Express Split High-Scoring Doubleheader with Isotopes

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - The Round Rock Express (52-58) and Albuquerque Isotopes (52-58) exchanged wins in Thursday's twin-billing. Round Rock rolled 12-5 in game one, a continuation of last night's rain-suspended contest, while Albuquerque snagged a 5-4 walk-off victory in the seven-inning nightcap.
Express reliever LHP Brandon Mann (4-0, 2.36) took the win in game one after contributing 3.0 scoreless and hitless innings with a couple of strikeouts. Isotopes starter RHP Peter Lambert (2-2, 4.24) suffered the loss after he was chased out of the game in the top of the second following a six-run explosion by Round Rock's offense.
Before the game was suspended due to poor weather, the E-Train jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on Wednesday night. Round Rock 2B Christian Lopes jumpstarted the early charge when he was awarded second base following a throwing error by Albuquerque 2B Daniel Castro . After a strikeout, Express 3B Andy Ibáñez made the Isotopes pay for their mistake as he plated Lopes from second on a two-out RBI single up the middle. The next two batters in the side, C Tony Sanchez and 1B Hanser Alberto capped off the rally with a run-scoring double and an RBI single.
Round Rock starter RHP Tyler Wagner kept Albuquerque off the board in the bottom half before the Express loaded the bases in the top of the second. A trio of singles by RF Hunter Cole , LF Franklin Rollin , and Lopes put capitalize on the scoring opportunity as the ensuing rainfall forced the game to be suspended.
Upon the contest's resumption on Thursday, Pennington delivered a two-run single to improve Round Rock's lead to 5-0. Following a strikeout by Ibanez, the Isotopes had another mishap on a Sanchez fly ball that allowed two more runs to cross the plate to make it 7-0.
Albuquerque showed their first signs of life in the bottom of the second when 1B Jordan Patterson cut the Express lead to 7-1 with a run-scoring single. But, in the top of the third, Round Rock RF Hunter Cole negated Patterson's RBI by crushing a solo shot to left for his eighth home run of 2018.
Still not satisfied with an 8-1 lead, the E-Train padded the gap in the top of the fourth as Pennington connected on his first home run of the season that made it 9-1. The Isotopes would answer in the bottom half of the frame when Castro redeemed himself with an RBI single that inched Albuquerque closer at 9-2.
Before both teams went scoreless in the final three frames, Pennington added a two-run double in the fifth to cap off a three-hit, four-RBI day at the plate and Sanchez blasted his sixth homer of the year, a solo shot in the sixth that topped off Round Rock's scoring total at 12. For Albuquerque, Patterson would add another RBI single after DH David Dahl smacked a two-run homer in the fifth to finalize their output at five.
While game one ended in a 12-5 blowout, game two was more of a back-and-forth affair that saw the Isotopes come out on top in dramatic fashion. Isotopes RHP D.J. Johnson (3-4, 4.53) secured the win after he hurled a shutout seventh, while E-Train RHP R.J. Alvarez (3-2, 3.34) was saddled with the loss after he surrendered the winning-run to Albuquerque in the bottom half of the frame.
The Isotopes stormed out to a 4-0 lead off Round Rock starter RHP Chris Jensen in the bottom of the second as RF Noel Cuevas punched a run home on a single before C Anthony Bemboom lifted a three-run homer to right field. The E-Train came up with a loud response in the following inning when 1B Nick Torres worked a walk and scored on LF Franklin Rollin's towering two-run homer. Rollin's first Triple-A dinger flew well over the fence in left and cut Albuquerque's lead in half at 4-2.
In the top of the fourth, Round Rock would close the gap further to 4-3. Pennington led off the side with the triple he needed to complete the cycle in game one and scored when the next batter, Ibanez, smoked a single to center. The Express would complete the four-run comeback in the next inning when Rollin singled, advanced to second on a base hit by CF Drew Robinson , and eventually scored when Lopes bounced into a fielder's choice.
After Johnson struck out the side in the top of the seventh, Round Rock turned to Alvarez in the bottom half of the final frame as they looked to send the game to extra innings. However, Albuquerque's bats had other plans. Isotopes LF Raimel Tapia led off the side with a single that just got past Lopes at second base. SS Brendan Rodgers proceeded to advance Tapia to second on a groundout to third before Dahl slapped a sharp ground ball down the left field line for a walk-off double.
With the series tied at one win apiece, the E-Train will look to capture a victory in Friday night's rubber match at Isotopes Park. Round Rock RHP Chris Rowley (5-7, 3.40) is slated to get the start against an Albuquerque starter yet to be announced. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. CDT.
For more information on the Express, visit RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!