Express Stay Hot, Down Isotopes on Friday Night

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Round Rock Express (65-56) grabbed a Friday night win over the Albuquerque Isotopes (54-66) at Isotopes Park by a final score of 10-5. Round Rock has taken three of the first four games in the six-game series.

Express RHP Tyson Miller (3-6, 4.80) earned the victory after tossing 5.0 innings while allowing two runs on six hits and six strikeouts. Isotopes starter RHP Karl Kauffmann (3-2, 5.59) earned the loss after his 6.1-inning performance saw four runs on six hits, two walks and six strikeouts. He surrendered three home runs.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Round Rock opened the scoring in the third inning. RF Sandro Fabian singled to start the frame. 1B Nick Tanielu came up next and belted a home run to center field. His 456-foot dinger put the Express ahead 2-0.
• The Isotopes answered with a two-run home run of their own in the fourth inning. SS Alan Trejo doubled to start the inning. He advanced to third base on a fly out from LF Sean Bouchard. With two outs, DH Carlos Pérez cranked his 26th home run of the season and tied the score at two.
• With two outs in the fifth inning, Round Rock CF Josh Smith smashed a solo home run to right field. The lefty hit the 2-2 pitch 421 feet and gave the Express a 3-2 advantage.
• RF Sandro Fabian added another long ball for the E-Train in the seventh inning. His solo home run to left field advanced the lead to 4-2.
• Round Rock broke the game wide open in the eighth inning. Smith doubled to start the inning before a walk for LF Nick Solak. Tanielu hit into a double play, but advanced Smith to third base. DH Andy Ibáñez and C Wilson Ramos walked to load the bases. Albuquerque LHP PJ Poulin entered and SS Davis Wendzel smacked a grand slam to extend the lead to 8-2.
• The Isotopes tried to climb back in the home-half of the eighth. SS Alan Trejo doubled with one out. After Bouchard walked, Pérez singled to score Trejo. Montes kept the inning alive with a walk that loaded the bases. CF Ryan Vilade grounded out to add another run as Bouchard scored and Albuquerque trailed 8-4.
• The Express added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth inning. Tanielu singled before 2B Diosbel Arias was hit by a pitch. Smith doubled to deep center field to score two and Round Rock led 10-4.
• Despite a double in the ninth frame from Albuquerque C Dom Nuñez, and a RBI single from Trejo, the Express snagged a 10-5 victory for their third consecutive win.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Round Rock hit their third grand slam of the season when SS Davis Wendzel went deep in the eighth inning. OF Josh Sale belted the last E-Train grand slam at Tacoma on June 11. Round Rock’s first grand slam of the year came at another PCL West Division opponent’s ballpark. OF Steele Walker hit the first of the year on May 7 at Reno.
• CF Josh Smith paced the Express lineup with a 3-for-4 night that included two doubles, a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. SS Davis Wendzel, RF Sandro Fabian and 1B Nick Tanielu each had two hits and a home run. Wendzel snatched four RBI on the night while Fabian had one and Tanielu added two.

Next up: Game five of series is scheduled for a 7:35 p.m. CT first pitch on Saturday night at Isotopes Park. Isotopes RHP Riley Smith (4-5, 7.33) is scheduled to start against Express RHP A.J. Alexy (6-5, 6.27).

Single game tickets are available for purchase or bring your group to Dell Diamond. For more information on 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!