Round Rock, Sugar Land Combine for Early July 4th Fireworks

The Round Rock Express (41-40) and the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (53-29) amassed 23 hits and 20 runs in a lead-up to the July 4th fireworks celebration.  Round Rock took home the win, 11-to-9. 

The game was highlighted by Jax Biggers dramatic steal of home, ultimately scoring the winning run.  Biggers steal came on the heels of a triple.   He went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, falling a home run shy of the cycle.

Both teams used five pitchers in the effort.  Express starting pitcher Tim Brennan went two innings, giving up two runs on three hits.  Relief pitcher Aidan Anderson came on in the sixth inning and took home the win.  Anderson allowed one run on one hit, and struck out four batters in 2.2 innings of work. 

Sugar Land starting pitcher Blair Henley could retired only two batters before being forced from the game. Henley allowed five runs on four hits and walked three batters.  Relief pitcher Drew Strotman was assigned the loss and a blown save.  Strotman gave up three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning on the mound. 

The Express jumped to a 5-to-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.  The Space Cowboys nibbled back a run in the second inning, and exploded in the third inning with five runs.  Round Rock countered with a run in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 6-all. 

Sugar Land pulled ahead 9-to-7 by the seventh inning stretch, only to set the stage for an exciting bottom half of the frame.  Sandro Fabian opened with a single, and scored on Trevor Hauver’s double.  Hauver then scored on Biggers’ triple.  A walk to Jose Barrero, followed by a stolen second base put two runners in scoring position.  A walk to Frainyer Chavez loaded the based. 

Biggers took advantage of a pitching change, replacing Strotman for Nick Hernandez, catching new reliever off-guard and stole home. 

Round Rock added an insurance run in the eighth inning.