HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Comets opened the scoring in the second. With runners on second and third, LHP Blake Townsend committed a balk, scoring DH Ryan Ward from third and giving Oklahoma City a one-run edge.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, C Cooper Johnson went after the first pitch and belted a solo homer just over the Round Rock bullpen to tie it up.
Oklahoma City regained the lead in the fourth. With the bases loaded, 2B Austin Gauthier delivered an RBI single to make it a 2-1 game.
In the seventh, the Express loaded the bases following a single, a double and a walk. With the bases loaded, Johnson recorded a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring SS Keyber Rodriguez from third to even the score at two. 1B Jonah Bride roped a single into left field to bring home another run, giving Round Rock a 3-2 lead entering the eighth.
The Comets got the run back immediately to level the tally at three. 1B Matt Gorski reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score all the way from first on a double from 3B Ryan Fitzgerald.
CF Alek Thomas hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to break the tie and push the Comets ahead. The Express went down in order in the ninth as they fell 5-3 on Thursday night.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
WHERE WE STAND: The Express have now lost three straight to open the series and must win their next three games to secure at least a split with the Comets… Round Rock now owns a 7-14 record against OKC this season with 3 games remaining… have lost 6 of their last 9 home games, which includes 2 different 3 G losing streaks… Round Rock has lost 3 straight G in each of their last 3 homestands (8/12-15 vs SUG, 8/26-28 vs ABQ, and 9/1- current)… are 15-15 at Dell Diamond during the second half… the Express have lost their first 3 G to start September, … marks the 3rd time this season the E-Train have dropped their first 3 G of the month… also dropped first 3 in April vs GWN and first 3 in May vs OKC.
LHP BLAKE TOWNSEND: (ND, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R-ER, 6 SO, 2 BB, 79 pitches, 45 strikes) made his 2nd start for the Express since being added to the Round Rock roster on 8/28… needed just 7 pitches to retire the side in the 1st… retired 8 of the first 10 batters he faced, 4 via strikeouts… has tossed at least 4.0 innings in 18 of his 22 appearances this season between Round Rock and Double-A Frisco… has struck out 6 batters and allowed 2 R in both of his appearances with the E-Train… generated three strikeouts with his sinker, two with his slider and one with his sweeper.
C COOPER JOHNSON: belted his 10th home run of the season in the 3rd inning… ends an 18-G home run drought (since 7/28)… is just the 5th Round Rock hitter this season to reach double-digit homers this year… is also just 1 of 5 PCL catchers with 10+ round-trippers this season… was also just his 3rd home run at Dell Diamond this year… Johnson’s last 5 home runs have been recorded over 100.0 mph… also tallied his first multi-RBI game since 7/26 at ABQ (18-G)
RHP MARC CHURCH: tossed 2.0 SHO innings as the first man out of the ‘pen on Thursday night… struck out the side in the 5th inning, all with his slider… walked the 1st batter he saw, then generated an inning-ending double play in the 6th… threw first-pitch strikes to 3 of the 6 batters he faced.
NOTES: The Express have balked 5 times against OKC this year, the most against a PCL team since they were charged with 5 balks over the 2021 campaign against SUG… OF Trevor Hauver’s double in the 7th inning raises his season tally to 20 doubles… the outfielder has now tallied at least 20 doubles in each of his last 3 seasons with the Express (Since 2024).
NEXT GAME: Friday, September 4 vs Oklahoma City FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. CT BALLPARK: Dell Diamond
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!