HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Express jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first. 2B Cody Freeman and 1B Jonah Bride singled to put runners on the corner for DH Logan O’Hoppe. O’Hoppe drove in both runners with a double, giving the E-Train a two-run edge.
Round Rock struck for four runs in the top of the fourth to extend the advantage. Bride started the inning with a double and came around to score on LF John Taylor’s single. 3B Diego Castillo singled to put two runners aboard for C Julian Brock, who belted a three-run home run to make it a 6-0 lead.
The E-Train added to their tally in the seventh when SS Keyber Rodriguez singled and advanced to third after a single from RF Orlando Martinez. Rodriguez scored on a throwing error from C Adrián Sugastey to grow the advantage to seven.
3B Parks Harber prevented the shutout with a solo home run in the ninth inning, but the Express went on to win by a final score of 7-1.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
WHERE WE STAND: Friday’s win marks the 10th time the Express have held opponents to a run or less, 5 of which have come in their last 14 games (since 6/23 at ABQ)…is just the 3rd time this season the River Cats have been held to 3 hits or less (1st time at home)…Round Rock maintains sole possession of 2nd place in the Pacific Coast League standings.
LHP DALTON PENCE: (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 63 pitches, 46 strikes) made his 2nd start at the Triple-A level…recorded 1st-pitch strikes to each of the 1st 12 batters he faced… is the 5th Round Rock starter this season to toss at least 5.0 SHO innings… of the 4 other pitchers, Pence allowed the lowest number of hits… the Express are 14-9 when their starting pitcher tosses at least 5.0 innings… 3rd Round Rock pitcher this month to toss 5.0 innings… 15th win by an Express starter which is the 2nd lowest tally among PCL teams this season.
C JULIAN BROCK: notched his 1st career Triple-A homer with a 408-foot shot in the top of the 4th…also recorded 5 round-trippers with Double-A Frisco this season…6 home runs tie his career-high from 2024 with Single-A Down East…107**.**5 is the 3rd hardest homer this season… Brock’s round tripper was also the 4th hardest-hit homer by an opposing player this season at Sutter Health Park.
LF JOHN TAYLOR: has reached base through his first 5 G in August… 6th game this season to draw multiple walks… 3 G streak of recording an RBI… owns 5 RBI to start July, which is the 3rd most to start the month among Express hitters… just his 9th RBI against LHP this season… owns 29 RBI against RHP.
NOTES: The Express pitching staff held the River Cats to 3 H on the night… 4th time this season the Express have held a team to 3 H or less… are 3-1 in those contests… 10th contest Round Rock has held a team to 1 R… are 8-2 in those games… 1st time since 4/23/23 the Express have held the River Cats to 1 R at Sutter Health Park.
NEXT GAME: Saturday, August 8 at Sacramento FIRST PITCH: 8:37 p.m. CT BALLPARK: Sutter Health Park
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!