HOW IT HAPPENED:
After both teams were held scoreless through the first three frames, the E-Train broke through in the bottom of the fourth. DH Josh Smith walked and 2B Diego Castillo reached on a single. LF Aaron Zavala laid down a sacrifice bunt, but 3B Marcos Castañon’s errant throw allowed Zavala to reach base and both runners to score. RF Nick Schnell then overthrew the ball on his throw home, sending Zavala to second and giving the Express a 2-0 edge.
The Chihuahuas answered with a run in the top half of the fifth with two outs. CF Carlos Rodriguez doubled and came around to score on an RBI single by SS Clay Dungan, trimming the deficit to one.
Round Rock got a run back in the bottom half of the inning behind an RBI double from DH Josh Smith. The Express led 3-1 after five complete.
El Paso tied it up with two runs in the top of the sixth. 2B Dylan Grego and LF Nate Mondou recorded back-to-back RBI singles to make it a 3-3 ballgame.
In the eighth, the Chihuahuas loaded the bags for Dungan who worked a walk, giving El Paso their first lead of the game.
The Express threatened in the ninth inning with runners on first and second with no outs. C Jose Herrera drove in a run with an RBI double to even the score at four. With the bases loaded, Smith drew a walk to score the game-winning run and give the E-Train a 5-4 victory in the series finale.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
WHERE WE STAND: Round Rock dropped 5 games in the 6-game set against El Paso…are 4-7-1 in series play this season…will hit the road for 2 consecutive series (at Las Vegas, 6/16/-21 and at Tacoma, 6/23/-28).. E-Train are now 3-32 when trailing after the 8th inning.
RHP JOSH STEPHAN: (ND, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO, 89 pitches, 60 strikes) received a no decision in his 14th start of the season… T-1st in the PCL in games started (also, LHP Cole Irvin, OKC and RHP Casey Lawrence, TAC)…needed just 8 pitches to get through the 1st inning…4th straight start allowing 3 runs… 4th start against ELP this season… has struggled against the Chihuahuas, posting a 0-3 record with a 14.34 ERA entering tonight… it’s his highest ERA against any PCL team (min. 3 GS) of his career… next highest is OKC, where he is 2-0 with a 4.40 ERA… last appeared against ELP at Dell Diamond in the series opener on 6/9, where he allowed 3 R on 7 H over 4.2 IP.
OF JARRED KELENIC: now has a hit in all 9 games with the Express… since his debut with the Express on 6/3, he is hitting .382 (13-for-34) with 2 2B, 7 RBI, and 2 HR… appeared in all 6 G this series against ELP… slashed .412/.474/.765 with 4 RBI, 2 round-trippers and just 2 SO.
INF/OF CAM CAULEY: extended his on-base streak to 18 games after reaching on a fielder’s choice in the 5th…since the streak began on 5/23, is slashing .293 (22-for-75) with 4 2B, 2 3B, 7 RBI and 12 BB...14-game hitting streak came to an end, Round Rock’s longest this season.
LHP DUSTIN SAENZ: (ND, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, SO, 20 pitches, 13 strikes) made his 3rd appearance with the E-Train this season… was the first man out of the bullpen… called up today from Double-A Frisco… made 2 appearances (6/3 and 6/6) with the Express against OKC… allowed 1 R over 3.0 IP across 2 G… had a 1-0 record with a 1.08 ERA in 5 G with Frisco before being called up.
RHP WILIAN BORMIE: (ND, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, SO, 33 pitches, 18 strikes) made his 3rd career Triple-A appearance since being called up on 6/9…entered with 1 out in the 7th…after allowing a single to 3B Marcos Castañon, struck out the next 3 batters…4-seam fastball topped out at 99.8 mph… generated a 60% (3/5) whiff rate with his slider.
NEXT GAME: Tuesday, June 16 at Las Vegas FIRST PITCH: 9:05 p.m. CT BALLPARK: Las Vegas Ballpark
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!