Kansas City 8, Lincoln 3 – Box Score
The Kansas City Monarchs advanced to the West Division Championship Series with an 8-3 win against the Lincoln Saltdogs in Game 2, sweeping the first-round series.
The Monarchs took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as 2B Ryan Grotjohn singled home CF Mallex Smith and 3B Darnell Sweeney(2-for-4) scored on an error. In the third, Sweeney hit a two-run homer to double the lead. In the top of the fourth, Lincoln pulled within a run as 3B Ryan Long hit a solo shot and DH Luke Roskam added a two-run home run.
In the bottom of the fourth, Sweeney cleared the bases with a grand slam that gave the Monarchs an 8-3 lead.
For the Monarchs, reliever Jordan Martinson earned the win as he worked two hitless innings and struck out four batters.
Kansas City will see the winner of the Winnipeg-Fargo-Moorhead series in the West Division Championship Series for the right to play in the American Association Championship Series.
Kane County 6, Cleburne 4 – Box Score
The Kane County Cougars leveled the series with the Cleburne Railroaders with a 6-4 win on Friday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.
The Cougars claimed control of the contest in the bottom of the second inning as CF Jimmy Kerrigan (3-for-4) hit a lead-off double and scored in the next at-bat when DH Nick Franklin (3-for-4) singled to right. Franklin scored on a single from 3B Alexis Pantoja and Pantoja scored alongside SS Galli Cribbs Jr. when RF Ernie De La Trinidad (2-for-5) doubled.
Cleburne drew one back in the fifth as 2B Edwin Arroyo (2-for-5) singled home 1B Jacob Bockelie and they pulled within one in the next frame when 3B Chase Simpson (2-for-4) and SS Nick Shumpert each added RBI singles. In the home half of the inning, De La Trinidad doubled to score 1B Mitch Nay. In thee top of the seventh,DH Hill Alexander scored on a sac fly and in the bottom of the inning, the Cougars responded with an RBI double from Franklin.
The decisive game three will take place tomorrow, Saturday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Chicago 8, Milwaukee 6 – Box Score
The Chicago Dogs overcame a five-run first to take game two and even the series with the Milwaukee Milkmen with an 8-6 win on Friday evening.
The Milkmen moved in front as 3B Logan Trowbridge(2-for-4) singled to score CF Bryan Torres (2-for-4) and scored when 2B Miguel Gomez singled later in the inning. C Hector Sanchez added a three-run home run two batters later to give the Milkmen a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, 3B Cody Bohanek (3-for-4) hit a three-run homer and C Ryan Lidge (2-for-5) singled to scoreSS Connor Kopach.
In the third, DH Keon Barnum added a solo shot for the Milkmen but both DH Stevie Wilkerson (3-for-4) and RF Anfernee Grier (3-for-4) scored on a double from Kopach to level the score at 6-6.
In the bottom of the seventh, Grier hit a two-run homer that gave the Dogs the lead for good.
The series finale will take place tomorrow, Saturday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Fargo-Moorhead 8, Winnipeg 3 – Box Score
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks plated five runs in the second inning and rolled to an 8-3 win against the Winnipeg Goldeyes and level the series 1-1.
In the bottom of the second, both RF John Silviano and 2B Peter Maris hit two-run home runs and CF Evan Alexander (3-for-4) scored on a wild pitch to stake the RedHawks to a 5-0 lead. The RedHawks added another run in the fifth when 1B Manuel Boscan scored on a wild pitch.
Winnipeg’s 3B Ian Sagdal (2-for-5) and Fargo-Moorhead’s LF Alec Olund traded solo homers in the sixth and, in the seventh, RF Michael Crouse (2-for-4) hit a two-run home run for the Goldeyes in the seventh to pull within four but the RedHawks added another insurance run in the eighth on an RBI fielder’s choice from Boscan in the eighth.
Game three is set for tomorrow, Saturday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m.
