American Association Insider: Tuesday July 28th Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

(non member of IBWAA)

After wins for Winnipeg and Kane County on a limited schedule on Monday night, all twelve teams were in action on Tuesday night. There were two extra inning games, one that featured a fly ball caught at the warning track to end the game, another where a little league home run scored the deciding runs. "Not bad for a day at a dog food company".



Milwaukee 5 Cleburne 3

A tight game as one would expect between two of the hotter teams in July. The Milkmen held the Railroaders to four hits, but had to hold on late to get the win. Griffin Doersching, remember him? I feel like I haven't mentioned him in a while. Well, he had two home runs and three RBI as part of a 3-4 night. Cody Templeton picked up the win going seven innings allowing two runs and striking out eight batters. It was Templeton's first win since joining the rotation. Dakota Chalmers pitched 7.1 innings for the Railroaders, keeping his team in the game allowing four runs. Gutty outing for both pitchers on a night where first pitch temperature was 97 degrees.

Lincoln 5 Fargo-Moorhead 3

Single runs in the fourth and seventh innings were the difference as the Saltdogs defeated the RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field. Cam Phelts drove in three runs for Lincoln and Foster Pace went six innings allowing three runs to pick up the win. 

Gary SouthShore 9 Sioux City 5

The losing streak is finally over for the RailCats, thanks to a five run sixth inning that turned a 5-3 deficit to an 8-5 lead. Marc Flores and Joe Suozzi both drove in three runs for the RailCats with Flores homering in the eighth inning. The RailCats also got four shutout innings out of their bullpen to make the lead stick. Alberto Osuna led the Explorers offense with three RBI.

Winnipeg 3 Kansas City 1 

It was a trio of solo home runs that did the trick as the Goldeyes defeated the Monarchs for a second straight night. Ray-Patrick Didder and Noah Marcelo both homered in the first inning. Ramon Bramasco added a solo of his own in the fourth inning. Luken Baker accounted for the only run for the Monarchs with what else, a solo home run. It was the only mistake by Luke Boyd who went eight innings to pick up the win. Don't look now, but Didder is now tied for third in the American Association with 15 home runs. 

Sioux Falls 12 Lake Country 10 (10 innings)

The Canaries found out that no lead is ever safe at Kamp Oconomowoc. After leading 8-0 in the third inning and 10-6 going into the ninth, the DockHounds rallied for four runs in the ninth to tie the game. But the game took a weird twist in the 10th inning. With the automatic runner on second to begin the inning, Anthony Sharkas, inserted into the game for Josh Rehwaldt, laid a bunt down. What transpired gave me PTSD from my slow pitch softball days. A wild throw to first allowed Sharkas to reach as he headed to second. From there, nobody was covering third but that didn't stop a throw from coming into third. The second error on the play allowed Sharkas to score. Scott Combs had a key home run, a solo shot in the ninth that proved to be the run to advance the game to extra innings. Combs for the night went 2-3, driving in three runs. Anthony Garcia hit his eighth home run in 22 games, and drove in five runs for the night. 

Chicago 7 Kane County 6 (10 innings)

The Dogs had to work late to do it, but they were able to snap a five game losing streak at Northwestern Medicine Field. Down 4-1, the Dogs scored the next five runs of the game before Kane County was able to tie the game in the ninth forcing extra innings. Tyreque Reed had three hits and three runs batted in for the Dogs. Charles Mack and Nick Dalesandro both had three hits for the Cougars. The Cougars have been hit hard by the injury bug. Along with Claudio Finol being out for the year, Alex McGarry and Todd Lott were both out of the Cougars lineup on Tuesday. Throw in Westin Muir being out of the rotation with an injury, George Tsamis will have to work the phones hard to find the right mix of players to make a run at a three peat. 

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