Express Bounce Back With 8-1 Victory Over Rainiers

TACOMA, Wash. - BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED:

3B Cody Freeman put the Express on the board with a solo homer in the top of the first for a 1-0 edge.

The Rainiers responded immediately as 2B Samad Taylor led off the bottom of the first with a double down the line. SS Leo Rivas walked and 1B Tyler Locklear was hit by a pitch to load the bags. CF Leody Taveras grounded out and Taylor came home on the play to tie it up, 1-1.

In the top of the third, Round Rock 1B Blaine Crim led off with a double and 2B Justin Foscue’s double sent him around to take another lead. Freeman followed Foscue with his second homer of the day and the E-Train led 4-1.

Two innings later, Freeman became the 10^th player in club history to hit three home runs in one game. The third baseman sent the first pitch of the at-bat over the left field wall, extending the Round Rock advantage to 5-1 in the fifth.

PH Frainyer Chavez replaced Foscue in the eighth and singled into right-center. RF Billy McKinney scored on the play to make it 6-1.

The E-Train added a pair of runs in the ninth on RBI singles from LF Trevor Hauver and SS Richie Martin.

RHP Craig Kimbrel came in and retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth as Round Rock took the series finale, 8-1.

E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:

THREE CHEERS FOR CODY: Round Rock 3B Cody Freeman became the 10^th player in club history and first since August 6, 2019 to hit three home runs in a single game. Freeman homered in each of his first three at-bats on Sunday with two solo shots bookending a two-run homer in the third. Only four Pacific Coast League hitters have achieved the feat this season. He finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and a strikeout in the series finale.

HIT PARADE: For the eighth time this season, Round Rock recorded at least 15 hits in a single game. Four of the eight games have come against Tacoma. All nine starters tallied a base hit and four had multi-hit games.

BULLPEN BLANKS: Round Rock’s relievers RHP Aidan Anderson, LHP Robby Ahlstrom, RHP Josh Sborz, RHP Joe Barlow and RHP Craig Kimbrel held the Rainiers scoreless on two hits without issuing a walk in the final 4.2 innings on Sunday afternoon. Tacoma would see just two players reach third base on Sunday, which were the first two batters of the game.

NEXT GAME: Tuesday, July 29 vs El Paso 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!