Express Shutdown Cubs 8-1

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (33-22) topped the Iowa Cubs (33-23) by a final score of 8-1 on Friday night at Dell Diamond. C Lorenzo Quintana went yard twice, while LF Yordan Alvarez fell victim to three intentional walks in the victory.
Express RHP Rogelio Armenteros (2-4, 5.08) made a strong 6.0-inning start, holding the Cubs to only three hits and one run while striking out seven. Round Rock RHP Gabriel Valdez notched his first save after holding the Cubs hitless in 3.0 shutout innings. Iowa RHP Trevor Clifton (1-4, 3.76) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in 5.0 innings.
After two scoreless innings to open the game, Round Rock struck first as 2B Josh Rojas led off the third with a double prior to scoring when Quintana smoked his first Triple-A home run into the Express bullpen for a 2-0 lead.
Iowa cut the deficit to 2-1 the next inning when 1B Robel Garcia doubled prior to being sent home on a Mark Zagunis base hit.
Round Rock owned the game from there as RF Kyle Tucker notched a single in the fifth prior to stealing both second and third base. The speedy outfielder then hustled home on a Clifton wild pitch to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
The next inning, Rojas walked and stole second prior to a Quintana walk. SS Alex De Goti then tallied a single to plate Rojas and advance Quintana to second. The backstop eventually jumped to third on a Tucker fielder's choice and touched home thanks to an RBI single from CF Drew Ferguson.
The E-Train poured it on in the eighth, plating three more runs to secure the victory. Quintana led off the inning by going yard for the second time in four at-bats. De Goti then reached a base with a walk and Tucker followed closely thereafter on a fielder's choice. On the play, De Goti reached second base safely on a Luis Vazquez fielding error.
With two men on, Iowa opted to intentionally walk Alvarez for the third time of the night, loading the bases with only one out. Alvarez became the first player in Express franchise history to be intentionally walked three times in one game. 3B Taylor Jones and DH Nick Tanielu then worked together for a pair of bases-loaded walks to tack on the final two runs of an 8-1 victory.
The Express face the Cubs in game three of four on Saturday night at Dell Diamond. Round Rock RHP Jose Urquidy (2-0, 5.02) is slated to take the mound while the I-Cubs plan to counter with RHP Adbert Alzolay (1-1, 4.20). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
For more information on the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join the conversation during our historic 20th season using #20STROng.
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Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros and a member of the Pacific Coast League