Milkmen 8, Cougars 1 – Boxscore
In the opening game of a three-game series, the Milwaukee Milkmen claimed an 8-1 victory over the Kane County Cougars on Friday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.
Milwaukee (35-31) took the lead early against Cougars’ (33-34) starter Ryan Tapani (5-6). In the top of the first, Miguel Gomez launched a three-run homer over the right field fence to make it 3-0.
The Milkmen added to their lead in the top of the second. Following a Jeremiah Burks single, Bryan Torres tripled down the right field line to put Milwaukee ahead 4-0. The Milkmen added another run in the third on an error by Cougars’ shortstop Galli Cribbs Jr. that made it a five-run edge.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Cougars got on the board against Milwaukee starter AJ Jones (4-3). To lead off the inning, Ernie De La Trinidad blasted a solo homer over the right field wall to make it a 5-1 ballgame. However, Milwaukee responded right back with a solo shot by Gomez to put the lead back at five runs.
Milwaukee added two more runs in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by Keon Barnum and Gomez to push the lead to 8-1. Gomez finished the night 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs.
Milkmen starter AJ Jones earned a quality start, as he allowed just one run on four hits across six innings of work with three strikeouts against two walks. Following Jones’ departure, Jack Mahoney, DJ Sharabi, and Juan Echevarria combined to shutout the Cougars in the final three innings.
DockHounds 1, Goldeyes 3 – Boxscore
The Winnipeg Goldeyes (38-28) beat the Lake Country DockHounds 3-1 at Shaw Park on Friday night.
Eric Rivera was hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the first. Rivera stole second, took third on a deep flyout to left-centre from Raul Navarro, and scored the game’s first run when Max Murphy reached on a two-out, infield single. The Goldeyes then loaded the bases on a David Washington single and a Reggie Pruitt Jr. walk, and took a 2-0 lead on an RBI infield single from Deon Stafford Jr.
The DockHounds (24-42) cut the Goldeyes’ lead in half in the top of the fifth on a two-out, RBI single to left from Giovanni Brusa. Goldeyes’ starter Freisis Adames came back to strike out Jake Snider looking to strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the eighth when Navarro lined a single to right leading off. The hit stretched Navarro’s hitting streak to a career-high 19 games. Murphy followed with a single to left, and Washington advanced the runners to second and third with a groundball to first. After Pruitt was intentionally walked, the Goldeyes cashed in an insurance run when Navarro scored on a Stafford sacrifice fly to centre.
Five Goldeyes’ relievers combined on four shutout innings in relief of Adames. Zac Ryan worked a perfect sixth, while Erasmo Pinales, Travis Seabrooke, and Bryan Blanton each recorded two outs on strikeouts to preserve the lead through eight innings. Tasker Strobel struck out two in the ninth and worked out of a first and second, no-out jam to earn his league-leading 18th save of the season. Goldeyes’ pitching combined for 16 strikeouts in the win.
Adames (7-3) earned the win, allowing one earned run on five hits in five innings. Adames walked two and struck out seven.
Francisco Jimenez (3-7) started for the DockHounds and took the loss, allowing two earned runs on four hits over six innings. Jimenez walked two and struck out two.
RedHawks 1, Saltdogs 6 – Boxscore
Greg Minier tied a career high with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings, Jason Rogers hit his first Saltdogs homer, and Lincoln beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 6-1 in the series opener at Haymarket Park on Friday night.
Minier continued his brilliance this year, allowing just four hits and three walks with the 11 strikeouts, and the ‘Dogs hit their first three homers of the home stand to snap a two-game skid.
Lincoln (32-35) opened the scoring when Rogers drove in his fourth run in four games with a groundout in the 1st inning.
Garett Delano added to the lead with a two-run homer in the 4th before Rogers hit another two-run homer in the 5th.
Fargo-Moorhead (43-23) got on the board with Nick Novak’s solo homer in the 6th.
Randy Norris hit his second home run of the year – a solo shot to give Lincoln a 6-1 lead in the 8th inning.
The RedHawks loaded the bases in the 9th inning, and with the tying run on deck Steffon Moore entered the game in a save situation. Manny Boscan popped out to first before Evan Alexander grounded out, and Moore picked up his ninth save of the season.
RailCats 10, Railroaders 7 – Boxscore
It was the explosive fifth inning that carried the RailCats in their 10-7 victory over the Railroaders on Friday night from The Depot at Cleburne Station.
The Railroaders struck first, a usual sign that they will come away with a win. Eddie Hernandez hit a deep fly ball to center field that scored Hill Alexander on a sacrifice fly.
Cleburne starter Michael Wong started off the game in electric fashion, retiring the first six batters he faced. He got into some trouble in the top of the third when Gary put three across and on top 3-1.
They padded onto that total in the fourth when another run came across.
It was then the fifth inning that ultimately did the ‘Roaders in as five came across in the frame, ending Wong’s night.
As usual, however, the Railroaders weren’t going to go out that easily. Two straight singles by Edwin Arroyo and Chuck Taylor put two aboard for Zach Nehrir who doubled to score both runners. Chase Simpson then singled home Nehrir and all of a sudden, the Railroaders were back in the game. Kacy Clemens got a single of his own to put runners on first and second which then brought Hector Sanchez to the plate, where he lined a single into left field to score both Clemens and Simpson to make the score 9-6.
Cleburne had a big opportunity to strike in the next frame, as they loaded the bases for Clemens who came to the plate with two away. He was unable to take advantage, however, as he grounded out to first to strand the bases loaded.
It wasn’t until the top of the seventh that either team put another run on the scoreboard. Landon Holifield made his return out of the bullpen in the inning after a couple of months on the Inactive List due to an arm injury. He allowed one run in his return, a run that gave the RailCats some much-needed insurance at 10-6.
Going into the bottom of the ninth, Yeison Medina came on to pitch for Gary SouthShore in an attempt to shut the door on the Railroaders. He retired Clemens to lead off the inning before facing Alexander, who blasted a home run over the scoreboard in left field to edge Cleburne a bit closer at 10-7. It would not be enough, however, as Medina was able to get the next two batters to end the ballgame and get the RailCats their second win of the six-game series.
The loss was given to Wong, who went 4.2 innings and allowed nine runs (eight earned), on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
RailCats’ starter John Sheaks got the win putting his record at 3-5. He allowed six runs on 11 hits but did not walk anybody and punched out four batters.
Monarchs 6, Canaries 1 – Boxscore
The Kansas City Monarchs (44-22) continued their winning ways against the Sioux Falls Canaries (24-40) behind Willie Abreu’s strong performance at the plate. Abreu finished with a home run, double and five RBIs on the night. Abreu’s offensive onslaught propelled the Monarchs to a 6-1 win, their fifth in a row.
In the first inning, Ty Culbreth, starting pitcher for the Sioux Falls Canaries, retired the Monarchs in order, picking up his first of five strikeouts on the night. Jon Harris received the start for the Monarchs and controlled the Canaries early, retiring three out of four batteries in the first frame.
The Monarchs offense took flight in the second inning, starting off with a double from David Thompson. Between two at-bats ending in fly outs for the Monarchs, J.C. Escarra drew a walk to reach first. Alexis Olmeda displayed patience at the plate, drawing a walk to load the bases for Willie Abreu. Abreu took advantage of the opportunity and cleared the bases with a double to center field. Culbreth escaped the inning by striking out Kevin Santa, but the Monarchs led 3-0 heading into the home half of the second. In the bottom of the second, Harris picked up two strikeouts in the inning on his way to retiring three out of four Canaries once more, to hold them scoreless.
Both offenses were quiet in the third inning, as Culbreth retired three out of four Monarchs. Culbreth allowed one hit, a two-out double to David Thompson, but escaped unscathed in the inning, holding the Monarchs scoreless. Harris continued his scoreless outing with some support from the Monarchs infield. Pete Kozma, Chad De La Guerra and J.C. Escarra teamed up to complete an inning ending 6-4-3 double play following a one-out walk.
In the fourth frame, Abreu was once again a smooth operator with two outs. With J.C. Escarra on first base, Abreu drove a deep, no-doubt-about-it blast over the right field wall. Abreu’s two-run home run pushed the Monarchs lead to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. In the home half of the sixth, the Canaries finally answered on offense with a two-out, solo home run from Trey Michalczewski to cut the deficit to four runs. Harris walked one following the home run but struck out Kona Quiggle to end the inning.
The Canaries called upon Nate Garkow to replace Ty Culbreth on the mound. Garkow settled in quickly, striking out the first two batters he faced before surrendering a two-out double to David Thompson, Thompson’s third of the night. The Monarchs couldn’t add to their lead as Garkow secured a scoreless inning of work, retiring Gillaspie to end the top of the fifth inning. Harris continued his strong outing in the fifth inning, retiring the Canaries in order and picking up another strikeout on the night.
In the sixth inning, both offenses slowed down, with no runs added for either team and only two hits combined. Harris concluded his quality start with six innings of work, four hits allowed, two walks, four strikeouts, and only one earned run. The Monarchs led 5-1 heading into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, Garkow, for the third inning in a row, retired three out of four Monarchs and allowed only one hit and no runs. Jordan Martinson entered on the mound to replace Harris for Kansas City. Martinson controlled the inning on the mound with two strikeouts and no runs or hits allowed, as he retired three out of the four Canaries he faced.
The Monarchs finally scored a run with Garkow on the mound in the eighth inning after an error from Osvaldo Martinez with runners on base. The Canaries error came following J.C Escarra’s double. Kansas City pushed the Monarchs lead to 6-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Martinson relied upon two Monarchs in the eighth, Pete Kozma and J.C. Escarra, to retire the side in order. Kozma and Escarra recorded three straight 6-3 putouts to hold the Canaries scoreless once more.
In the top of the ninth inning, Kansas City went down in order, as Garkow finished his night on the mound with no earned runs in five innings of relief work. Frank Rubio entered for Martinson, making quick work of the Canaries, retiring them in order to secure the win.
Dogs 4, Explorers 5 – Boxscore
Once again entering the ninth inning trailing Sioux City found a way to come back as Trey Martin’s single in the bottom of ninth won the game over the Chicago Dogs, 5-4.
The Explorers struck in the first with Danry Vasquez’s single to left field, that scored Trey Martin, who reached via error, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch.
Chicago tied up the game in the following inning, to make it a 1-1 score. Anfernee Grier reached home on Trent Bauer’s ground out.
The Dogs added three more runs in the third, to go up 4-1. The inning started with four connective singles, scoring two runs. The last run came on a Grier ground out.
Zach Hedges started on the bump and took the no decision tonight. He fired five and two-thirds innings, gave up nine hits, four runs, two walks, and struck out three batters.
Blaine Hardy (2-2) came into the game in the sixth, and retired all ten batters he faced. Hardy collected six strikeouts, in a perfect three and one third innings.
Jeff Kinley was the Chicago Dogs starter and also took the no decision in the game. He threw five and two-third innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, zero walks and had five strikeouts.
Brian Schlitter (4-1) took the loss tonight, as he gave up five hits, three runs, zero walks, and had one strikeout in the ninth.
In that ninth inning the X’s started another comeback. Nate Samson started with a single to right field and was followed by a single from Ademar Rifeala who was pinch ran for by tomorrow’s starting pitcher Patrick Ledet. Zack Kone loaded the bases after attempting to sacrifice himself with a bunt but ended up reaching. Gabe Snyder who tied the game with a pinch hit two-run single, scoring both Samson and Ledet. The game winner came off the bat of Trey Martin, who scored Zack Kone with a two out single tonight field.
Sioux City has now won four games over the last five days in which they entered the ninth inning trailing.
