American Association Insider: Friday August 15th Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

(non member of IBWAA)

Seven games on the slate in the Association on Friday night. I think we are seeing playoff intensity as we will only have three weeks of games remaining after Sunday. Let's go around the league.

Chicago 7 -6     Lake Country 5-5

After spotting two to the DockHounds in the top of the first, a Jaxx Groshans three run home run gave the Dogs a 3-2 lead. The Dogs would not trail the rest of the way. Nick Roselli had a solo home run and Ethan Wilder connected for a two run shot for the Dogs. Joshua Mears took the league home run lead with a home run for the DockHounds. 

In the second game, the Dogs walked off the DockHounds on a bases loaded walk to Giovanni DiGiacomo. Seems to fit the 2026 theme of the season. Joshua Mears homered again to take the league after Jose Sermo homered in Fargo to temporarily tie Mears. Dom Johnson and Anthony Garcia also homered for the Hounds. Jaxx Groshans homered for the second time in the doubleheader and Zach Stokes also connected for Dogs. Stokes has been a nice find, now batting .342 in 120 at bats for Chicago.

Kansas City 3 Milwaukee 1

After being shut out in Oconomowoc last night, the Monarchs had not scored in 16 straight innings going into the eighth inning. The offense woke up just in time. Trailing 1-0 the Monarchs cashed in on a two run home run by Grant Richardson to take a 2-1 lead. They would tack on an insurance run in the ninth on a Luken Baker double. Sawyer Allen came in the game in the second inning and allowed just one hit striking out nine to pick up the win. Cody Templeton went six shutout innings for the Milkmen picking up a no decision. 

Fargo-Moorhead 4 Sioux Falls 3

It looked good early for the Canaries as Jabari Henry had a pair of run scoring doubles to give Sioux Falls a 3-1 lead in the third.  But Jose Sermo left his hand prints on this game, homering to tie the game in the sixth, then stealing third with a throwing error allowing him to score the eventual winning run in the eighth.  The Canaries got a boost from Nicholai Arbach who went six innings allowing three runs, two earned. 

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi


Sioux City 4 Winnipeg 3

The Explorers scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed taking the series opener at Blue Cross Park. Nate Mertens went seven innings allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out 11 to pick up the win. Three different Goldeyes collected two hits each. With the win and the Canaries loss, the Explorers now sit only two games behind the Canaries for the final playoff spot. A win on Saturday or Sunday would clinch a third consecutive series win. The X's have not had any long winning streaks but keep racking up series wins and you'll be in good shape come Labor Day. 

Gary SouthShore 6 Cleburne 

Kevin Watson Jr. hit a solo home run that broke a 4-4 tie in the top on the ninth. The RailCats scored another run in the ninth and shut down the Railroaders in the bottom of the ninth to win their third in a row in Texas. With two more wins this weekend, the RailCats can come out of the six game stand with the Railroaders 1.5 games back in the chase for the final playoff spot. Nick Podkul had a two run home run in the first inning to get the RailCats going. Caleb McNeely homered for the Railroaders, his 12th of the season. 

Lincoln 12 Kane County 6

The two teams that met in Kane County this week resumed their week long engagement in Lincoln. The Saltdogs scored a total of nine runs in the fourth and fifth to take a commanding lead. The Cougars got back in the game with six runs in the sixth, but the Saltdogs bullpen shut the Cougars down the rest of the way. Calyn Halvorson and Griffin Everitt both knocked in three runs each to lead the Saltdogs. Cary Arbolida had the only home run of the game, a solo shot for the Saltdogs. 































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