Walk-Off Magic Continues, Express Beat Aces 2-1

ROUND ROCK, Tex. - BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED:

RHP Kumar Rocker made a rehab start for the Express on Thursday night. The Rangers’ No. 2 prospect threw 4.0 innings without a run or a hit. Rocker struck out four and walked one. In his longest start of the year, Reno RHP Casey Kelly held Round Rock to four hits without surrendering a walk in 5.2 scoreless frames.

Reno SS Nicky Lopez got aboard in the eighth with his second single of the night. CF Jorge Barrosa broke the tie with a RBI triple into right-center field. Lopez scored the go-ahead run and Reno led 1-0.

In the bottom of the inning, Round Rock loaded the bases with three walks. DH Billy McKinney drew the fourth walk of the inning and pinch-runner OF Marcus Smith came home to tie it 1-1.

RHP Luis Curvelo relieved RHP Marc Church to start the ninth. Curvelo allowed a leadoff single then retired the side, sending it to the tenth.

In the bottom of the tenth, OF Dustin Harris laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Smith from second to third. With two strikes, 2B Cody Freeman drove a single into left that sent Smith home and gave Round Rock a 2-1 walk-off victory.

E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:

COOL-HAND CODY: 3B Cody Freeman delivered the winning RBI single in the bottom of the tenth in Thursday’s extra-inning win. Freeman went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. He has 14 doubles this season which ranks eighth in the PCL. Freeman is batting .444 (12-27) with four extra-base hits, nine RBI, five runs and just three strikeouts in his last six games.

THREE’S COMPANY: Round Rock’s first three batters were responsible for all of the E-Train’s hits on Thursday night. The trio of OF Dustin Harris, 2B Cody Freeman and 1B Blaine Crim went 5-for-12 with two strikeouts.

WHAT A RELIEF: Round Rock relievers RHP Nolan Hoffman, RHP Cory Abbott, RHP Marc Church and RHP Luis Curvelo recorded seven strikeouts and two walks on Thursday night. The Express bullpen leads the PCL with 294 strikeouts this year.

DELL DIAMOND MAGIC: The Express earned their eighth walk-off win in their eighth extra-inning game of the season, both of which are the most in the Pacific Coast League. Round Rock is now 7-1 in extra frames this year.

NEXT GAME: Friday, May 30 vs Reno FIRST PITCH: 7:15 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!