Wichita 3, New Jersey 1 – Box
A solo home run from SS Luis Hernandez iced the win for the Wichita Wingnuts in a low-scoring affair with the New Jersey Jackals. Hernandez’s blast in the fourth pushed the game to the eventual 3-1 final score. New Jersey had scored first in the second with a 1B Jared Schlehuber RBI double, but Wichita responded with two runs in the third – RBI singles from RF David Espinosa and 1B Matt Padgett – and then the home run.
On the mound, Wichita starting pitcher Omar Bencomo shined. He pitched eight strong innings and allowed just one run and three hits. Bencomo also struck out eight. Dakota Watts got the save with a scoreless ninth. The three New Jersey relievers – Francisco Gracesqui, Donnie Joseph and Alex Powers – combined to allow zero runs and just two hits.
Sioux Falls 6, Kansas City 3 – Box
A four-run second inning and great overall performance from LF Brian Humphries pushed the Sioux Falls Canaries to a 6-3 win over the Kansas City T-Bones. Humphries led off that second inning with a solo home run, then two RBI doubles from DH Richard Stock and 3B Angel Chavez added runs two and three, and a sacrifice fly added the fourth. Humphries finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs, one walk and two RBIs. Starting pitcher Shawn Blackwell also deserves some recognition due to his seven innings of work with just one run allowed. He also struck out seven.
LF Adam Bailey was the biggest bright spot in the T-Bones’ defeat. Bailey hit two home runs and finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Reliever Derek Loera pitched three scoreless innings to finish the game.
Winnipeg 4, Amarillo 1 – Box
A two-run homer and tremendous pitching led the Winnipeg Goldeyes to a 4-1 win over the Amarillo Thunderheads. 3B Josh Mazzola’s homer in the third inning brought Winnipeg to a 3-0 lead, enough runs for the win on Friday. And for the first eight innings, the Goldeyes pitched a combined shutout. Kyle Anderson, who got the win, pitched a quality start with six innings and no runs. Mark Pope and Jon Jones pitched scoreless innings each. C Luis Alen led the Goldeyes with two runs, while Mazzola’s two RBIs led the team in that category.
The lone run for the Thunderheads came in the ninth inning with CF Dexter Kjerstad’s solo home run. SS Juan Martinez and Kjerstad each had two hits.
St. Paul 18, Gary SouthShore 2 – Box
The St. Paul Saints scored early and often and showed no mercy in an 18-2 win over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. 1B Angelo Songco started the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning, and it was a sign of things to come. 3B Ryan Lashley hit a solo homer in the second, the Saints scored six runs in the seventh and DH Vinny DiFazio closed the game out with a two-run shot in the ninth. LF Willie Argo, DiFazio and Lashley each recorded four hits, and DiFazio led the team with five runs and five RBIs. Starting pitcher Dustin Crenshaw picked up the win after six innings pitched with no earned runs allowed.
1B-SS Jose Sermo led the RailCats with three hits. 1B-C Jaime Del Valle and SS Ryan Brockett each had two.
Grand Prairie 7, Fargo-Moorhead 4 – Box
The Grand Prairie AirHogs rallied down 4-3 with four runs in the final two innings to defeat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 7-4. LF Willie Cabrera hit an RBI double in the eighth to tie the game headed to the final inning. In the ninth, the AirHogs pulled away with a RF Ronnie Richardson RBI double, a 3B Ridge Hoopii-Haslam RBI triple and an error. Cabrera led the team with three hits. Colin Allen pitched a scoreless eighth inning and got the win; Logan Norris got the save after a scoreless ninth.
LF Chad Mozingo had an exceptional game for Fargo-Moorhead in defeat. He went 4-for-5 with one hit. C Connor Andrus, who went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs, also played well.
Joplin 8, Laredo 3 – Box
The Joplin Blasters used a solid team pitching effort to defeat the Laredo Lemurs 8-3. Alberto Castillo started for Joplin and picked up the win with 6.2 innings pitched and just two runs allowed. Winston Abreu recorded the save with 1.1 scoreless innings. SS Maikol Gonzalez and RF Jesus Solorzano each hit solo homers for the Blasters. Gonzalez finished the game 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs, and Solorzano finished 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
The Lemurs scored all three runs in the seventh inning. C-DH Ryan Ortiz and Chris Elder each hit an RBI double, and a wild pitch scored the third run. CF Ty Morrison and Ortiz led the Lemurs with two hits each.
