Lincoln 4, Texas 2 – Box
The Saltdogs struck early in Friday’s game, scoring a run in the first on a solo homer from 2B Cesar Valera to take a 1-0 lead. It was Valera’s first homer of the season. The Saltdogs added two more runs in the third, on a RBI double from Valera and a RBI single from RF Trever Adams. The Airhogs scored runs in the fourth and seventh, with RF Denis Phipps hitting his second home run of the year in the seventh, but were unable to take the lead back from the Saltdogs. RHP Michael Wagner nailed the door shut in the ninth, picking up his eighth save of the season with a scoreless frame. RHP Carlos Pimentel picked up his fifth win of the year, going 7.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and striking out eight. Valera also picked up two hits and scored two runs in the win.
St Paul 13, Winnipeg 7 – Box
The Saints picked up their 23rd win of the season on Friday night, outlasting the Goldeyes 13-7 for their third straight win. LF Anthony Gallas was the hero, picking up two hits, hitting his fifth home run of the year, and knocking in three runs in the rout. The Saints scored all of their runs between the second and sixth innings, scoring three runs in the second, four runs in the third, three in the fifth and four in the sixth. 1B Tony Thomas and DH Brady Shoemaker also hit homers in the win, their eighth and seventh of the season, respectively. RHP Jason Creasy picked up the win to run his record to 4-2 on the year. He went seven innings, allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five.
Sioux Falls 15, Salina 1 – Box
The Canaries toppled the Stockade on Friday night, exploding for 15 runs as they picked up their 15th win of 2017. The big inning came in the 7th when the Canaries blasted 12 runs to take a 15-1 lead over the Stockade. Only one run in the inning came via home run, with LF Ty Morrison hitting a solo shot. He added another home run for his seventh of the year, as he finished with three runs scored and four RBIs. SS Blake Schmit was 2-5 with five RBIs in the victory. RHP Grady Wood benefitted from all the run support, as he won his third game of the season. The righthander went six innings, allowing a run on four hits and striking out four in the win.
Cleburne 5, Wichita 3 – Box
The Wingnuts came into this game with a 23-10 record, but a four-run first inning from the Railroaders shut them up quick. 1B Geraldo Valentin knocked in the first run with a RBI single. DH Shawn Zarraga followed him with a RBI single and Valentin scored on a RBI single from LF Blake Grant-Parks. The fourth run was scored on a RBI double from RF Fernelys Sanchez. The Wingnuts added a run in the second inning but failed to score again until the eighth, as the Railroaders went on to win 5-3. Valentin was 3-5 with two runs scored and a RBI in the victory. Grant-Parks was also 3-5 and added two RBIs as well. LHP Wander Perez picked up the win in his first start of the year, as he allowed one run over five innings. RHP Winston Abreu earned his ninth save of the year by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Gary Southshore 6, Fargo-Moorhead 2 – Box
The Railcats won their fourth straight game on Friday, wasting no time by taking a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo home run from RF Colin Willis. Willis scored again in the fourth on a RBI double from 3B Randy Santiesteban. The Railcats made it a 3-0 lead in the seventh, but the Redhawks stormed back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, courtesy of a two-run double from SS Yhoxian Medina. The Railcats put the game out of reach in the eighth, scoring two runs to make it 5-2 and then scoring once in the ninth for a 6-2 win. Willis finished 3-4 with three runs scored in the win. LHP Alex Gunn picked up his second win of the year with 6.2 innings of two-run ball.
Sioux City 12, Kansas City 3 – Box
The Explorers and T-Bones each had hot starts, combining for four runs in the first inning. It stayed close until the fourth inning when the Explorers exploded for a three-run inning to make it a 6-3 game. The Explorers had one more multi-run inning, adding four runs in the eighth en route to a 12-3 victory. C Dylan Kelly hit his first home run of the year in the win, finishing with four RBIs. LHP Cody Forsythe earned his third win of the year, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings and striking out eight.
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