Round Rock Dominates in 14-4 Victory Over El Paso

Matt Whatley Belts Grand Slam to Lead Express Over Chihuahuas

By Claudia Schwartz/Round Rock Express

September 11, 2023

EL PASO, Texas – The Round Rock Express (38-25 | 82-55) took home a 14-4 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas (28-35 | 60-78) on Sunday night at Southwest University Ballpark. The win secured a series split and Round Rock will head into their final 12 games of the regular

EL PASO, Texas – The Round Rock Express (38-25 | 82-55) took home a 14-4 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas (28-35 | 60-78) on Sunday night at Southwest University Ballpark. The win secured a series split and Round Rock will head into their final 12 games of the regular season with a 1.0 game lead over Las Vegas in the standings.

Express reliever RHP Cole Winn (8-8, 7.52) earned the win despite giving up three runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. The righty walked two and struck out two. Chihuahuas starter RHP Glenn Otto (0-1, 0.00) went home with the loss after allowing six runs, all of which were unearned, in 0.2 innings. He also walked three.

Along the Train Tracks:

Round Rock put six runs on the board in the first inning. Back-to-back bases-loaded walks for DH Dio Arias and 2B Jax Biggers scored two runs. A grand slam from C Matt Whatley extended the lead to 6-0 after one frame.
In the home half of the first inning, El Paso took a run back after SS Ray-Patrick Didder singled, stole second base and scored on a single from DH Ji Man Choi.
Two more Round Rock runs scored in the second inning after four straight two-out singles. Arias was the one to drive in both runs with a single and the Express led 8-1.
Round Rock had the bases loaded again in the fourth inning after two walks and a hit batsman. A groundout from 2B Jax Biggers allowed another run to cross the plate and Express led 9-1.
El Paso tacked on three in the sixth inning. C Michael Cantu launched a three-run homer to make it a 9-4 game.
A five-run eighth inning was in store for Round Rock after a solo home run from Harris. CF Zion Bannister cleared the bases and scored three more runs with a triple. A sacrifice fly from RF Elier Hernandez extended the lead to 14-4 where the score stood final.

E-Train Excerpts:

In the first Triple-A game for CF Zion Bannister, he went 1-for-4 with a triple, three RBI, one run scored, one walk and two strikeouts.
Round Rock C Matt Whatley homered in his second straight game after smashing a grand slam in the first inning. Round Rock has hit nine grand slams which leads the Pacific Coast League.
A trio of Express batters had multi-hit nights after 1B Dustin Harris, SS Davis Wendzel and 2B Jax Biggers each recorded two hits on Sunday. Four batters had multi-RBI nights. Whatley posted four, DH Dio Arias and CF Zion Bannister each had three and 2B Jax Biggers had two.

Next up: Round Rock will return home to face the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics affiliate) at Dell Diamond on Tuesday, September 12 at 12:05 p.m. Game one pitchers for both teams are to be announced.

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 Twitter!