Laredo 10, Sioux City 9 (Game 1 – Completion of suspended game from July 16 – 10 Innings) – Box
The Laredo Lemurs outscored the Sioux City Explorers 2-1 in the 10th inning and won 10-9 in a completion of Thursday’s suspended game. Combined, there were a whopping 36 hits. Of all the hits, there were several long balls: a third inning solo homer from Laredo’s RF Denis Phipps and a fourth inning solo homer from Sioux City’s RF Michael Lang. Then in the 10th inning, DH Dvontrey Richardson led off with a solo home run to put Laredo up one and an error later allowed 1B Dustin Geiger to score the eventual winning run. Sioux City would put up a last ditch effort with a sacrifice fly RBI, but that would be all it could get.
Though both pitching staffs struggled to contain the bats, there were a couple bright spots. Laredo’s Henry Garcia only allowed one earned run in 4.2 innings, and Sioux City’s Jimmer Kennedy pitched a scoreless two innings in relief.
Sioux City 2, Laredo 0 (Game 2 – 5 Innings) – Box
The Sioux City Explorers used two early runs to take the 2-0 win in the weather-shortened game over the Laredo Lemurs. It was an interesting juxtaposition with the first game of the day, a completed suspended game that went double the innings. In the first inning, 2B Ryan Court hit an RBI single to put Sioux City up 1-0. In the third, SS Noah Perio slapped a double to bring in the insurance run, which proved to be all the Explorers needed. Perio finished the game a perfect 2-for-2.
Ryan Zimmerman started the game for Sioux City and had a dominant performance. He pitched the complete five innings and only allowed three hits in his shutout.
CF Ty Morrison, DH Denis Phipps and C Brian Peterson each recorded a hit for Laredo.
Lincoln 1, Kansas City 0 – Box
A day after Kansas City scored 11 runs on Lincoln, the Saltdogs flipped the script and held the T-Bones scoreless. Lincoln defeated Kansas City 1-0 on a walkoff hit in the ninth inning. With men on second and third, Jeremy Hamilton played hero with the game-winning single. Hamilton led Lincoln as the only player to record two hits; for Kansas City, C Brian Erie was the only player with two hits.
Both starting pitchers pitched extremely well, although neither factored into the game’s decisions. Lincolns’s Zach Varce went 7.2 innings and struck out eight while allowing zero runs. Kansas City’s Casey Barnes went seven innings and allowed zero runs as well. To complete the shutout for the Saltdogs, Conor Spink recorded one out and Marshall Schuler picked up the win after a scoreless ninth.
St. Paul 8, Sioux Falls 1 – Box
Stellar pitching and two big scoring innings allowed the St. Paul Saints to easily defeat the Sioux Falls Canaries 8-1. Starting pitcher Dustin Crenshaw went eight innings deep and allowed just one earned run. With the game scored 1-1 in the fifth inning, 1B Angelo Songco broke it open with a three-run homer. After tacking on another run in the eighth, the Saints piled three more runs on in the ninth. A putout scored the first run, CF Alonzo Harris hit an RBI single and an error allowed the last run. RF Mike Kvasnicka led St. Paul at the plate with four hits, while Harris and DH Ian Gac each had two.
The lone Canaries run occurred in the first inning when 1B David Bergin hit an RBI single. DH Brian Humphries led Sioux Falls with two hits.
Joplin 4, Amarillo 3 – Box
The Joplin Blasters emerged from a back and forth with the Amarillo Thunderheads as 4-3 victors. Joplin led 2-0 when Amarillo’s C Corey Bass hit an RBI single in the fifth. The Thunderheads tied it up in the sixth off an error. Joplin then responded with two in the seventh inning with an error and CF Oscar Mesa’s RBI single. 1B Rene Leveret would hit a solo home run in the eighth for Amarillo, but there would be no more runs scored and Joplin survived. Leveret had the best night of all hitters as he went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and an RBI. Mesa, LF Yasser Gomez and 2B Aaron Brill each had two hits for Joplin.
Both starting pitchers, Joplin’s Alberto Castillo and Amarillo’s Matt Larkins, each pitched five innings and allowed one earned run.
Gary SouthShore 9, Winnipeg 8 – Box
With three combined runs in the first inning and six combined in the ninth, there was no shortage of excitement in Gary SouthShore’s 9-8 win over Winnipeg. Headed to the final inning, the RailCats held a 7-4 advantage. C Michael Vaughn singled to center to bring in their eighth run and 2B Jose Sermo hit another RBI single to extend the lead to five. Winnipeg wouldn’t wilt – DH Nic Jackson led the charge with a two-run homer. A fielder’s choice and putout added two more runs to cut the Gary SouthShore lead to just one. However, Winnipeg couldn’t conjure up any more rally magic and fell just short.
Gary SouthShore CF Jon Jones hit a perfect 4-for-4 on the night. Each of the Goldeyes’ top three batters – CF Adam Heisler, SS Casio Grider and 3B Casey Haerther – registered three hits.
Wichita 7, Grand Prairie 4 – Box
The Wichita Wingnuts had 14 hits and scored early and often to beat the Grand Prairie AirHogs 7-4. LF Joash Brodin kicked off the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning. CF Jayce Ray’s single in the second inning brought in two more runs, and 1B Matt Padgett doubled home a fourth run in the third inning. 2B Starlin Rodriguez added another two-RBI single in the sixth for Wichita. Ray led the Wingnuts with three hits, and he added one run and two RBIs.
Wichita also received strong bullpen pitching. Al Yevoli, Frankie Reed and Dakota Watts each pitched an inning, and no runs were allowed.
Grand Prairie actually scored three runs in the first inning but couldn’t carry that momentum throughout the game. In the first, C Zane Chavez doubled home two runs, and then LF Willie Cabrera brought Chavez home.
Sussex County 5, Fargo-Moorhead 1 – Box
The Sussex County Miners scored a run in each of the first three innings and used that fast start and great pitching to coast to a 5-1 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. CF Reggie Abercrombie started the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single. Abercrombie finished with three hits. In the second inning, the Miners scored when LF Johnny Bladel earned a bases loaded walk. DH Ryan Pineda sacrificed himself to bring in the third run, and he ended the game 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs.
The single run for the RedHawks occurred in the third inning when CF Drew Muren singled the runner home.
Jamie Walczak started the game for Sussex County and really shined. He pitched 8.2 innings and struck out eight while allowing zero earned runs. Joe Testa closed out the game with the final out and earned the save.
