American Associaiton Insider: Division Finals Game Three Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

Both game threes are in the books and both higher seeds have held serve leading to two possible eliminations on Friday night.

Milwaukee 3 Kane County 0

Such an odd game, but in the end the Cougars are shutout for the second game in a row. We thought the Cougars had got on the board in the third inning. Sam Dexter launched a ball to left field that he believed had left the park. The umpiring crew ruled it had not. With Dexter trotting, he was easily retired between first and second base. Witnesses claimed that the ball had indeed left the park but bounced off the berm and back onto the field. With a white line at the top of the fence, that's a tough call to make with a white ball. Just a thought here, but how about a yellow line and or a basket beyond the wall that would catch the ball?

The Milkmen scored a pair in the bottom of the frame as Cougars starter Jake Gilbert walked three Milkmen and was burned for a two run triple by Delvin Perez. Griffin Doersching added an RBI single in the fourth and that was it for the scoring on a dreary night at Franklin Field in front of a crowd of 162.

Juan Diaz picked up the win allowing four hits and striking out seven in six innings. Jake Gilbert pitched four innings, allowing the three runs on two hits, walking the three batters in the third, but striking out eight. Vin Timpanelli held the Cougars in the game throwing four scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out seven. So 15 Milkmen struck out but they found a way to win. Do or die time for the Cougars. My guess is the Cougars throw T.J. Sikkema and the Milkmen counter with Angelo Cabral. 




Kansas City 7 Fargo-Moorhead 3

Back home at Legends Field in front of 772 fans, the Monarchs used the weapon they so often do at a cozy ballpark, the long ball to take a 2-1 lead over the RedHawks. Much like the other game tonight, walks haunted the RedHawks as two out walks to Luken Baker and Grant Richardson set the stage for a two run Saul Garza home run to stake the Monarchs to a 3-0 lead. The RedHawks got to within a run on a two run home run by Jesus Lujano in the third inning. But the Monarchs pulled away with single runs in the fourth through seventh innings, highlighted by a Tyler Gentry solo shot in the fifth inning, his fourth of the playoffs.

Jimmy Endersby shut down the RedHawks after the Lujano home run. Endersby went seven innings allowing the two runs on five hits, striking out eight batters. Kyle Crigger picked up the loss allowing six earned runs in 5.2 innings. It's back against the wall time for the RedHawks, a situation that has never seemed to faze the RedHawks in the playoffs. But the big bats will have to step up if they wish to play on Saturday. On Thursday night the 2nd through 6th hitters went a combined 2-18.

It will be Michael Mariot going for the Monarchs against Parker Harm on Friday night. 
















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