St. Paul 5, Winnipeg 4 – Box
The always formidable St. Paul squeaked by the Goldeyes with the longball tonight. RF Mike Kvasnicka set the tone early, with a three run home run in the bottom of the first. The home run was his ninth of the season, good enough to be tied for fourth in the league, but only tied for second on his own team. The combination of Kvasnicka, 1B Angelo Songco and C Vinny DiFazio are first, second and third in the league in RBI. Even with all that power, 3B Ryan Lashley hit his first home run of the season tonight. Starter Dustin Crenshaw earned the victory and Ryan Rodebaugh picked up the save.
Down two, the Goldeyes tried to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth. 3B Josh Mazzola hit his 13th home run of the season, but they couldn’t get the final run to tie the game. LF Adam Heisler went 1-3 with a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases
Kansas City 1, Gary Southshore 0 – Box
It was a battle of pitching staffs as neither team scored a run until the eighth inning, when Kansas City finally drove home a run to take the lead. The two teams combined to use as many pitchers in the game as there were hits, 6. Gary starter Travis McGee went 5 innings and only allowed one hit. On the other side KC starter Bobby Doran went 7 innings and only allowed three hits. Fernando Hernandez would come on in relief for Doran and ended up with the victory.
The lone run was scored in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs and a man on first and third, 3B Nate Tenbrink singled to bring home C Alex Marquez.
Fargo-Moorhead 13, New Jersey 12 – Box
Thanks to the big bat of CF Chad Mozingo, the RedHawks were able to survive this interleague slugfest that saw 27 hits and 25 runs between the two teams. Mozingo had 3 extra base hits, including a home run and two doubles. He finished 4-5 with three runs and 6 RBI. He has been absolutely killing the ball this season. In 10 games Mozingo has hit .425 with 10 runs and 13 RBI. Because of a valiant effort by New Jersey, they needed every run Mozingo could give them. Starter Tyler Herron got the win for the RedHawks.
After going down 13-8, the Jackals showed they had some fight in them. They put up two runs in the bottom of the 7th and the bottom of the 9th to bring themselves within one, but couldn’t get the final run to tie the game. RF Leandro Castro had a solid day at the plate, going 2-5 with two runs, two RBI and a stolen base. 1B AJ Kirby-Jones also scored three runs.
Laredo 1, Joplin 0 – Box
In a game that seemed destined for extra innings, 3B Juan Silverio made sure that wasn’t going to happen with a walk off hit in the bottom of the ninth in a scoreless game. LF Dvontray Richardson singled to start off the inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Silverio singled to right field to bring home Richardson and end the game. Richardson ended up 2-4 with a run scored and Silverio went 2-4 with an RBI. Reliever John Brebbia pitched a perfect ninth to earn the victory.
Joplin get a fantastic start from Nestor Molina. He went eight innings without allowing a run. He only allowed four runners on base and struck out seven before being taken out for the ninth. DH Mitch Glasser went 1-2 with a walk in the game
Sioux City 6, Lincoln 1 – Box
Once again it was RF Michael Lang who was a menace on the basepaths for the Explorers. Lang swiped two bases while going 2-5 with two runs scored. Starter Patrick Johnson also had a strong performance for Sioux City going 6.1 innings and only allowing one hit. He struck out six to bring his season ERA down to 2.03. SS Noah Perio went 1-3 with two runs, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base.
The SaltDogs were able to scrape one run off of Johnson after 3B Eddie Young walked in the seventh inning. After advancing to third, Young was brought home by 1B Jeremy Hamilton’s sacrifice fly.
Grand Prairie 5, Amarillo 2 – Box
After trialing for most of the game, the AirHogs exploded for five runs in the top of the ninth inning to break the game open and take the victory. The exclamation point came from C Matt Pair, who hit a two run triple in the inning. He finished 3-4 with a run scored and two RBI. The next batter up was 3B Ridge Hoopii-Haslam, who proceeded to send the ball into the stands and with two swings of the bat Grand Prarie had opened up a four run lead they would not relinquish. Reliever Zachary Dando was awarded the victory and Logan Norris got the save.
The Thunderheads were led by Geraldo Valentin, who gave them their initial lead with a solo home run in the fifth inning. Valentin went 2-5 with a run and an RBI. The second run was scored by RF Dexter Kjerstad who went 2-4 with a run scored.
Wichita 3, Sioux Falls 1 – Box
The Wingnuts struck early with a three run third inning and never looked back thanks to a strong effort from starter Jon Link, who went 6 innings and only allowed four hits. He struck out six. CF Jayce Ray, SS Luis Hernandez and RF Harrison Kain all went 2-3 with a run scored. Ray also had a walk and an RBI. Kain stole a base and Hernandez also had a double in the game. Reliever Dakota Watts pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to end the game and pick up a save.
The lone run of the game for the Canaries was scored by 1B David Bergin. He tripled and was then brought home by DH Brain Humphries, who had a sacrifice fly to the right fielder. Humphries went 1-3 with an RBI.