ROUND ROCK - The Round Rock Express used the long ball to defeat the Iowa Cubs 7-5 Saturday night at Principal Park.

Righty Jeff Samardzija did not factor in the decision for Iowa, throwing four hitless innings before allowing a two-run homer to Reggie Abercrombie in the fifth inning that put the Express ahead, 2-0.  Samardzija struck out five while walking one and giving up one hit in six innings of work.

The Cubs tied the game at two in the sixth inning when Jake Fox hit his sixth homer of the year, a two-run blast to center field.

However, it was Round Rock who prevailed.  Reliever Jesse Estrada walked Edwin Maysonet before Abercrombie posted his second two-run homer of the night for a 4-2 Express lead in the seventh inning.  In the eight inning Brian Bugusevic and John Gall reached on singles and scored on Mark Saccomanno's three-run homer, to take a 7-2 lead.

Estrada (1-1) was tagged with the loss, throwing 1.2 innings while allowing five runs on six hits.

Iowa attempted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning when Fox, Bobby Scales and Brad Snyder hit singles and came around to score to trim Round Rock's lead 7-5.  Fox, Scales and Andres Blanco each collected two hits.

The Iowa Cubs and Round Rock Express play tomorrow.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Principal Park.

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