Round Rock Falls 8-6 to Albuquerque in Early-Scoring Contest 

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (28-29) dropped below .500 for the first time this season as the Albuquerque Isotopes (21-35) took a series lead with an 8-6 victory on Saturday night at Dell Diamond. All six Express runs came via home runs, with 1B Curtis Terry blasting two and DH Yohel Pozo hitting one.

Round Rock reliever RHP Ryder Ryan (1-4, 6.75) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on two hits in his 1.0-inning appearance in which he recorded two strikeouts. Albuquerque reliever RHP Jake Bird (2-1, 5.00) earned the win with a scoreless 2.2 innings that included two hits, three walks and two punchouts.

All 14 runs were scored in the first four innings, starting when Albuquerque 1B Greg Bird sent DH Taylor Motter home with an RBI single. Round Rock tacked on three runs in the bottom of the frame as Terry hit his first dinger of the night, a three-run shot to left field that scored 3B Yonny Hernandez and Pozo for a 3-1 lead.

The Isotopes tied the contest at 3-3 in the top of the second when C Jos**é* *Briceño* drew a leadoff walk and scored on a double from *2B Alan Trejo, who later scored on a **Wynton Bernard sacrifice fly.

Both teams put three runs across in the third as LF Connor Joe, Bird and RF Nick Longhi loaded the bases for the Isotopes. A base hit from Briceño drove Joe home then Bird and Longhi both scored thanks to a single from Trejo.

The Express responded as Pozo hit a two-run, 408-foot homer onto the left field berm. The blast also sent Hernandez home after the third baseman worked a walk. In the next at-bat, Terry recorded his second homer of the contest, a solo shot that leveled the game at 6-6.

Albuquerque broke the tie with a two-run home run from Motter in the fourth inning, taking an 8-6 lead. Motter’s blast also scored 3B Rio Ruiz, who previously hit a leadoff single.

Express RHP Joe Gatto, RHP Demarcus Evans and RHP Scott Engler combined to throw five shutout innings to keep Round Rock within striking distance, however the Isotopes kept the E-Train off the board, sealing the 8-6 final.

Round Rock faces Albuquerque in game four on Sunday night at Dell Diamond. Express RHP Tyler Phillips (0-2, 12.00) is scheduled to start against Isotopes RHP Brandon Gold (1-5, 6.80). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

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