Round Rock Powers to Game-One Win Over Las Vegas

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Early scoring helped the Round Rock Express (48-43) to a series-opening victory over the Las Vegas Aviators (49-41) on Friday night at Dell Diamond.

Round Rock reliever RHP A.J. Alexy (5-3, 6.38) went home with the night’s win after tossing 2.0 innings that saw three hits, one earned run, one walk and two strikeouts. Las Vegas starter RHP Parker Dunshee (3-9, 7.76) got the loss after allowing seven runs, five of which were earned, on eight hits during his 1.1 innings on the mound. A scoreless ninth frame helped RHP Jesus Tinoco to his 10th save of the season.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to two solo home runs in the first inning. RF Bubba Thompson blasted the first to lead off the frame before LF Steele Walker knocked a two-out shot.
• The Express added to their lead in the second with five runs. 2B Diosbel Arias hit a leadoff double and was followed by consecutive singles from 3B Nick Tanielu and SS Ryan Dorow to score the inning’s first run. Tanielu then found home on an Aviators error that followed a Bubba Thompson fielder’s choice.
• Scoring continued when a sacrifice fly from RF Steven Duggar moved Thompson to third and sent Dorow home. 1B Andy Ibáñez knocked an RBI single that scored Thompson before advancing to third on a single from Walker. As Walker stole second base, Ibáñez was tagged out at home. After C Sam Huff worked a walk, a single from DH Josh Sale pushed Walker and Huff into scoring position. A Las Vegas wild pitch advanced all three runners, scoring Walker, before a groundout ended the inning.
• Las Vegas plated their first run of the contest during the third inning when 3B Mickey McDonald reached first on a Round Rock error, moved to second as CF Cristian Pache singled then scored thanks to a single from 1B Billy McKinney.
• The visitors made it a 7-3 game with two runs in the fourth. LF Vince Fernandez knocked a leadoff home run before 2B Max Schuemann hit a double then scored on a McDonald single.
• The Aviators kept adding to their total when C Shea Langeliers sent a hit out of the park in the fifth inning. The solo dinger cut the Express lead to 7-4.
• Thompson scored his third run of the night in the seventh inning, giving Round Rock an 8-5 lead. The outfielder drew a one-out walk then found third on a Las Vegas error and scored as Ibáñez grounded out.
• Aviators SS Kevin Smith came home for what would be the final run of the game in the eighth. After working a leadoff walk, Smith found home when McKinney knocked a single and the Express committed an error. The final Las Vegas run made it an 8-5 score, which held to be final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express CF Bubba Thompson stole his 44th base of the season during the third inning on Friday night. Thompson is now one stolen base away from breaking the franchise’s single-season Triple-A record, which currently sits at 45. Infielder Esteban German set the record at 44 during the 2011 season.
• All nine players in Round Rock’s lineup collected a hit, contributing to a total of 13 for the team. Three players recorded multi-hit performances as LF Steele Walker led the way with a 3-for-5 night that saw one home run. 2B Diosbel Arias and SS Ryan Dorow each finished with two hits as Arias hit 2-for-4 with a double and Dorow hit 2-for-5 with one RBI.

Next up: Round Rock and Las Vegas play for game two of the three-game series on Saturday evening at Dell Diamond, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Express LHP Cole Ragans (1-2, 4.31) is slated for the start up against Aviators RHP Adrián Martínez (4-4, 5.87).

Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season 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!