Article
Round Rock Express 9-1 Albuquerque Isotopes: Pence and Rodriguez Lead Express to Rout at Dell Diamond
Dalton Pence threw five scoreless innings and Keyber Rodriguez drove in four runs as the Round Rock Express crushed the Albuquerque Isotopes 9-1 at Dell Diamond on August 30, 2026.
Round Rock Express 9–1 Albuquerque Isotopes: Pence, Rodriguez Power Express to Rout
Date: August 30, 2026 | Venue: Dell Diamond, Round Rock, TX Attendance: 3,225 | Game Time: 2:33 | Weather: 93°F, partly cloudy WP: Dalton Pence (3-1) | LP: Valente Bellozo (3-10)
Lede
Dalton Pence threw five scoreless innings and Keyber Rodriguez drove in four runs as the Round Rock Express crushed the Albuquerque Isotopes 9–1 at Dell Diamond on Sunday afternoon. The win lifted the Express to 65–68 on the season, knotting them with the Isotopes in the Pacific Coast League East standings.
How It Unfolded
The Express drew first blood in the third inning. Catcher Julian Brock launched a solo home run to right field off Isotopes starter Valente Bellozo — his second of the season — to make it 1–0.
Round Rock blew it open in the fourth. Alejandro Osuna doubled to right off reliever Patrick Weigel and scored on Jonah Bride's RBI double. Diego Castillo singled to centre, plating Bride, and the Express added another run to push the lead to 4–0.
The knockout came in the seventh. With two runners on, Rodriguez crushed a three-run homer to left field off Jarrod Cande — his 13th of the year — and later added a sacrifice fly for his fourth RBI.
Conner Capel spoiled the shutout for Albuquerque in the top of the seventh with a solo home run to left off Josh Sborz, his third of the season, but the Isotopes never threatened again.
The Turning Point
Pence's dominance through five innings established a margin the Isotopes could not overcome. The lefty allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out one on 69 pitches (46 strikes). Bellozo departed after three innings (3 H, 1 ER, 3 K) and the Albuquerque bullpen — Weigel, Mason Green, Cande and Andrew Baker — surrendered eight runs over the final six frames. Round Rock scored in three separate innings (3rd, 4th, 7th) and never trailed.
Key Performers
Dalton Pence, LHP, Round Rock (W, 3-1): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K — the recently promoted lefty retired 15 of 19 batters faced and never let an Isotopes runner past second base. Since his promotion from Double-A Frisco in early August, Pence has posted a 2.19 ERA across 24.2 Triple-A innings (6 appearances, 5 starts).
Keyber Rodriguez, SS/2B, Round Rock: 1-for-3, HR (13th), 4 RBI, sac fly — his three-run blast in the seventh was the decisive blow, and his four-RBI day tied a season high.
Alejandro Osuna, LF, Round Rock: 3-for-4, 2B, HBP, RBI — the leadoff man reached base four times and scored once.
Conner Capel, RF, Albuquerque: 2-for-4, HR (3rd), RBI — the lone bright spot for the Isotopes offence, accounting for two of Albuquerque's five hits.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The 9–1 final scoreline undersells how lopsided this game was. Round Rock's 10 hits produced nine runs, while Albuquerque managed five hits and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Express bullpen — Carter Baumler, Josh Sborz, Joe Ross and Marc Church — covered the final four innings, allowing one run on two hits. Pence threw 67% of his pitches for strikes, a sharp efficiency (13.8 pitches per inning) that kept the Isotopes defence on the field for minimal time.
What It Means
The win pulled Round Rock even with Albuquerque at 65–68 in the PCL East, both five games below .500. The Isotopes have now lost two of three in this series at Dell Diamond. Round Rock leads the six-game set 2–1 heading into Monday's finale.
Both teams next play on September 1: Round Rock travels to face the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, while Albuquerque heads home to host the El Paso Chihuahuas.
Verdict
A comprehensive win built on Pence's command and a relentless attack that punished every mistake the Isotopes pitchers made. For Albuquerque, it was a game to forget — five hits, no multi-base knocks beyond Capel's homer, and an 0-for-6 RISP line that explains the one-run output.