American Association Insider: Saturday July 25th Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

(non member of IBWAA)

First off, it wouldn't be a complete blog without a mistake. Sioux City and Kansas City are making up Friday night's game on Sunday. I'm assuming in order to let the playing surface have a few more hours to dry out before playing. There was supposed to be a Miracle League function at Lewis and Clark that had to be canceled because the field was still drying. I'm going to guess the tarp was not on when it should've been Thursday night-Friday morning?

Sioux Falls 6 Gary SouthShore 5

When you're on an extended losing streak, sometimes teams are waiting for disaster to occurr. At the Birdcage, it was the eighth inning. With the Canaries down 5-2, a Josh Rehwaldt five iron two run homer made it a 5-4 game. By the time the fans could sit down, one pitch later, Jabari Henry hit a solo shot to tie the game. Later in the inning it was a T.J. Racherbaumer opposite field single that put the Canaries in front for good. Joe Suozzi had four hits and Peyton Long went seven innings only allowing two runs but picked up a no decision. Michael Curialle had four hits for the Canaries including a home run. Game time temperature was 96 degrees which in Sioux Falls feels like 86 because there is always a wind. 

Lincoln 3 Cleburne 2

It was 100 degrees to start the game at Haymarket Park tonight. The teams weren't working by the hour cranking the game out in two hours, twenty five minutes. Down 2-0 in the fifth inning, it was a two run Nick Shumpert single followed later by a Connor Bagnieski RBI single that was the diference. Four Saltdogs relievers combined to allow just two Railroaders hits in the last seven innings. 

Milwaukee 7 Kane County 2

Three Milkmen doubled and Justin Janas had a two run home run in a six run fourth inning as the Milkmen defeated the Cougars. Jeremy Rivas led the Milkmen attack with three hits. Jhordany Mezquita went six innings to pick up the win. Three Milkmen relievers pitched scoreless innings behind Mezquita to secure the win. One of them was Henderson Alvarez III. It will be interesting to see if Alvarez stays in the Milkmen pen or gets stretched out to join the rotation. Alvarez has been a starter throughout most of his career, in MLB and in 2020 when he pitched for a Milkmen team that included Tim Dillard and current Cougars pitching coach David Holmberg. 

Lake Country 4 Chicago 1

Mario Feliciano homered twice, his ninth and tenth, to lead the DockHounds offense in a victory on Saturday night at Kamp Oconomowoc. Jaxx Groshans had two of the Dogs hits including a solo home run accounting for the only Dogs run of the night. A.J. Block struck out a season high seven batters while going 5.2 innings allowing a run. 

Winnipeg 7 Fargo-Moorhead 5

A pair of three run innings got the job done for the Goldeyes at home on Saturday night. Three runs in the first followed by three more off the bat of Ray-Patrick Didder, a three run home run in the fourth inning. Is there a most improved player awarded in AAPB. If so Didder has to be in consideration for it as he now has 13 home runs, batting .279, with a .420 on base percentage. Jose Sermo had two runs batted in to run his total to 70 for the season. Sermo is now on pace for a 116 RBI season. The AAPB record is 106 by Kyle Martin in 2021 with Winnipeg.

Sioux City 7 Kansas City 5

Down 3-0 to the West Division leaders, the Explorers roared back with four runs off of ace starter Ryan Garcia in the fourth inning. The X's added three more in next two innings, receiving shut down pitching from their bullpen to defeat the Monarchs. The only blemish for the bullpen in throwing 4.1 innings was a two run home run from Grant Richardson. Zac Vooletich went 3-5 and is now 7-12 in his last three games. Dillon Tatum had a three run home run in the Explorers four run fourth inning. 

Photo courtesy of Tim Tushla (Sioux City Explorers)

Saturday night studio audiences
Sioux City 1557 (96 degrees first pitch)
Lake Country 1703
Lincoln 3023
Milwaukee 1689
Winnipeg 4022
Sioux Falls 1102








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