1. Lake Country DockHounds (26-18, 1st, East)
Record last week: 5-1 @ Cleburne
The rollercoaster that is the East division this season continues with the DockHounds going down south to Texas and taking all but one of six games against the RailRoaders, surging two games up over Chicago in first place. It was a typical wild and wacky series down in Cleburne, with the DockHounds scoring at least eight runs in four of the six games while still showing off their league-best pitching staff by allowing two runs or less in two of those games.
2. Sioux City Explorers (29-18, 2nd, West)
Record last week: 2-1 vs. Winnipeg, 2-1 @ Sioux Falls
A week with two series wins for the Explorers sees them pull even atop the West with Kansas City, including two huge wins over rival Sioux Falls with both of them being blowouts (10-4 and 14-3). As we’ve alluded to in past weeks, when the Explorers can score runs, their pitching staff will support them more times than not. The offense came to play this week and this Explorers squad is dangerous when they do, but also dangerous when not given they won a game over Winnipeg 1-0 this week as well.
3. Sioux Falls Canaries (26-20, 3rd, West)
Record last week: 2-1 @ Chicago, 1-2 vs. Sioux City
After taking down the hottest team in the East to start the week, the Canaries took a step back with two blowout losses at home against Sioux City over the weekend, dropping them 2.5 back of first in the competitive West division. Their pitching staff has dropped down to eighth in the league in team ERA which is a concern, but the offense is one point back of first in team OPS (.848) led by June player of the month Josh Rehwaldt who is a triple-crown contender.
4. Kansas City Monarchs (28-17, 1st, West)
Record last week: 1-2 @ Lincoln, 2-2 vs. Gary SouthShore
Once running away with the top record in the league the Monarchs are still hanging onto that top spot in the West, but with more competition. In a week against the two last-place squads in Lincoln and Gary SouthShore, nearly every game was tightly contested outside of a 12-1 blowout loss in Lincoln. The Monarchs have a rare opportunity to bounce right back as they play these same two teams throughout the course of this week as well.
5. Chicago Dogs (25-21, 2nd, East)
Record last week: 1-2 vs. Sioux Falls, 1-2 @ Kane County
After a very strong stretch of winning it was an 0-2 week in terms of series losses for Chicago, falling in a battle of what was then the two hottest teams with them and Sioux Falls and then falling in two of three against their in-state rival Kane County. The pitching staff let them down, allowing a total of 21 runs in the final two games over the weekend to Kane County. Still, Chicago fought for two tightly contested wins and is in good position, three games up over second-place Cleburne.
