Round Rock Splits Final Six-Game Series with Sugar Land

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (57-56) split its six-game series against the Sugar Land Skeeters (66-48) at three games apiece as the Skeeters earned a 6-3 win at Dell Diamond in Tuesday night’s series finale. 3B Josh Jung led the way with two hits, including the home run that kicked off the night’s scoring.

Round Rock RHP Jake Lemoine (6-4, 2.72) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits during one inning of relief. Sugar Land RHP J.P. France (5-1, 3.53) tossed 4.0 relief innings that saw just one run with eight strikeouts en route to the win.

In the first at-bat of the contest, Sugar Land SS Jeremy Peña launched a home run to right field off the first pitch that he saw from Round Rock starter LHP Brock Burke for a 1-0 lead.

The Express tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth when rehabbing Texas Rangers DH Willie Calhoun worked a one-out walk before moving to second on a wild pitch then scoring thanks to a double from 2B Domingo Leyba.

Sugar Land increased its advantage to 4-1 in the eighth. After back-to-back singles put RF Norel Gonzalez and 3B Robel Garcia on base, a Colton Shaver groundout moved both runners into scoring position. Gonzalez and Garcia each crossed home on a single from Peña, who then scored on a Round Rock fielding error.

Jung brought the Express within two as he went yard for the second time of the series to lead off the eighth inning.

The Skeeters pulled away in the top of the ninth when Garcia blasted a two-run home run that scored C Michael Papierski as the visitors claimed a 6-2 lead with just a half inning remaining.

Round Rock worked at a comeback in the bottom of the frame as 1B Charles Leblanc hit a one-out homer before the E-Train loaded the bases off a Jack Kruger single and two Sugar Land fielding errors. However, Skeeters RHP Riley Ferrell tallied the final two outs with a strikeout and flyout to end the contest at 6-3.

After a league-wide off day on Wednesday, Round Rock heads north to kick off a six-game series against the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Thursday, September 16. An Express starter to be announced will take the mound up against Dodgers RHP Yefry Ramírez (5-3, 5.22). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CT.

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!