HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Express held onto an early lead as they claimed a win in the series opener against Las Vegas. The Express exploded for six runs in the first inning as LF Jarred Kelenic opened the ballgame with a triple and came around to score on an RBI single by 2B Diego Castillo. 1B Blaine Crim followed with an RBI single to add a run to the tally. CF Gilberto Celestino then pushed across another run with another RBI single. C Cooper Johnson capped off the inning with a three-run home run to make it a 6-0 lead at the end of one.
Crim added a solo home run in the third inning to extend the lead to seven. Round Rock plated two more runs in the fourth to add to their tally. Castillo and Crim each recorded an RBI double, growing the advantage to nine.
Las Vegas got on the board in the bottom half of the inning with five runs to cut into the deficit. CF Cade Marlowe walked and came around to score on a triple by 1B Joey Meneses. The Aviators put two runners on after a walk and a single to set up C Brian Serven, who launched a three-run home run to make it a 9-5 game after four completed.
Kelenic protected the Round Rock lead with a two-run home run in the fifth to regain a six-run lead for the Express.
The Aviators trimmed the E-Train’s lead to two after scoring four runs in the sixth. Meneses drove in a run with an RBI single and Serven followed with a two-run double to trim the lead to three. Las Vegas loaded the bases for 2B Darell Hernaiz who worked a walk, making it an 11-9 ballgame heading into the final three frames.
The Express tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth to protect the advantage. RF Aaron Zavala launched a solo home run to extend the lead to three. DH Trevor Hauver and Celestino recorded back-to-back singles before scoring on a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly by SS Keyber Rodriguez. Despite Las Vegas scoring two runs in the bottom half of the ninth, Round Rock holds on for a 14-11 victory in the series opener.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
WHERE WE STAND: With the win, the Express win their 30th game on the campaign… move to 18-16 on the road… 5-8 in series openers… 2-3 in last 5 G… 5-5 in last 10 G… 4-1 when scoring 10-plus runs… 2-7 when opponents score 10-plus runs.
INF BLAINE CRIM: (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) finished a triple short of the cycle on the night… singled in the 1st, homered in the 3rd, and doubled in the 4th… ended a 9-G RBI and XBH drought with 3 RBIs… drove in just 5 RBI through the last 14 G since his cycle on 5/28 against SL.
C COOPER JOHNSON: (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) recorded his 7th multi-hit game of the campaign on Tuesday night… capped off the 1st inning with a three-run home run… 6th homer of the season and 4th round-tripper in his last 9 G… his 106.3 mph homer tonight was his hardest hit of the year… 4th home run away from Dell Diamond… the catcher is slashing .379 (11-for-29) with 3 HR, 10 RBI and 3 BB in the last 7 G.
FIRST INNING EXPLOSION: The E-Train exploded for six runs in the first inning on Tuesday night… 3rd G this season to score 3 R or more in the 1st inning (4/29 vs OKC and 4/25 at SUG)… Express won both of those games… have not scored 6 R in the 1st since 8/24/25 in the series finale at STP… 4th time in the PCL this season a team has scored at least 6 R in the 1st inning (SAC 4/15,4/25 and SUG 4/17)… 20th time this season the Express have scored at least a R in the 1st… 13-7 in those G.
NOTES: The Express have hit multiple homers in a game for the 14th time this season… are 8-5 in those G… 3rd multi-homer game in June… despite having a PCL-low 56 homers on the campaign… the E-Train have 14 homers to start June and have homered in 5 of the last 6 G… last time Round Rock hit 3 HR in a game was 8/23 at STP… OF Jarred Kelenic’s home run in the 5th inning was the 2nd longest home run hit by an Express player on the road this season (424 feet) and the 4th longest home run on the season.
NEXT GAME: Wednesday, June 17 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!