning, the Express extended its lead to 3-0 as Martin hit his second home run of the year, this one to right field, bringing himself and DeShields across home plate.

Sugar Land responded in the top of the sixth inning as CF Jose Siri hit a grand slam for a 4-3 Skeeters lead. Siri’s shot to right-center brought in RF Jake Meyers, Dawson and Jones, who found spots on base through two walks and a fielder’s choice.

With the Express trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Elier Hernandez hit a one-out single to put the go-ahead run on base. Pozo then launched a walk-off two-run home run that clanked off the Home Run Porch in left field to seal the deal for Round Rock. The 5-4 victory marked the first walk-off win for the E-Train this season.

The two teams close out their six-game series on Tuesday afternoon at Dell Diamond with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. Round Rock LHP Joe Palumbo (0-0, 7.71) is scheduled to get the start against rehabbing Houston Astros RHP Jake Odorizzi.

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!