E-Train 2B Alex De Goti Hits for The Cycle in 20-12 Victory Over Chihuahuas

EL PASO, Texas- Rewrite the history books! Round Rock Express (69-45) 2B Alex De Goti hit for the cycle to fuel a lopsided 20-12 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas (66-49) on Wednesday night at Southwest University Park. De Goti went 5-6 with two home runs and six RBI in a dazzling night at the plate.
Round Rock RHP Brendan McCurry (3-1, 2.98) earned the win after tossing 1.1 hitless innings of relief. On the losing side, LHP Robbie Erlin surrendered four runs on five hits in a 1.0-inning appearance out of El Paso's bullpen.
The Express struck first in what would prove to a thrilling series opener. SS Myles Straw worked an eight-pitch walk to leadoff the game. Two batters later, DH Kyle Tucker smoked a home run to put the E-Train ahead by a pair of runs.
However, the lead was short-lived thanks to a three-run homer off the bat of of Chihuahuas C Austin Allen's . The next batter, 1B Aderlin Rodriguez, mimicked the shot to put El Paso on top 4-2.
In the second, De Goti helped Round Rock inch back with a solo bomb. The next frame, CF Drew Ferguson crushed a leadoff triple and Tucker sealed the deal with a game-tying sacrifice fly.
With the score level at four, El Paso 2B Ty France doubled prior to a single off the bat of Allen. Rodriguez put the home team ahead 7-4 with a three-run home run. CF Travis Jankowski then singled in 3B Seth Mejias-Brean for the Chihuahuas eighth run of the evening.
Round Rock pushed back in the fourth as RF Chas McCormick jumped aboard via a walk before advancing to second on a single off the bat of C Lorenzo Qunitana and eventually scoring on De Goti's single. However, El Paso answered back as DH Esteban Quiroz doubled in France and Rodriguez, who had previously hit a single and double respectively.
An explosive fifth inning pulled Round Rock from behind to tie the game. To begin the frame, Ferguson singled prior to a Tucker walk. A wild pitch then advanced the duo to second and third. LF Taylor Jones later drew a walk to load the bases for a Nick Tanielu double that would score Ferguson and Tucker. Two outs later, De Goti stepped up to the plate and ripped his second longball of the night to level the score at 10. In the home half, France used an RBI single to give El Paso a brief one-run lead.
The first five E-Train batters recorded hits in the sixth inning. Ferguson singled before Tucker's second two-run blast of the night, a shot that gave Round Rock the lead yet again. Jones then singled and advanced to third on a double by Tanielu. McCormick followed the pair with a single to drive in another run. Before the Chihuahuas could retire the inning, Quintana hit a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Tanielu to score and widen the gap to 14-11.
The E-Train kept the ball rolling in the late innings. 3B Abraham Toro hit a seventh-inning double before hustling home on a Jones single. In the eighth, De Goti continued to dazzle at the plate with a triple that Straw polished off with a base hit.
Ferguson led off the final frame with a walk and Tucker followed shortly thereafter with a single. After the pair advanced on a Jones groundout, Tanielu singled in the speedy duo. Quintana kept the hitting party alive with another knock that plated Tanielu moments before De Goti completed the cycle with an RBI double.
In the bottom of the ninth, Mejias-Brean went yard, but a 20-12 deficit was far too much for the Chihuahuas to overcome.
The Express hope to continue their hot streak in Thursday night's game two. Express LHP Kent Emanuel (6-1, 3.98) is slated to start opposite Chihuahuas LHP Jerry Keel (7-7, 7.46). First pitch at Southwest University Park in El Paso is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.
For more information on the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join the conversation during our historic 20th season using #20STROng.
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Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros and a member of the Pacific Coast League