Isotopes Take 5-3 Victory Over Express on Thursday

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (43-38) dropped its first game of the series to the Albuquerque Isotopes (38-43) as the visitors won 5-2 on Thursday night at Dell Diamond. After the loss, Round Rock holds a 2-1 series lead at the halfway point.

Express RHP Kohei Arihara (2-5, 5.67) was tagged with the loss after a 4.0-inning start that saw four earned runs on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Isotopes RHP Riley Smith (3-3, 7.08) earned the win after allowing two runs, six hits and one walk through his start that saw 6.0 innings. Albuquerque RHP Chad Smith took home his 11th save of the season after his ninth-inning relief outing saw two Round Rock runners reach base, but none found home.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Albuquerque plated its first batter of the game to take an early 1-0 lead. DH Coco Montes knocked a leadoff single in the first inning before moving to second on a Carlos Pérez groundout then scoring when CF Sam Hilliard recorded a single of his own.
• Round Rock RF Steele Walker made it a 1-1 game thanks to a 410-foot solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.
• The Isotopes tacked on two runs in the third when Pérez blasted a two-run dinger into left field that scored C Dom Nuñez, who had reached base on a leadoff walk.
• RF Bret Boswell hit Albuquerque’s second home run of the night during the fourth frame. The leadoff hit gave the visitors a 4-1 lead.
• After a scoreless fifth inning, Round Rock trimmed Albuquerque’s lead to 4-2. DH Sam Huff worked a leadoff walk before scoring as 3B Andy Ibáñez roped a double into center field.
• The Isotopes regained a three-run lead when Nuñez crossed home in the seventh. The catcher was sent home as Hilliard hit into a sacrifice fly after recording a leadoff triple. Albuquerque held Round Rock scoreless through the final two innings to claim the 5-2 victory.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express 3B Andy Ibáñez finished Thursday night’s contest a perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI. The infielder accounted for just over half of Round Rock’s hits as the team finished the game with seven.
• The E-Train’s pitching staff tallied 13 strikeouts during the loss. Starter RHP Kohei Arihara led the way with five over 4.0 innings while RHP Jason Bahr had four in 3.0 frames, RHP Hever Bueno had three in 1.0 inning and RHP Daniel Robert finished with one during his ninth-inning performance.

Next up: The two teams return to Dell Diamond on Friday night for game four of the six-game series. Round Rock LHP Taylor Hearn (0-0, 7.20) is scheduled to make the start up against Albuquerque RHP Brandon Gold (4-3, 6.00). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CT.

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