ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (19-27) blasted three home runs, including two by 2B Andy Ibáñez , in a narrow 5-4 victory over the Iowa Cubs (15-28) on Tuesday night at Dell Diamond. Ibanez finished the game 2-3 with three RBI.Round Rock reliever LHP Brady Feigl (2-0, 2.70)
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock Express (19-27) blasted three home runs, including two by 2B Andy Ibáñez , in a narrow 5-4 victory over the Iowa Cubs (15-28) on Tuesday night at Dell Diamond. Ibanez finished the game 2-3 with three RBI.
Round Rock reliever LHP Brady Feigl (2-0, 2.70) earned his second win of the season despite allowing a run on three hits in 1.2 innings. Iowa LHP Rob Zastryzny (2-1, 5.59) suffered the loss after giving up two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out four in 2.0 innings of relief.
The Express jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as CF Drew Robinson led off the game with a double then moved to third on a Scott Heineman sacrifice bunt. An ensuing Willie Calhoun groundout allowed Robinson to race home with the game's first run.
The E-Train tacked on two more runs thanks to Ibanez' first blast in the second inning, followed by a solo shot off the bat of 1B Tommy Joseph in the fourth.
However, Iowa rallied over the next three innings to take a short-lived lead. In the fifth, 3B David Bote worked a leadoff walk off Round Rock starter RHP Yovani Gallardo . A Jacob Hannemann single put runners on the corners for C Taylor Davis , who grounded into a fielder's choice that put the I-Cubs on the board.
The visitors leveled the game at 3-3 in the sixth. 2B Chesny Young doubled to open the frame, then SS Mike Freeman worked a walk. Following an RBI single off the bat of DH Mark Zagunis , Gallardo was replaced for Feigl. The lefty issued a two-out RBI single to Hannemann that tied the game. Gallardo finished having allowed three runs on five hits while walking three and striking out four in 5.1 innings.
Iowa CF Lane Adams sparked a two-out rally in the seventh with a triple to deep left-center field. An ensuing Freeman double gave the Cubs their first and only lead of the night. In the bottom of the frame, E-Train 3B Christian Lopes tallied a leadoff single before Ibanez stepped to the plate and lined his second home run of the night just inside the left field foul pole to give Round Rock the lead once again at 5-4.
Express closer RHP R.J. Alvarez worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning to record his Pacific Coast League-leading ninth save of the season, preserving the 5-4 victory in the process.
The E-Train and I-Cubs face off in game three on Wednesday night. Round Rock RHP Tyler Wagner (0-2, 4.50) is scheduled to take the mound opposite Iowa RHP Duane Underwood (2-4, 3.64). First pitch at Dell Diamond is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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!
