Amarillo 8, Kansas City 5 (Game 1 – 9 Innings) – Box
The Amarillo Thunderheads scored three runs to break a tie in the ninth inning to defeat the Kansas City T-Bones 8-5. First, 3B Christian Ibarra hit a solo homer to lead off the final inning. Then C Jordan Guida scored on a Kansas City, and finally DH Rene Leveret hit an RBI single. Those were Amarillo’s first runs since the second inning, when 2B Geraldo Valentin hit a two-run homer. Valentin finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and RF Logan Vick finished 3-for-4 with one run, one walk and two RBIs.
Kansas City scored three runs in the first inning, including RBI singles from 1B Jake Blackwood and SS Vladamir Frias. It added two runs in the seventh, but it couldn’t score any more.
Amarillo 7, Kansas City 4 (Game 2 – 7 Innings) – Box
The Amarillo Thunderheads held off a small Kansas City T-Bones rally to win 7-4. The two-game sweep over the T-Bones means Sioux City has clinched the Central Division. The Thunderheads were powered by two-run homers from 1B Rene Leveret and 3B Christian Ibarra. 2B Geraldo Valentin also added three hits for Amarillo. For the T-Bones, 3B Nate Tenbrink hit two solo home runs, and DH Starlin Rodriguez had a two-run double.
Richie Mirowski picked up the win for Amarillo after pitching 6.2 innings with six strikeouts. Richard Barrett got the save by striking out the final batter.
Laredo 7, Sioux Falls 5 (Game 1 – 7 Innings) – Box
Two late home runs propelled the Laredo Lemurs past the Sioux Falls Canaries 7-5 in Game 1 of a Wednesday doubleheader. Down 5-4 in the sixth inning, the Lemurs got a two-run homer from 3B Juan Silverio to take the lead, and C Phil Pohl’s solo homer added the cherry on top. Earlier in the game, Laredo also got a two-run homer from RF Denis Phipps. He was also the only player on either side with two hits. For Sioux Falls, RF Jason Repko’s solo shot in the second was one of the biggest highlights of the game. 3B R.J. Purucki also hit a two-RBI single for the Lemurs.
Ryan Beckman picked up the win after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings for Laredo. John Brebbia got the save with a scoreless seventh inning.
Laredo 1, Sioux Falls 0 (Game 2 – 7 Innings) – Box
The Laredo Lemurs came through with a late run once again to defeat the Sioux Falls Canaries 1-0. With the game still scoreless in the final inning, 3B Juan Silverio’s RBI single scored the only run of the game for Laredo. The pitching was also stellar for the Lemurs as they shut out the Canaries. Matt Sergey got the start and pitched five innings, then B.J. Hyatt and John Brebbia each pitched a scoreless inning.
The Canaries couldn’t get any runs on the board and just recorded four hits with four different players. Starting pitcher Stephen Bougher did perform well, though, after tossing six innings and allowing just one hit and no runs.
Gary SouthShore 3, Joplin 0 (Completion of Suspended Game from 8/18) — Box
The RailCats scored twice in the third inning and again in the fourth to earn a 3-0 win over the Blasters. With two on and two out, RF Adam Taylor smacked a two-RBI double to right field to give Gary the lead in the third. An inning later, 3B Spencer Mahoney drew a bases-loaded walk to push the Gary lead to three.
The RailCats had only three hits on the game, while Joplin had four. 1B Jake Taylor was 2-for-3 for the Blasters.
LHPs Rene Solis and Andy Roberts combined on the shutout for the RailCats. Each pitcher struck out a batter, and Roberts got the win with three innings of relief work.
Joplin 5, Gary SouthShore 1 (7 Innings) – Box
The Joplin Blasters dashed to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings and cruised to a 5-1 win over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. C Carlos Ramirez started the scoring with an RBI double in the first, and then 2B Omar Luna’s putout added another run. In the second, two sacrifice flies and LF Mitch Glasser’s RBI double put three more runs on the board. To go with the good hitting was a strong start by pitcher Josue Montanez, who didn’t allow a run in five innings. Winston Abreu took the save with three strikeouts in 1.1 innings.
In Gary SouthShore’s only run, LF Brennan Metzger hit an RBI double in the sixth inning. CF Jon Jones led the RailCats with two hits. The bullpen also performed well for Gary SouthShore: Matt Solter pitched two scoreless innings and Shawn ONeill tossed one.
Trois-Rivieres 3, Winnipeg 2 – Box
A late fielder’s choice run nudged the Trois-Rivieres Aigles into the lead and the 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. With the score knotted at two in the eighth inning, 2B Jose Cuevas hit into a fielder’s choice that scored SS Pedro Lopez for the Aigles. The game actually started out with each team scoring twice in the first inning, but then great pitching on both sides showed up. LF Adam Heisler led the Goldeyes with two hits.
Trois-Rivieres’ Charles Gillies pitched seven innings and allowed just two runs, while Winnipeg’s Anthony Smith went six innings with just one earned run allowed. Edilson Alvarez pitched a perfect eighth inning for the Aigles and got the win. Kaohi Downing got the save after striking out the side in the ninth.
Fargo-Moorhead 5, Lincoln 3 – Box
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks scored three runs in the first inning and held on for the 5-3 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs. RF Joe Dunigan’s two-run single as well as a sacrifice fly scored those runs. The Saltdogs responded with three runs throughout the game, including 1B Jeremy Hamilton’s RBI single. But then two RedHawks runs in the eighth broke the tie and gave them the win. That’s when CF Drew Muren hit an RBI single and LF Chad Mozingo hit an RBI double.
On the mound, Fargo-Moorhead starter Ty Kelley pitched seven innings and allowed just two earned runs. Tyler Thompson, who got the win for the RedHawks, and Mike Nesseth, who got the save, combined for 1.2 scoreless innings to close out the game.
Grand Prairie 7, Wichita 5 – Box
Fives runs in the eighth inning helped the Grand Prairie AirHogs rally from three down to beat the Wichita Wingnuts 7-5. In the bottom of the eighth, Zane Chavez hit an RBI double to get the ball rolling. Then, Brian Frazier hit a single, which combined with an error, tied the game. Justin Byrd played hero as he hit a single to score the two go-ahead runs for the AirHogs.
One of Wichita’s biggest innings came in a two-run fourth inning. That’s when John Nester hit an RBI single, and Harrison Kain hit into a fielder’s choice to score the other run.
On the mound, Grand Prairie got a quality start from Blake Oliver after six innings and three runs allowed. Wichita’s Tim Brown also had a nice outing of seven innings and two runs.