Sugar Land Uses Big Innings to Claim 12-3 Win Over Round Rock

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Sugar Land Skeeters (46-34) used three high-scoring innings to claim a 12-3 victory over the Round Rock Express (38-43) on Saturday night at Dell Diamond. CF Leody Taveras finished the evening tallying three of Round Rock’s six hits and scoring two of the team’s three runs.

Round Rock starter RHP Glenn Otto (0-1, 6.00) was tagged with the loss after his 4.0-inning outing saw four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Skeeters reliever RHP Hunter Brown (2-0, 3.18) earned the win, tossing 5.1 frames and allowing three runs on four hits with five punchouts.

After a scoreless first three innings, Sugar Land kicked off the night’s action with four runs in the fourth inning. LF J.J. Matijevic and CF Jose Siri hit back-to-back singles before both scored as 1B Michael Papierski doubled to right field. Papierski was next to cross home after advancing to third on a Miguelangel Sierra single and scoring as RF Marty Costes hit a sacrifice fly. Rehabbing Houston Astros 3B Alex Bregman then sent Sierra home on a double for a 4-0 Sugar Land lead. Bregman finished the game 1-5 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.

The visitors increased their advantage to 5-0 in the next frame when DH Norel Gonzalez knocked a base hit then stole second before scoring on a double from Papierski.

Round Rock trimmed Sugar Land’s lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth. LF Elier Hernandez launched a home run into the home team bullpen to drive home Taveras, who had reached scoring position on a double to lead off the inning.

The Skeeters recorded a second four-run frame in the sixth as Sierra, Costes and Bregman loaded the bases on a single and two consecutive walks. SS C.J. Hinojosa plated Sierra and Costes with a single before Gonzalez reached on a force out, which sent Bregman to third. Gonzalez joined Bregman in scoring position with a steal of second then the two found home plate on an Express error to gain a 9-2 advantage.

Taveras tallied his second run of the contest after hitting a triple then scoring on a Sherten Apostel sacrifice fly in the seventh. The run brought the night’s tally to 9-3 heading into the final two frames.

Insurance runs crossed home for Sugar Land in the top of the ninth when C Garrett Stubbs hit a three-run homer to right-center field that brought Siri and Papierski in with him to secure the 12-3 win.

Round Rock and Sugar Land meet again in game four on Sunday evening at Dell Diamond. Express LHP Brock Burke (1-5, 7.21) is scheduled to start against Skeeters RHP JP France (2-2, 5.06). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

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 Twitter!