Express Claim Second Straight Double-Digit Win Over Isotopes

ROUND ROCK, Texas –The Round Rock Express (22-22 | 59-59) stayed hot on Sunday night as they defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes (20-25 | 46-74) by double digits for the second straight night. A 16-5 victory secured the series win for the E-Train at four games to two.

Round Rock reliever RHP Peter Solomon (3-4, 7.05) secured the winning decision, tossing 3.0 shutout innings that saw one hit, one walk and three strikeouts. Albuquerque starter RHP Peyton Battenfield (3-7, 8.18) went home with the loss after allowing seven runs on 10 hits and one walk with two punchouts over 2.2 innings.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Albuquerque pulled out in front, 3-0, in the first inning. CF Greg Jones scored as RF Yanquiel Fernandez doubled before a single from C Willie MacIver drove Fernandez home. LF Jimmy Herron scored on a wild pitch after initially reaching base on a walk.
• Round Rock put their first run in the board in the second inning when LF Kellan Strahm tripled and scored as 3B Jax Biggers
• Six runs in the third inning pushed the Express ahead, 7-3. A two-run home run from 1B Blaine Crim tied the game at three apiece. Four singles, one double, a sacrifice fly, Isotopes error and walk all helped push four more runs across home plate.
• Round Rock extended its lead to 9-3 in the fourth when Strahm scored both DH Sam Huff and RF Trevor Hauver with a single to center field.
• The E-Train put up another six-spot while recording just one hit in the fifth inning. A bases-clearing triple off the bat of CF Dustin Harris highlighted the inning after Round Rock had tallied four walks, been hit by a pitch, reached on a fielder’s choice and taken advantage of an Albuquerque error. The lead was extended to 15-3.
• Huff hit the second Express home run of the night to push the good guys ahead, 16-3, in the sixth inning.
• The Isotopes added two runs with one in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, 2B Hunter Stovall scored on a MacIver single and the eighth saw DH Jameson Hannah double to score SS Connor Kaiser.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Four Round Rock batters recorded three hits and two more notched two hits. 3B Jax Biggers posted a perfect 3-for-3 night to go with three RBI, one walk and one run scored. LF Kellan Strahm tallied four RBI, CF Dustin Harris totaled three and both 1B Blaine Crim and SS Jonathan Ornelas drove in two runs.
• Sixteen runs is the most that the Express has scored in a contest this season. The team’s previous high was 14, which they reached on both June 30 against El Paso and May 17 against Reno.
• Along with RHP Peter Solomon’s shutout outing, RHP Steven Jennings and RHP Owen White both went scoreless in relief. Jennings threw 1.1 innings and recorded two strikeouts while White closed the night down with 2.0 innings that included one walk and four Ks.

Next up: Round Rock hits the road for a six-game series at Smith’s Ballpark against the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels affiliate). Express RHP Chase Anderson (0-1, 7.36) is set to start up against a Bees pitcher to be determined. First pitch on Tuesday, August 20 is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. CT.

Single game tickets as well as full season and other membership plans are on sale now. 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!