American Association Insider: Friday July 10th Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

(non member of IBWAA)

 Before we get going, this may be the last you hear of me until after the All Star Break. I'll be taking in a game in LaCrosse, Wisconsin tomorrow night, looking for a grad pitcher that can throw strikes. Then I'll be taking a trip with my family. I'll be back for the "second half" starting next Friday. 

Kansas City 3 Sioux Falls 2, Kansas  City 6 Sioux Falls 2

Game One was all about pitching. Both starters, Garrett Martin for Sioux Falls, Ryan Garcia for Kansas City had good stuff. Martin only allowed two runs in six innings. Garcia went the distance for the Monarchs with the only damage, an Anthony Hall two run homer in the sixth to tie the game. The Monarchs scored the winning run in the seventh. With two runners on, a throwing error on a Nick Martini sacrifice bunt attempt brought an abrupt end to the proceedings. Garcia notched his eighth win to lead the league by two wins over several others.

Game two was an easier road to victory for the Monarchs. Four runs in the second and two in the third was all that new Monarchs hurler Geison Urbaez needed to complete the sweep. Urbaez went five innings allowing a single run. Saul Garza, Ryan Leitch and Trevor Boone all homered for the the Monarchs as all the runs scored via home runs. 

Kane County 1 Chicago 0

Konnor Ash has been victimized this season by a lack of run support. Tonight Ash took matters into his own hands. With only one run of support, coming from a Matt Bottcher RBI double in the fifth inning, Ash only allowed two Dogs hits in throwing eight shutout innings in picking up his fourth win. It was Ash's first win since a similar effort at home versus the Sioux Falls Canaries on May 28th, eight innings, no runs on two hits. Since then Ash had thrown six quality starts but got four losses and two no decisions in those outings. Steven Lacey pitched six innings allowing the only run of the game picking up the hard luck loss. 

Fargo-Moorhead 5 Cleburne 4

It was a 5-3 RedHawks lead after two innings, but the pitching for both sides took it from there. The RedHawks bullpen was the hero thrown 4.1 scoreless innings to hold down a hot offensive Railroaders team as of late. Dillon Thomas had a three run home run for the RedHawks, his 11th. Caleb McNeeley hit a two run shot, his seventh. 

Winnipeg 9 Gary SouthShore 3

The hot bats of Winnipeg made it through border patrol back into Canada. They scored six off of Peyton Long who has been one of the best pitchers in the league in the first half. Ray-Patrick Didder homered, his eighth and Noah Marcelo had three hits and Keyshawn Lynch drove in four runs. How lethal has this Goldeyes batting order been? Legendary slugger Max Murphy was slotted in eighth in the Goldeyes order. Murphy has been struggling while his teammates have picked up the pace. 

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi


Sioux City 9 Lincoln 8 (11 innings)

I would expect nothing less from these two clubs. After trading runs in the 10th innings, Braulio Vasquez drove in a pair of runs with a single to walk off the Saltdogs. D'Shawn Knowles went deep for the Explorers, the only player on both teams to go deep tonight. The Explorers bullpen was superb. Four pitchers allowed no earned runs in 4.2 innings of work. This is the third win in a row for the Explorers and all three have been in dramatic style. They may be last in the standings, but they are only two games out of second place. This team has enough talent where if they get on a roll, they will be a dangerous foe in the second half. 

Milwaukee 7 Lake Country 5

The Milkmen finally got their crosstown rivals in their ballpark and didn't disappoint the home town fans as they defeated the DockHounds. Yordys Valdes who took over the lead off spot after Michael Hallquist had his contract transferred to the Cubs, is trying to make fans forget about Hallquist. Valdes homered in the sixth, a two run shot that accounted for the winning run. Cole Fuecker who only had a few games with Sioux Falls last year under his belt has made his presence known with Lake Country, homering three times and driving in nine runs in four games after a three run homer off of Solomon Bates, his only blemish in six innings of work. Bates picked up his second win in a row and has not allowed an earned run in his last two starts. 

10th Inning Stretch Power Rankings as of July 10th

1. Milwaukee Milkmen 38

2. Kansas City Monarchs 37

3. Lake Country DockHounds 31

4. Cleburne Railroaders 31

5. Sioux Falls Canaries 31

6. Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 30

7. Lincoln Saltdogs 30

8. Kane County Cougars 29

9. Winnipeg Goldeyes 29

10. Sioux City Explorers 27

11. Gary SouthShore RailCats 25 

12. Chicago Dogs 19

It's so bunched up between 3rd-9th. It could be a different story by the end of the weekend. 

See ya all after the All Star Game. 

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