Round Rock Bests Sugar Land 8-6 Behind Seventh-Inning Surge 

SUGAR LAND, Texas – The Round Rock Express (22-12) capitalized on a seventh-inning surge for an 8-6 victory over the Sugar Land Skeeters (20-13) on Sunday night at Constellation Field. 2B Andy Ib**áñ**ez led the E-Train comeback with four hits, two runs and three RBI.

Round Rock RHP Jharel Cotton (3-0, 5.85) earned the night’s win after an inning of relief that saw one run on two hits and a strikeout. Sugar Land reliever RHP Carson LaRue (2-1, 4.50) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits in his 4.0-inning outing.

The night’s scoring started slowly with each team tallying just two runs apiece through the fifth inning. Round Rock got on the board first when LF Leody Taveras was hit by a pitch before scoring on an Ibáñez double in the first inning.

Sugar Land responded and grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second as 1B Michael Papierski drew a walk before 3B Miguelangel Sierra and SS C.J. Hinojosa hit back-to-back singles, scoring Papierski and putting Sierra in scoring position. 2B Alex De Goti then drove Sierra home on a base hit.

In the fourth inning, Ibáñez scored to tie things up at 2-2 after hitting his second double of the contest and finding home thanks to a single from C Yohel Pozo. The Skeeters broke the tie in the sixth when Sierra’s ground rule double set him up to score on a De Goti single, giving Sugar Land a 3-2 lead.

The E-Train charged full speed ahead in the seventh inning, scoring five runs on six hits for a 7-3 lead. SS Yonny Hernandez worked a leadoff walk before singles from CF Delino DeShields and Taveras to load the bases. 1B Elier Hernandez knocked a two-RBI double to send Yonny Hernandez and DeShields home. Ibáñez’s bat just got hotter as his triple scored Taveras and Elier Hernandez before he found the plate on an ensuing Curtis Terry single.

Round Rock added its final run of the night in the eighth inning when Taveras shot a solo home run to right field, cushioning his team’s 8-3 lead.

Sugar Land worked at a late comeback, scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth and one in the ninth. DH Jake Meyers sent a double to right field, scoring Hinojosa, before he found home himself thanks to a single from LF Abraham Toro.

In the final frame, RF Jose Siri, Papierski and Sierra tallied consecutive singles to push Siri across the plate and put the game-tying run on base with one out. RHP Ryder Ryan earned the save for the Express, stranding the two baserunners as Hinojosa lined out to 3B Charles Leblanc and De Goti struck out looking.

Round Rock and Sugar Land continue their six-game series with game five at Constellation Field on Monday night. Express LHP Wes Benjamin (1-2, 6.97) is scheduled to face Skeeters RHP Peter Solomon (2-0, 5.06). First pitch in Sugar Land is set for 7:05 p.m.

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