American Association Insider: Saturday June 27th Takeaways

 Saturday night's alright for baseball as we saw seven games throughout the Association. The last games comfortably played before a heat wave is expected to settle over the Midwest.

Lincoln 5 Chicago 4 Game 1 of DH (8 innings)

Two extra inning walk off wins for the Saltdogs in the last 24 hours with the Chicago Dogs as the victim. The Saltdogs trailed in the seventh to tie the game, and a Cary Arbolida double plated the winning run leading off the eighth inning. Cam Phelts has been an on base machine for the Saltdogs. If he hadn't only played 23 games, I would've gave him consideration for my All Star Team. Phelts went 3-4 raising his batting average to .318 and his on base percentage to .433. 

Lincoln 10 Chicago 1 Game 2

The Saltdogs left no doubt in this one scoring eight runs in the first three innings to leave no doubt on this game. Jairo Pomares doubled and homered in driving in four runs for the night. Jacob Hughes threw six shutout innings to pick up the win. The Saltdogs have now rattled off four wins in a row as the Dogs are heading in the other direction dropping their sixth in a row. The Dogs are now 10.5 games out of first place. Sure, we're in the first half but that is a big hole to dig out of. 

Sioux City 3 Kansas City 2

Visa's current slogan is "Meet Visa. A network working for everyone". It took quite a while but it's finally working for the Explorers. The talk all season was, wait for the X's to get their guys off the Visa restricted list, Jaseel De La Cruz who was expected to be on a pitch count, economized his pitches and gave the X's six innings of two run ball allowing just two hits. Another Visa restricted pitcher, Kelvin Caceres threw two scoreless innings before Trey Morrill who is stepping up as a ninth inning guy allowed just a walk in picking up his second save. De La Cruz and Caceres provide enough pitching for the X's to get on a roll. Zac Vooletich hit a two run home run and Zane Denton hit a solo home run to give the Explorers just enough run support. I was at the game. It may be the first time I've been to a night game in Sioux City where we still had daylight after the game ended.

Kane County 3 Sioux Falls 2

Through six innings it was all about Christian Edwards as he carried a no hitter into the seventh inning. But a walk and a hit by Matt Bottcher broke up the no hiter and led to both runners eventually scoring to knot the game at two apiece. In the eighth the Cougars took the lead for good as Nick Dalesandro, Cougars catcher and ChampPro jersey model tripled and scored one batter later. The Cougars bullpen did what you have come to expect, allowing just two hits in the final four innings to shut down the Canaries. 

Cleburne 6 Milwaukee 1

This may be a rare time where a team on a six game road trip is NOT looking forward to heading home. The Roaders after taking three from the Dogs in Chicago are showing they do not discriminate. For the second night in a row, the Railroaders got a complete game gem from a starter, this time from Dakota Chalmers. Chalmers allowed just the run on eight hits and are now right back in the crazy mix we call the East Division. Mallex Smith drove in three runs and Cole Foster homered for the second consecutive night. Davis Welch had to leave the game early for the Milkmen which could be a big blow if it's serious. 

Winnipeg 9 Fargo-Moorhead 5

The Goldeyes take another from their I-29 rival. The Goldeyes were up 7-1 after four innings but the RedHawks made a game of it scoring four in the sixth inning but could not get any closer. Ray-Patrick Didder homered and Keyshawn Lynch drove in three runs to lead the Goldeyes. Dillon Thomas was not in the lineup for the RedHawks tonight. Not sure if that means it's a serious injury or if it was just a day off to recuperate. 



Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi


Lake Country 8 Gary SouthShore 1

Ripken Reyes collected three hits and scored three runs while Peter Zimmerman drove in four as the DockHounds are showing there's still offense after Ryan Hernandez. Chris Jefferson who had been throwing out of the bullpen, threw five innings allowing one run on three hits to get the win. Jefferson may be a piece that Ken Huckaby is looking at to be a rotation piece as his starting staff have been depleted with signings. The win, coupled with Milwaukee's loss tonight puts the DockHounds back in first place by a half game. 


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