Round Rock Routs Tacoma in Tuesday’s Series Opener

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express (6-3) opened their series with a 10-2 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers (3-6) during Tuesday afternoon’s Education Day at Dell Diamond.

Express reliever LHP Lucas Jacobsen (1-0, 2.70) claimed his first win of the season with a 1.2-inning scoreless outing that saw two strikeouts. Rainiers starter RHP Riley Davis (0-1, 10.80) went home with the loss after allowing four earned runs on four hits and four walks with three Ks during his 3.1 innings on the bump.

Along the Train Tracks:

• Tacoma broke open the day’s scoring in the first inning when 2B Cesar Hernandez rounded the bases thanks to a walk, Mason McCoy single, balk and sacrifice fly from DH Mike Ford.
• Round Rock responded in booming fashion in the fourth, plating five runs. 2B Justin Foscue scored on a double from 3B Blaine Crim before Texas Rangers rehabber CF Leody Taveras blasted a grand slam that brought 1B Yoshi Tsutsugo, Crim and SS Davis Wendzel in with him.
• The Express dropped another five-spot in the sixth inning to increase their lead to 10-1. The runners scored on a combination of three singles, two walks, one sacrifice bunt, one wild pitch and one sacrifice fly.
• Former E-Train member and current Rainier LF Delino DeShields made it a 10-2 game in the eighth frame when he knocked a leadoff single, then scored as CF Zach DeLoach doubled to left field.

E-Train Excerpts:

• Texas Rangers OF Leody Taveras finished 2-for-4 with a grand slam, five RBI, two runs scored, one walk and one strikeout during his first rehab appearance with Round Rock.
• The Express offense scored double-digit runs for the first time this season in Tuesday’s win. The team has now won four straight games after starting the season 2-3.
• Round Rock SS Davis Wendzel found his bat on Tuesday afternoon as he recorded his first hit of the season. The infielder finished the day 1-for-2 with a double, hit-by-pitch and sacrifice bunt. Teammates RF J.P. Martinez and 3B Blaine Crim tallied two hits apiece while DH Rafael Ortega earned two RBI.
• E-Train RHP Robert Dugger dropped his ERA from 67.50 to 14.73 after his 3.0-inning start saw just one run and two strikeouts. Out of the bullpen, RHP Jacob Barnes and LHP Jake Latz tossed shutout frames as Barnes threw 1.1 frames and Latz struck out two during 1.0 inning.

Next up: The Express and Rainiers will play game two of the six-game series at Dell Diamond on Wednesday, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. CT. Round Rock RHP Cole Winn (0-1, 7.71) is scheduled for the start against Tacoma RHP Darren McCaughan (1-0, 5.40).