Gary Southshore 3, Fargo-Moorhead 2 – Box
After Fargo-Moorhead had taken a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning, Gary was able to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eight to close out the game with a one run lead. The comeback was sparked by RF Drew Martinez, who advanced to first on a fielder’s choice which scored 1B JD Pulfer. Martinez would advance to third on a wild pitch. C Jaime Del Valle singled to bring home Martinez, who would be the winning run. Del Valle would go 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Pulfer reached base more than anyone else in the game, going 1-1 with three walks. Shawn O’Neill got the victory and Chuck Fontana earned the save.
For Fargo-Moorhead SS Zach Penprase and 1B Joe Bonfe were the big bats. Penprase went 1-2 with two runs and two walks. Bonfe went 2-4 with two RBI.
Kansas City 8, Rockland 6 – Box
In this interleague matchup, Kansas City took home the victory due to a steady attack. All nine batter reached base for the T-Bones. Leading the charge was second and third hitters LF Nate Tenbrink and 3B Jake Blackwood. The two hitters combined to go 6-9 with three runs and five RBI. Blackwood and DH Kyle Robinson both had home runs in the game as well. For the T-Bone starter Robert Doran pitched six innings with five strikeouts and the victory.
While Kansas City was led by the top of their lineup, the Boulders were led by the bottom of theirs. All six of Rockland’s runs were scored by spots 5-9 in the order. The big bat was 3B Ryan Fisher, who hit a home run and two RBI. They also had good production from the rest of the infield. 1B Charlie Law and 2B Giuseppe Papaccio combined to go 3-7 with three runs and two RBI.
Wichita 6, Sioux Falls 4 – Box
The Wingnuts were carried to victory behind the bat of CF Joash Brodin. Brodin clobbered his third home run of the season and accounted for 5 of the Wingnuts’ 6 runs in the game. He went 3-4 with two runs and three RBI. The lone run that Brodin didn’t account for was DH Brent Dean. Dean went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Started Scott Richmond went six innings deep with six strikeouts to get the victory. Daniel Carela got the save after striking out three batters in the ninth.
For the Carnaries, 1B David Bergin swung a hot bat. He went 3-4 with a double, a run and two RBI. The double was Bergin’s 10th of the season. 2B Michael Wing also went 1-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
Lincoln 6, St. Paul 5 – Box
With St. Paul leading 3-2 in the bottom of the eight, Lincoln erupted for four runs in the inning to pull away 6-2. The comeback was fueled by RF Brian Joynt, who had a two run single and would later come to score a few batters later on SS Mike Gilmartin’s single. Speedster LF Matt Forgatch caused havoc on the basepaths, stealing three bases. Reliever Zach Arneson got the win and Mackenzie King was credited with the save.
St. Paul tried to mount a comeback in the ninth inning, putting up two runs, but they were unable to get the third run they needed. C Mike Kvasnicka singled to bring home LF Willie Argo and a few batters later RF Robert Youngdahl singled to score DH Ian Gac. Kvasnicka went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Gac went 3-5 with a run scored.
Grand Prairie 10, Amarillo 7 – Box
The AirHogs were able to pull away in this slugfest thanks to a 7 run third inning. The two teams combined for 27 hits and 17 runs. Every batter to hit in the game reached base at least once and 11 players reached base multiple times. Grand Prairie found power from their leadoff hitter 2B Jamondrick McGruder, who went 3-5 with three RBI and two runs. McGruder clobbered a home run and smacked a double, just a triple shy of the cycle. 3B Ridge Hoopii-Haslam also had a good day at the plate going 2-4 with a stolen base, a double and an RBI. Bennett Whitmore was credited with the win and Zachary Dando closed out the game for the save.
Cleanup hitter DH/RF Stefan Gartrell led the offense for Amarillo. Gartrell went 2-3 with a run scored and four RBI. He did most of his damage with one swing of the bat in the sixth inning, hitting a grand slam that would be his fifth home run of the season.
Laredo 4, Joplin 1- Box
Laredo was led to victory thanks to the arm of starting pitcher Greg Holle. He went 7.1 innings without allowing an earned run. He let just five runners on base and struck out one to bring his season ERA down to 1.65. At the plate Laredo was powered by the longball. 1B Dustin Geiger led the second inning off with his eighth home run of the season. CF Dvontrey Richardson led off the next inning with his own solo shot, his third of the season. Richardson went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
SS Maikol Gonzalez swiped two bases for Joplin. Their lone run was scored by 2B Mitch Glasser, who scored on an LF Oscar Mesa double. Glasser went 1-2 with a run scored.
Sioux City 9, Winnipeg 6- Box
Sioux City worked hard to manufacture runs in this game. The Explorers stole seven bases, led by the quick feet of RF Michael Lang, who’s two steals were his 24th and 25th of the season. Lang has only been caught twice this season and leads the league in steals. Even home run leader DH Brock Kjeldgaard got in on the action, stealing his second base of the season. But it wasn’t all small ball, as 3B Tommy Mendonca hit a home run. He went 1-4 with two runs and an RBI. Starter Eric Wordekemper got the victory after pitching five strong innings and Jose Flores earned the save.
SS Josh Mazzola had a good game, hitting a double and a two run triple. Mazzola went 2-4 with a run and two RBI. CF Adam Heisler went 1-4 with two runs, a walk and a stolen base. The stolen base was Heisler’s 14th of the season.
