OW IT HAPPENED:
The Round Rock Express scored six runs in the first inning. DH Kyle Higashioka and 2B John Taylor opened the rally with back-to-back doubles before 3B Jonah Bride drove both home with a single. After RF Aaron Zavala reached on an error, SS Keyber Rodriguez tripled home two runs. LF Trevor Hauver followed with a two-run homer to right-center field, extending the advantage to 6-0.
Higashioka walked and stole second base to begin the second inning. Taylor brought him home with a single to left-center field, giving Round Rock a seven-run lead.
RHP David Davalillo kept Salt Lake off the scoreboard through five innings. He allowed three hits and one walk while striking out six to earn his first Triple-A victory.
Round Rock added three runs in the seventh. Rodriguez scored Bride with an RBI single before Zavala came home on a wild pitch. 1B Frainyer Chavez completed the inning with a two-out RBI single that plated Hauver.
The Express scored three more times in the eighth. C Julian Brock drove in Zavala with a fielder’s choice before CF Orlando Martinez and Chavez collected consecutive RBI singles to make it 13-0.
RHP Carter Baumler, RHP Josh Sborz and RHP Michel Otañez combined to cover the final four innings. The trio surrendered one hit and struck out four as Round Rock finished its fourth shutout of the season.
E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:
WHERE WE STAND: The Express have won four of five this week over Salt Lake… in the four wins, have scored five runs or more… with Oklahoma City’s win over Sugar Land, Round Rock has officially been eliminated from postseason contention and the Comets can win the second half title with a victory tomorrow… Round Rock has wins the season series over Salt Lake (7-4)… Express need to win at least three of their final seven games to avoid finishing 10 games below .500 for the first time by a Rangers affiliate in 29 years.
RHP DAVID DAVALILLO (W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 66 pitches, 45 strikes): collected the first Triple-A win of his career… back-to-back outings where he has tossed 5.0 scoreless innings with one walk and six strikeouts… has not allowed an earned run in his last 10 innings… in eight games and seven starts since August 2, owns a 1-2 record with a 3.67 ERA (14 ER/34.1 IP) with six walks and 31 strikeouts… sits 2.2 innings away from reaching 100.0+ innings for the third consecutive season.
ROAD WARRIORS: Round Rock is sixth in Triple-A in road winning percentage (.554) and tied for first in total road victories (41-33).Since 2005, it is currently the fourth-best winning percentage on the road in a single season and the best since 2021 (.578). With a win tomorrow, the club would tie the 2011 Express (42-30) for most road wins in a single season in the franchise's Triple-A era (since 2005).
HAUVER HEATER: LF Trevor Hauver finished the night 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. His first-inning home run was his first since July 25… in the last two games, he is 5-for-9 with a homer, four RBI, four runs scored and a strikeout… three of the five balls he put in play on Saturday were hit at 95.0 mph or harder… with two more home runs can become just the eighth player in the Express Triple-A era (since 2005) to homer 10 or more times in three different seasons.
NEXT GAME: Sunday, September 13 at Salt Lake FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. CT BALLPARK: The Ballpark at America First Square
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!