St. Paul 3, Sioux City 1 (Sioux City leads the series, 2-1) — Box Score
The St. Paul Saints topped the Sioux City Explorers 3-1 behind three RBI from 1B Angelo Songco to force a Game 4 in their semifinal series. Game 4 is set to start at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at CHS Field.
The Saints took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Songco singled to center field to plate CF Alonzo Harris. That lead held until the sixth inning when 1B Rene Tosoni tied the game with a solo home run.
St. Paul regained control in the bottom of the frame when Songco doubled to left field to score RF David Espinosa and American Association Player of the Year C Vinny DiFazio. Espinosa and Songco each had two hits for the Saints and DeFazio as well as Harris and SS Anthony Phillips each added one hit.
For the Explorers, Tosoni had a game-high three hits and CF Matty Johnson, DH Brock Kjeldgaard and C Matt Koch also had one hit apiece.
Saints starter Dustin Crenshaw tossed seven innings and allowed one run of five hits in the winning effort. He issued just one walk and struck out five batters. Sioux City starter John Straka pitched all eight innings for the Explorers and gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out five. Reliever Ryan Rodebaugh came on in the ninth and shut the door to record the save.
Wichita 4, Laredo 3 (Laredo leads the series, 2-1) — Box Score
The Wichita Wingnuts held off a late surge from the Laredo Lemurs to claim a 4-3 win and force a Game 4. The fourth game of the series will be played at 7:05 p.m. CT in Wichita.
Laredo opened things up in the top of the first inning as LF Ty Morrison led off the game with a single to right field and he came around to score when RF Denis Phipps also singled to right field. But the Wingnuts snatched control of the game in the second inning.
1B Andy LaRoche scored when LF Harrison Kain singled and then adanced to second on an error. 3B T.J. Mittlestaedt scored later in the inning when CF Nick Van Stratten singled and in the next at-bat, DH Taylor Oldham drew a walk with the bases loaded. The Wingnuts added to that lead in the seventh inning when LaRoche scored on a double by Mittelsaedt.
In the eighth, Phipps tallied his second RBI of the game as he singled to score C Phil Pohl and in the ninth Pohl doubled home CF Drew Martinez to draw within one run. Morrison came up in the next at bat with two outs and one on and blasted one but RF Brent Clevlen pulled it in on the warning track to end the game.
Starting pitcher Tim Brown garnered the win for the Wingnuts as he went seven innings and allowed one earned run on five hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out three batters. Reliever Paul Smyth earned the save for working the ninth inning.
