Express Offense Explodes in 14-5 Win Over Rainiers

TACOMA, Wash – The Round Rock Express (33-37 | 70-74) took down the Tacoma Rainiers (36-35 | 79-67) at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday by a final score of 14-5.

Round Rock reliever RHP Marc Church (1-0, 2.11) took home the win following 2.0 innings of scoreless baseball with three hits and four strikeouts. Tacoma starter RHP Nick Payero was tagged with the loss following 3.2 innings with eight runs and four earned runs on nine hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

Along the Train Tracks:

• The Round Rock offense broke out for a four-spot in the third inning. After a double for CF Dustin Harris and a single for 1B Blaine Crim, DH Trevor Hauver belted a three-run homer. The inning continued when 2B Matt Duffy doubled and SS Jax Biggers delivered a single to make it 4-0.
• In the fourth, after RF Kellen Strahm reached on an error, 1B Blaine Crim belted a two-run shot to left field making it 6-0. After a walk for Hauver, C Sam Huff blasted a two-run home run to make it 8-0 Express. Duffy continued the frame with a single followed by a Biggers single. 3B Frainyer Chavez ripped a single to score a run while Strahm did the same to complete a six-run inning as Round Rock led 10-0.
• In the home half of the fourth, Tacoma scored three runs. After singles from 1B Tyler Locklear and DH Jason Vosler, 3B Jake Slaughter scored Locklear with a double. RF Rhylan Thomas cut the Express lead to 10-3 when his single scored two.
• The E-Train scored two in the fifth inning on a two-run homer for C Sam Huff which extended the lead to 12-3.
• The Rainiers added a pair of runs in the sixth inning thanks to a two-run blast by LF Nick Solak and the Express held a 12-5 advantage.
• Round Rock capped off the scoring with two runs in the ninth inning when Crim and Hauver each drove in a run with RBI singles and the Express held on for the 14-5 win.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Express LF Trevor Hauver extended his on-base streak to 25 games after a 3-for-5 night with a double, a homer, four RBI and two runs scored. During the streak, he is slashing .387/.500/.731 with 14 doubles, six home runs, 26 RBI, 19 runs scored, 20 walks and 26 strikeouts. He is second in the PCL in doubles since August 1 (16).
• Round Rock 1B Blaine Crim secured his fourth consecutive 20-homer season in the minor leagues. He finished 3-for-6 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Crim has had 20 home runs and 80 RBIs in each of his last four minor league seasons. He is the first player to hit 20 home runs in back-to-back seasons for the Express since OF Jared Hoying did it in 2014-15.
• Express C Sam Huff belted two home runs en route to a 2-for-5 night with four RBI, two runs scored, a walk and two strikeouts. It was his second multi-homer game of the year and his second since May 3 at Albuquerque.
• Eight of the nine Round Rock hitters posted a multi-hit game with SS Jax Biggers leading the way going 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. The 21 hits are a new season high. The Express have posted 26 runs with 38 hits in the first two games of the series. Round Rock has scored six or more runs in five consecutive games.

Next up: The Express and Rainiers return to Cheney Stadium on Thursday night at 9:05 pm. CT. Round Rock RHP Peter Solomon (6-4, 6.27) is slated to face Tacoma RHP Michael Mariot (9-7, 5.94).

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 X!