Five-Run Inning Pushes Round Rock Ahead of Sugar Land

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (78-70) earned a series-opening win in a 6-4 final against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (72-74) on Monday night at Dell Diamond.

Express reliever RHP Drew Strotman (1-0, 6.75) earned his first Round Rock win with a 0.1-inning outing that saw one walk and one strikeout. Space Cowboys reliever RHP Shawn Dubin (3-5, 4.87) was tagged with a blown-save loss after allowing five earned runs, four hits and one walk over 0.2 frames. Round Rock RHP Demarcus Evans claimed his fourth save with one inning of relief that included one hit, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Both teams plated one run in the fourth inning. Sugar Land 1B Scott Manea hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the frame before Round Rock C Meibrys Viloria rounded the bases on a walk, balk, groundout and wild pitch.
• The Space Cowboys took over for a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh. With two out, RF Pedro León knocked a single before 3B Joe Perez and CF Jake Meyers worked back-to-back walks. An Express error scored León and bases-loaded walk for DH JJ Matijevic sent Perez home.
• Round Rock 3B Andy Ibáñez broke up a no-hitter in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff single. CF J.P. Martinez followed with a double to score his teammate then, after two outs, found home himself thanks to a single from SS Ryan Dorow.
• The scoring continued as RF Elier Hernandez scored Dorow with a single then moved to second when Viloria walked. DH Yohel Pozo singled to move Hernandez and Viloria to third and second, respectively, before a two-RBI single from 1B Blaine Crim scored the pair and gave the Express a 6-3 lead.
• Sugar Land plated one more run in the ninth inning when Meyers blasted a solo home run to straightaway center field. The home run cut the lead to 6-4, but RHP Demarcus Evans closed out the night for the win.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Round Rock CF J.P. Martinez and SS Ryan Dorow both recorded multiple hits on Monday night. Martinez finished 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored while Dorow went 2-for-3 and also had one RBI and one run scored. 1B Blaine Crim tallied two RBI while going 1-for-4.
• After not recording a hit through the first six innings, the Express went on to out-hit the Space Cowboys 8-5 over the final two. Round Rock has now out-hit their opponents 36 times when playing at Dell Diamond and 78 times overall this season.
• The E-Train finished 2-0 when playing on a Monday during the season, with both wins coming at Dell Diamond. Round Rock is also 16-12 in series openers.

Next up: Round Rock and Sugar Land will play for game two of the three-game set on Tuesday night at Dell Diamond. Express RHP Cole Winn (9-8, 6.42) is slated to start up against Space Cowboys RHP Chad Donato (4-8, 5.22) with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

Single game tickets are available for purchase or bring your group to Dell Diamond. For more information on 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!