Sugar Land Steals Friday Night Victory From Round Rock 

SUGAR LAND, Texas – The Round Rock Express (55-48) fell to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (45-58) by a final score of 6-5 at Constellation Field on Friday evening. The Space Cowboys struck twice in the eighth inning to win their third game of the series.

Round Rock reliever RHP Yerry Rodriguez (2-1, 4.43) was tagged with the loss after one inning that saw two runs, but only one earned run. He allowed one hit, one walk and struck out three. Sugar Land RHP Peter Solomon (6-5, 4.77) was victorious after 4.0 innings of relief that included one earned run on six hits, one walk and five strikeouts. Space Cowboys RHP Enoli Paredes earned the save after a scoreless ninth frame that saw one walk and one strikeout.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Sugar Land took a commanding 3-0 lead in the first frame. 3B Corey Julks singled with one out and stole second base. With two outs, CF Lewis Brinson singled and C Korey Lee belted a three-run home run.
• The Express cut the lead to 3-2 in the third frame. RF Josh Sale doubled to start the inning. With two outs, 3B Andy Ibáñez smacked a 347-foot home run to left field.
• Round Rock scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning. LF Sandro Fabian reached base on a throwing error that allowed him to advance to second base. With two outs, Sale and CF J.P. Martinez each collected walks. DH Sam Huff singled to score Fabian and Sale as the E-Train took a 4-3 advantage.
• Julks maneuvered around the bases in the fifth inning to tie the game for the Space Cowboys. After he was hit by a pitch, he stole second base and came home after two wild pitches.
• The Express received a booming solo home run from Huff in the sixth inning. His 398-foot dinger put Round Rock in front at 5-4.
• Sugar Land mounted their comeback in the eighth inning. Brinson started things off with a single. With one out, SS Alex De Goti walked and RF Marty Costes was hit by a pitch. With the bases juiced, 1B Scott Manea hit into a fielder’s choice, but a throwing error on the play from 1B Nick Tanielu allowed Brinson and De Goti to score and the Space Cowboys led 6-5. Round Rock did not score in the ninth and the score stood final.

E-Train Excerpts:

• RF Josh Sale led the offense with a 3-for-4 night that included two runs scored, a walk and a strikeout. DH Sam Huff and 3B Andy Ibáñez each had two hits while driving in all five runs for the Express. Huff brought home three runs while Ibáñez drove home two.
• Huff hit his 16th home run of the season on Friday night and he accomplished the feat while playing in just 44 games for the Express this year. He’s hitting a home run once every 10.6 at-bats.
• RHP Daniel Robert and RHP Nick Snyder each tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Robert struck out the side in the sixth while Snyder retired the side with one strikeout in the seventh frame.

Next up: The two squads meet for game five of the six-game series at Constellation Field on Saturday night. Express RHP Cole Winn (7-2, 5.72) is slated for tomorrow’s start up against Space Cowboys RHP Brad Bielak (2-4, 3.36). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.