Round Rock Battles Back for 9-7 Victory Over Sugar Land in Extras

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (6-6 | 43-43) rallied for an extra-inning victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (7-5 | 56-31) by a final score of 9-7 on Saturday night at Constellation Field. Round Rock split the six-game series with Sugar Land.

Round Rock reliever LHP Grant Wolfram (2-1, 3.67) earned the victory after allowing one run on one hit and one walk over 2.1 innings. Sugar Land reliever RHP Nick Hernandez (1-1, 2.48) was credited with the loss after allowing two runs with one earned on one hit and a strikeout in 1.0 inning. RHP Daniel Robert came in for the final out in the 10^th inning as he struck out RF Pedro León to record his fifth save of the year for the Express.

Along the Train Tracks:

• The Space Cowboys broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning as 1B Will Wagner scored on a wild pitch to give Sugar Land a 1-0 lead.
• Sugar Land plated four runs on six hits and a walk in the fifth frame to increase its advantage to 5-0. 3B Jesús Bastidas led off the half-inning with a solo homer. Later in the frame, Wagner plated the third run of the game for the Space Cowboys, driving in 2B Shay Whitcomb on a single. SS Dixon Machado drove in Wagner on an infield single with the bases loaded. With the bases still full, DH Luke Berryhill walked home the fourth run of the inning.
• The top of the sixth saw Round Rock score four runs to cut the Sugar Land lead to 5-4. 1B Blaine Crim and RF Sandro Fabian hit a pair of two-RBI doubles to get the Express to within one.
• A wild pitch allowed Bastidas to score in the seventh inning and extended the lead to 6-4. RF Pedro León blasted a solo home run to put the Space Cowboys up 7-4 heading into the final frame.
• The Express tied the game at seven thanks to two long balls in the top of the ninth. Fabian launched a solo homer to start the inning. After LF Trevor Hauver walked, Matt Whatley came to the plate as a pinch-hitter and delivered a game-tying home run to even the score at seven.
• With Crim on second base to start the 10^th inning, C Sam Huff gave the E-Train a 9-7 lead with a two-run homer. Wolfram recorded the first two outs of the bottom of the 10^th for the Express before Robert entered and struck out León to end the game.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Round Rock C Sam Huff belted the 50^th home run of his Express career on Saturday and becomes just the sixth player in club history to belt 50 bombs. OF Jared Hoying (83), INF Brooks Conrad (80), INF Luke Scott (70), INF Mark Saccomanno (64) and INF Davis Wendzel (52) are the other members of the 50 Home Run Club.
• RF Sandro Fabian fell a triple shy of the cycle as he went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI.
• Round Rock PH Matt Whatley delivered a clutch pinch-hit, game-tying two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning. This was the first pinch-hit home run for an Express batter since Meibrys Viloria did it on September 11, 2022 against Sugar Land.
• E-Train 1B Blaine Crim continued his torrid stretch at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Crim is currently riding a six-game hitting streak and a 10-game on-base streak. During his on-base streak, the righty is 14-for-37 with six RBI and seven walks.

Next up: Round Rock stays on the road for a six-game series with the Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks Affiliate). Tuesday’s first pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. CT. from Greater Nevada Field and both clubs have yet to announce a starting pitcher.