RedHawks Fall In Close Contest To Round Rock

Two home runs in the third inning ignited the Round Rock Express (8-5) offense in an 8-6 win against the Oklahoma City RedHawks (6-6) Tuesday in front of a crowd of 2,414 at Bricktown Ballpark.

Trailing 4-0, top prospect Jurickson Profar knocked a three-run homer to left field – his first in Triple-A – and Joey Butler added a two-run shot to right field to give the Express the lead for good.

Round Rock took the first of a four-game series between the teams as the RedHawks fell to 0-4 in series openers this season.

Profar finished the night 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored to pace the Express. He hit his first triple of the season in the fifth inning and also singled in the game.

Eight different players accounted for the RedHawks' eight hits. Marc Krauss led Oklahoma City with two RBI off his double in the eighth inning, which cut into the Express lead.

Round Rock starting pitcher Brad Mills improved to 3-0 on the season, allowing four runs and four hits, walking two and striking out five in 6.0 innings pitched.

The RedHawks offense opened up an early lead on the Express in the second inning with four runs on four hits.

Che-Hsuan Lin's RBI single with one out gave Oklahoma City a 1-0 lead. Cody Clark connected on a sacrifice bunt and Trevor Crowe scored. Jonathan Villar grounded out to score Lin. A single from Jake Elmore scored Clark for a 4-0 edge. Elmore extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Round Rock's offense quickly answered in the top of the third with five runs on two home runs. The RedHawks have now allowed nine home runs in their first 12 games of the season.

The Express added three additional runs in the seventh inning to take an 8-4 lead.

Oklahoma City starter Brett Oberholtzer (0-2) gave up five hits and five runs in 5.0 innings.

The home series with Round Rock continues with a 7:05 p.m. game Wednesday at Bricktown Ballpark.