Round Rock Steamrolls Nashville in 11-2 Victory

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Round Rock Express (8-5) topped the Nashville Sounds (4-9) by a lopsided final score of 11-2 on Tuesday night in game one of three on their first trip to Music City. Eight E-Train batters notched at least one hit while preventing the Sounds from recording a 1-2-3 inning in the contest.
Express starter RHP Brady Rodgers (1-0, 1.50) earned the win after letting up only two runs on three hits while striking out four in 7.0 innings of work. Opposite Rodgers, Nashville LHP Wes Benjamin (0-2, 7.11) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs on eight hits, including two home runs, and two walks in 5.0 innings pitched. Every Sounds pitcher allowed at least one run in the E-Train victory. ­­Nashville LHP Jarret Martin surrendered two runs on one hit, and the final Sounds reliever, RHP Tim Dillard , allowed four runs on five hits in just 2.0 innings pitched.
The Express started things off in a grand fashion as the first three batters, SS Myles Straw , CF Derek Fisher and LF Taylor Jones reached base on singles before DH Yordan Alvarez blasted a grand slam into left-center field. 2B Alex De Goti played long ball in the fourth inning, plating his third solo home run of the year to give Round Rock a 5-0 advantage.
Nashville's first of a two-run night came in the fifth inning when 3B Andy Ibáñez got things started with a leadoff double. 2B Nolan Fontana followed with a fly ball to the deepest part of First Tennessee Park that advanced Ibanez to thrid. A Hunter Cole groundout would send Ibanez home to cut Nashville's deficit to 5-1.
Round Rock followed with a two-run sixth inning. C Jamie Ritchie worked a walk to reach base, then advanced to second a De Goti single. Straw put the pair in scoring position after reaching base on a fielder's choice. The catcher eventually scored on a wild pitch by Martin while De Goti moved to third. LF Taylor Jones then grounded out to widen the gap to 7-1. Sounds 1B Matt Davidson fired back with a home run that would prove to be Nashville's final run of the evening.
The E-Train muted the Sounds in the final two innings as they racked up four more runs of their own. Straw singled on a line drive to right field and moved around the bases when CF Derek Fisher and Jones were consecutively struck by pitches. Next up, Alvarez grounded out to shortstop, but notched his fifth RBI of the night when Straw raced home on the play. An inning later, Straw's sixth at-bat saw him double to drive home Ritchie, who had previously singled. De Goti, who singled prior to Straw's double, advanced to third on the play. Fisher kept the ball rolling with a single that scored De Goti, and Jones capped off the E-Train victory with a sacrifice fly to plate Straw.
Round Rock continues their series against Nashville on Wednesday night with a 6:35 p.m. scheduled first pitch at First Tennessee Park. Express RHP Akeem Bostick (1-0, 3.86) is slated to face Sounds RHP Richelson Peña (1-1, 2.25) in game two.
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.