Saltdogs 4, Milkmen 1 – Box Score
The Lincoln Saltdogs (24-22) defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen (21-25) 4-1 Monday night at Franklin Field.
The Saltdogs took an early lead in the second inning when 1B Matt Goodheart roped an RBI double to right field to put Lincoln up 1-0.
The Milkmen tied the game in the third inning when 2B Bryan Torres hit an RBI triple to center field.
The Saltdogs extended their lead later on in the game. In the sixth inning, RF Welington Dotel notched an RBI triple and CF Pat Caufield hit an RBI single to put Lincoln up 3-1.
The Saltdogs added one more in the seventh as 2B Josh Altmann hammered a double to left field to make it 4-1.
Greg Minier started on the mound for the Saltdogs. He earned the win and the quality start, allowing one run in six innings while striking out seven batters.
Milkmen starting pitcher Myles Smith earned the loss. He went six innings, allowing three runs and collecting seven strikeouts.
Goldeyes 2, Explorers 7 – Box Score
The Sioux City Explorers (20-25) handled the Winnipeg Goldeyes (24-22) Monday night, defeating them 7-2.
The Explorers scored early and never looked back. In the bottom of the first, 1B Danry Vasquez hit a double to right field to give Sioux City a 1-0 lead.
They added a pair of runs the next inning as C Shane Podsednik hit a two-run home run to put Sioux City up 3-0.
A sacrifice fly from Vasquez in the bottom of the third added one more run for the Explorers. DH Sebastian Zawada hit a double to left field to make the score 5-0 after four innings.
In the fourth inning, Vasquez hit a two-RBI single to put the Explorers up 7-0. Vasquez finished his night 3-4 with four RBIs.
The Goldeyes brought two across in the ninth when SS Justin Thompson hit a two-RBI single to right field, but they were not able to mount a comeback.
Explorers starting pitcher Tom Windle earned the win and quality start. He threw six scoreless innings while collecting three strikeouts.
DockHounds 1, RailCats 9 – Box Score
The Gary SouthShore RailCats (21-27) beat the Lake Country DockHounds (17-31) 9-1 on Monday night.
In the first inning, 2B Michael Woodworth singled with one out. After three consecutive walks, he scored putting the RailCats up 1-0. A wild pitch scored SS Daniel Lingua from third. C Michael Cruz doubled down the right-field line to put the RailCats in front 4-0.
Gary SouthShore continued to pile on in their next turn at bat. 3B Tom Walraven worked a one-out walk and immediately stole second base. Woodworth walked and Lingua singled to fill the bases. LF Victor Nova beat out a would-be inning-ending double play to force a fielder’s choice that increased the RailCats lead to five.
Lake Country responded in the fourth inning as C Wilfredo Gimenez hit a solo home run.
Gary SouthShore scored three more runs in the fifth inning, each run coming with two outs.
Just one inning later, the RailCats once again rallied with two outs for another run. Nova doubled to left-center field and RF Jesus Marriaga scored him with an RBI single, making the score 9-1.
Harrison Francis earned the win and quality start for the RailCats. He threw seven innings allowing one run and striking out four.
Kane County 3, Chicago 1 (Game #1 of Doubleheader – 7 innings) – Box Score
Game #1 of the 4th of July Doubleheader was drawn out a little longer than anticipated, but ultimately ended in the Kane County Cougars (26-22) defeating the Chicago Dogs (31-16).
With a box score filled with many zeros, the Cougars 1st inning spurt is what would end up winning it for them. Jimmy Kerrigan cranked a 2-run homerun in the top of the first to secure the Dogs’ first two runs.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Dogs showed some signs of life as K.C. Hobson singled his way to first, advanced to second on a Danny Mars single, then ultimately scored on a Grant Kay single to left field.
The Cougars would go on to score one more run in the top of the 5th to wrap up the scoring for the game.
Jack Fox for the Cougars pitched 5 innings allowing 1 earned run on 7 hits while striking out 9.
Kane County 2, Chicago 5 (Game #2 of Doubleheader – 7 innings) – Box Score
The bats were a bit more lively for the Chicago Dogs (31-16) in game #2 of their doubleheader against the Kane County Cougars (26-22). The Dogs ended up winning in breakaway fashion following a fireworks delay late in the game.
Cornelius Randolph broke the ice in this game for Kane County with a solo HR in the top of the first.
Stevie Wilkerson retaliated with a solo HR for the Dogs in the bottom of the 2nd and was followed up by a Grant Kay double which would eventually lead to a run scored.
That would be enough to defeat the Cougars although the Dogs did score another run in the 4th and two final runs in the 6th.
Jeff Kinley pitched a solid game for the Dogs throwing five innings while giving up only 1 run on 1 hit with 7 SO’s.
Kansas City 10, Cleburne 9 – Box Score
While not as big of a boom as last night’s ending, Jan Hernandez once again brought late fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend as his late-game heroics propelled the Kansas City Monarchs (31-16) to a win, defeating the Cleburne Railroaders (15-32) in game one of the away series. The matchup was a back-and-forth dogfight all the way through, with only one inning with no runs scored, but Kansas City came out on top late, 10-9.
The Monarchs struck early in this holiday showdown as Darnell Sweeney led off the game with a walk from Cleburne starter Garrett Alexander; then he would reach second base three pitches later on a fly ball to left field off the bat of Kevin Santa to put a Monarch in scoring position in the first. Third baseman David Thompson would then capitalize on Sweeney’s efforts with an RBI double, giving the Monarchs an early lead. Gaby Guerrero would then step in and smack an RBI single, scoring Thompson and setting the score at 2-0 Monarchs before the turn of the inning. In the bottom half, Monarchs starting pitcher Akeem Bostick would allow the first two Cleburne batters to reach base, but he would then retire the next three without allowing a run, capping the inning off with a four pitch strikeout.
The Monarchs stayed on Alexander in the second, as shortstop Pete Kozma led the inning off with a double before moving to third base, thanks to a single from the next man in the order, Chad De La Guerra. Sweeney continued his hot streak when he came to the plate and hit a two-RBI double, scoring both Kozma and De La Guerra. The next batter in the order, Santa, would hit a single to the left that would allow Sweeney time to round the bases and make it home, bringing the score to 5-0 in the second inning. In the home half, the Railroaders began to head down the right track. Bostick allowed a single to each of the first three batters, loading the bases for Nick Shumpert, who promptly became the fourth batter to hit a grand slam off of a Monarchs pitcher this season, cutting the Kansas City lead to one. Bostick would then strike out two of the next four batters, retiring three of them and escaping the inning without any more damage.
In the third, back-to-back one-out walks from Casey Gillaspie and Kozma as well as a single from De La Guerra would load the bases for Kansas City, but then back-to-back punchouts would leave them that way. In the bottom half, back-to-back singles would put runners at the corners for Cleburne. Hunter Wolfe then bounced into a double play but Hill Alexander would score from third, tying the game at five.
The fourth also proved eventful, as the Monarchs’ half yielded an RBI double from Guerrero that scored Santa, giving KC the lead once again, 6-5. In the bottom half, an unorthodox triple to center field from Edwin Arroyo would put him in scoring position, and he would score two pitches later on a wild pitch, tying the game once more. Later in the inning, a walk and a stolen base from Zach Nehrir would put him in scoring position at second base, and Kacy Clemens would capitalize with an RBI single, giving Cleburne their first lead of the game with the score 7-6.
The Monarchs wouldn’t allow the lead to change for long, however, as De La Guerra would lead the top half of the fifth off with a solo home run to knot the score at seven. In the bottom half, Bostick would call it a night as Justin Donatella would enter at the beginning of the half inning and record the first 1-2-3 inning of the contest, which would be followed by six more straight outs in the sixth.
In the top half of the seventh, a Kozma walk broke the streak of 1-2-3 innings, but the Monarchs were unable to cash in. For the Railroaders, a trio of singles would plate Clemens and give the Railroaders an 8-7 lead.
In the eighth, the Monarchs would get two on the bases but Cleburne reliever Austin Fairchild would keep them stranded, holding the one run Railroaders lead as the teams headed to the bottom of the eighth. Offensively, the Railroaders’ Edwin Arroyo would draw a leadoff walk, and then steal both second and third. This allowed Chase Simpson’s single to score Arroyo, giving Cleburne a much needed insurance run late, as the Railroaders now held a two-run 9-7 lead.
To begin the ninth inning, Railroaders closer Nick Gardewine would enter in and walk the first two batters he faced, giving Kansas City the go-ahead run at the plate with no outs. After a flyout and a pinch hit strikeout, Sweeney stepped up and was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Santa with two away. Santa drew a 3-2 walk to score one and bring none other than Jan Hernandez to the plate, just a day after his electrifying walkoff grand slam. Similarly to the night before, Hernandez drew the count to 3-2 with 2 outs and the bases loaded with himself as the last chance for the Monarchs. Also similarly to the night before, Hernandez delivered. This time, with a two-RBI single that gave the Monarchs a 10-9 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth. In the bottom half, Jameson McGrane came on to slam the door, and after a Wolfe single, he was helped out by a great play at the warning track by left fielder Darnell Sweeney to save extra bases and a run. The next batter, Hernandez would fittingly catch the final out in center field, sealing the win for the Monarchs in the ninth.
