E-Train Outlast Chihuahuas, 10-9

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Chihuahuas struck first with a trio of runs in the second. CF Jase Bowen led off the inning with a triple and DH Nate Mondou and 2B Nick Solak drew back-to-back walks to load the bags. 1B Jose Miranda grounded into a double play and Bowen came home from third to put El Paso on the board. SS Mason McCoy then belted his second homer of the season, sending the Chihuahuas ahead, 3-0.

El Paso RHP Griffin Canning struck out the first four Round Rock batters before walking 2B Michael Helman. Round Rock got on the board on a 434-foot homer from C Cooper Johnson. Johnson’s second home run of the year brought the Express within one.

The Chihuahuas put up another crooked number with three runs behind two hits and two walks. Mondou tallied an RBI single and Solak followed with a two-run single for a 6-2, El Paso advantage.

Round Rock stole the lead with five runs in the bottom of the third. The Express loaded the bases with three walks. With two down, Helman drove a fly ball into the right-center gap that was dropped by RF Carlos Rodriguez. The error cleared the bags, resulting in three runs for the E-Train. After a pitching change and a Johnson walk, SS Richie Martin belted a two-run double for a 7-6 edge.

In the fourth, LF Trevor Hauver added to the tally with a two-run double, extending the Express lead to 9-6.

El Paso added a run in the fifth on a Solak RBI single, cutting their deficit to two.

The Express capped off their scoring with a solo homer off the bat of Martin in the seventh, bringing their tally to 10.

In the top half of the eighth, the Chihuahuas came within one as McCoy belted a two-run homer. Round Rock LHP Robby Ahlstrom went on to retire the next six batters in order, earning the save and guiding the E-Train to a 10-9 win on Thursday night.

E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:

LUCK OF THE IRISH: LHP Thomas Ireland made his Triple-A debut on Thursday night. The southpaw threw 3.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two hits, a run and two walks with a team-high three strikeouts. Ireland recorded a hold as the second man in relief.

BOMBS AWAY: C Cooper Johnson and SS Richie Martin both hit their second home runs of the year on Thursday night. Johnson hit a two-run home run in the second inning while Martin belted a solo home run in the seventh to provide an insurance run for the Express. Johnson’s home run traveled 434 feet, the farthest home run at Dell Diamond this season. Martin’s home run ranks third at 408 feet.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: In their last eight games, the Express are batting .271 with at least 10 hits in five of them. The E-Train have recorded 10+ hits in seven of their 18 games this year and are 5-2 in those contests.

NEXT GAME: Friday, April 17 vs El Paso 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!