Chicago 2, Milwaukee 1 — Box Score
The Chicago Dogs (1-0) recorded the first win of the 2020 American Association season with a 2-1 win against the Milwaukee Milkmen (0-1) on Opening Day at Franklin Field.
RF Tony Rosselli scored the game’s first run with a leadoff home run in the top of the third inning. The Dogs doubled their lead in the fifth when CF Michael Crouse scored on an error. The Milkmen mounted a comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth as 2B Dylan Tice drew a walk and eventually scored as DH Logan Trowbridge doubled but Reliever Jamie Callahan recorded a strikeout in the next at-bat to seal the win and pick up the save.
Starting pitcher Eric Stout (1-0) earned the win for throwing five innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out two batters. The Chicago pitching staff limited the Milkmen to just four hits in the game, each from a different batter.
Winnipeg 9, Fargo-Moorhead 5 — Box Score
The Winnipeg Goldeyes (1-0) cut short a ninth inning rally from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (0-1) to claim a 9-5 win on Opening Day at Newman Outdoor Field.
The Goldeyes took control early in the contest as C John Nester (2-for-5) scored in the top of the second after a RF Logan Hill (3-for-5) single and 1B Kyle Martin added a two-run home run in the third. Winnipeg turned on the jets in the later frames as they scored six runs in the final three innings. A bases-loaded walk drawn by DH Roy Morales plated a run in the seventh and Martin hit his second two-run shot of the night in the eighth.
In the ninth, LF Jordan Geroge hit a three-run homer to put the Goldeyes in front 9-1 before the RedHawks mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth. SS Cito Culver (2-for-4) doubled in a pair of runs and then scored himself after DH Dario Pizzano (2-for-5) singled and LF Correlle Prime (2-for-3) singled home CF Brennan Metzger (2-for-5) but that would be the final run of the night leaving the RedHawks four runs shy.
Sioux Falls 9, St. Paul 4 — Box Score
The Sioux Falls Canaries (1-0) belted four home runs on the way to beating the St. Paul Saints (0-1) 9-4 on Opening Day at Sioux Falls Stadium.
The Canaries took the early lead as DH Jabari Henry (2-for-4) hit a two-run shot in the second at-bat of the bottom of the first. Henry scored again in the third when 1B Damek Tomscha (2-for-4) bounced out to second, giving the Canaries a 3-0 lead. The Saints battled back in the fourth as C Mitch Ghelfi (2-for-4) doubled home a pair of runs and they tied the game in the fifth as a LF J.C. Milan sac fly plated RF Max Murphy.
Sioux Falls regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth as SS Andrew Ely (2-for-4) and 2B Alay Lago each hit solo homers and they led the rest of the way. Tomscha doubled home Ely and Lago in the seventh and CF K.C. Huth added a two-run shot in the eighth to put the game out of reach.