HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Comets struck early in the bottom of the first. 3B Ryan Fitzgerald singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third when CF Zach Ehrhard doubled. 1B Ryan Ward knocked in both runners on a single to give Oklahoma City an early 2-0 edge.

Round Rock responded back in the top of the third. 2B Justin Foscue singled to lead off the inning and moved to second base on a force out. 1B Jonah Bride drove in Foscue with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one.

The E-Train pulled even in the fifth. SS Richie Martin opened the inning with a double and came around to score when CF Tyler Wade singled, tying the game at two apiece.

Oklahoma City wasted no time regaining the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. LF Michael Siani reached on a fielder’s choice before scoring on a double by Fitzgerald to give the Comets a 3-2 lead.

The Express rallied to take the lead in the top of the sixth. DH Willie MacIver launched his first home run of the season to tie the game at three. The E-Train loaded the bases with RF Aaron Zavala, Martin, and Wade to set up 2B Justin Foscue to drive in two and give Round Rock a 5-3 lead.

The Express tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh. After three consecutive walks to load the bases, Wade collected his second RBI single to grow the lead to 6-3.

Oklahoma City answered back in the bottom half of the seventh inning and cut the Round Rock lead to one. SS Noah Miller singled and Fitzgerald followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Ehrhard drove in both runners with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one. RHP Peyton Gray came in relief and retired three consecutive batters to preserve the 6-5 advantage.

RHP Gavin Collyer came in to close out the ninth inning and secured the one-run victory.

E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:

SHADES OF GRAY: RHP Peyton Gray tossed two scoreless innings in relief Thursday night, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out four. He escaped a bases-loaded jam by retiring three straight batters, including two strikeouts. Gray came back out and tossed a scoreless eighth inning to keep the Express in control.

1-2 PUNCH: CF Tyler Wade and 2B Justin Foscue combined to drive in four of the six runs. Wade went 3-for-5 with a walk and two RBI while Foscue was 3-6 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. The hitting duo has driven in ten of Round Rock’s 44 runs to start the season.

STRIKEOUT SURGE: The E-Train tallied a season-high 14 strikeouts against Oklahoma City on Thursday. RHP Josh Stephan set the tone with seven strikeouts over five innings of work. RHP Emiliano Teodo struck out two of the three hitters he faced in a scoreless inning. RHP Peyton Gray matched a career-high four strikeouts over two innings in relief and RHP Gavin Collyer shut the door on the Comets with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning for his first save of the year.

NEXT GAME: Friday, April 10 at Oklahoma City FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. CT BALLPARK: Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark

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!

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