Express Quiet Cubs in 5-2 Victory

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (54-38) continued to thrill at home as they collected a 5-2 victory over the Iowa Cubs (52-40) on Friday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock SS Josh Rojas stole home plate in the win, becoming only the third hitter in Express history, and the second this season, to accomplish the feat.
Express RHP Rogelio Armenteros (4-6, 5.05) earned the win after a lights-out start in which he allowed only five hits and a walk while striking out seven in 6.0 shutout innings. I-Cubs RHP Adbert Alzolay (2-3, 4.28) suffered the loss after surrendering three runs on five hits and six walks in a 4.2 inning start.
A second inning leadoff walk from DH Drew Ferguson followed by LF Kyle Tucker being hit by a pitch doomed Iowa when RF Chas McCormick plated Ferguson with a single for the game's first run.
The next inning, E-Train SS Josh Rojas notched a single and 2B Jack Mayfield mimicked the hit to push Rojas to third. During the next at-bat, Mayfield raced to second, but the stolen base was quickly outshined by Rojas' steal of home that followed alongside.
In the fifth, Tucker, 3B Nick Tanielu and C Garrett Stubbs collected a trio of singles, the third of which plated Tucker from second and extended Round Rock's lead to 3-0.
Stubbs went on to erase any hope of a Cubs comeback as he smoked a two-run longball in the seventh inning, scoring Tanielu, who had previously been hit by a pitch.
With E-Train RHP Dean Deetz on to pitch the final frame, I-Cubs RF Phillip Evans drew a walk prior to a home run off the bat of LF Jim Adduci to spoil the shutout and cut the visitors deficit by a pair of runs. Express RHP Felipe Paulino then emerged from the bullpen to collect the final out of the contest to help preserve a 5-2 victory and earn his fifth save of the season.
The Express hope to extend their home win streak to a season-high seven games on Saturday night. Round Rock LHP Ryan Hartman (5-4, 4.68) is slated to start game three while Iowa plans to counter with RHP Tyson Miller (0-0, 33.75). First pitch at Dell Diamond is scheduled for 6:05 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