American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, Robert Pannier recaps the three games in the American Association on Monday, including both Jan Hernandez and Willie Abreu who each hitting two home runs in a Kansas City Monarchs victory, and the Lake Country DockHounds sweeping a double-header from the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Plus, Hernandez and Buddy Baumann honored. This and much more.

DockHounds Sweep RailCats

Evan Kruczynski tossed five shutout innings to lead the Lake Country DockHounds to a 6-0 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the second game of their double-header sweep on Monday. Kruczynski tossed five no-hit innings, walking two while striking out seven to earn his first victory of the season. Mitch Sparks completed the shutout, allowing two hits and 2.0 innings.

Lake Country took command of this game in the second inning, scoring four runs. Lamar Briggs delivered a two-run single and a third run scored on an error on the play. Aaron Takacs followed with an RBI double. Takacs and Briggs each finished with two RBI. Blake Berry and Wilfredo Gimenez each scored two runs. Harrison Francis took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 5.0 innings. Michael Woodworth and Daniel Lingua had the only hits of the game for the RailCats.

Game 2 Boxscore

In the opening contest, Lake Country jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then held on for a 4-3 victory. The DockHounds jumped out in front with two runs in the first inning. Gabriel Noriega and Gio Brusa each plated runs in the frame. An inning later, Takacs delivered an RBI single, but the RailCats battled back, as Sam Abbott homered in the bottom half of the frame, his second of the season. Gary SouthShore made it a one run game in the bottom of the fifth when Daniel Lingua drove home Jackson Smith. The teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning. Zach Racusin hit his third homerun of the season for the RailCats.

However, Cyrillo Watson came on in the seventh inning to close the door for his first save of the season. Francisco Jimenez earned the victory, allowing three runs in 6.0 innings. He struck out eight. Brusa finished with three hits. Racusin had two hits for the RailCats.

Game 1 Boxscore

Lake Country DockHounds Recap by Sam Matheny

Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman

Hernandez, Abreu Each Homer Twice in Monarchs Victory

Willie Abreu and Jan Hernandez each went deep twice on Monday night as the Kansas City Monarchs outslugged the Lincoln Saltdogs, 14-9. Kansas City hit six home runs in all and Lincoln added four.

Hunter Clanin led off the game with his fourth homerun of the season, the first of two homers on the night for the Saltdogs outfielder. However, Abreu led off the bottom half of the inning with his first homerun of the game. Matt Adams added a two-run blast, and Hernandez finished off the scoring with his first of the night. Clanin added his second homer in the top of the third, but David Thompson delivered a two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning, his sixth homerun of the season.

A three-run shot by Matt Goodheart in the top of the fourth made this a 6-5 game, but the Monarchs put this contest away, scoring three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. Hernandez and Abreu both homered in the seventh and Kevin Santa delivered a three-run double in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Long hit a two-run shot and the top of the ninth, his third of the season, but the Saltdogs could get no closer.

Clanin finished 4-5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Goodheart had three RBI for Lincoln. Santa drove home four and Hernandez scored four runs and had three hits. Gabriel Guerrero also had three hits in the game. Akeem Bostick earned the victory.

Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon

Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Caleb Grizzle

Boxscore

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Jan Hernandez (Kansas City Monarchs) 3-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR, BB

No. 2 – Willie Abreu (Kansas City Monarchs) 0-2, R, 2 BB, 5 SB

No. 1 – Evan Kruczynski (Lake Country DockHounds) 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

American Association Daily Notes

Lincoln Saltdogs left-hander Buddy Baumann was named the American Association Pitcher of the Week for Week 2 by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report. Baumann set a franchise record with 15 strikeouts in only seven innings. The American Association also selected Baumann as their Pitcher of the Week… Kansas City Monarchs outfielder Jan Hernandez was selected by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as the American Association Player of the Week for Week 2. Hernandez hit .500 during the week, including hitting for the cycle on Saturday. Hernandez was also selected by the American Association as Player of the Week… Hernandez homered for the third straight game on Monday. He also recorded a two-homer contest for the second straight game. The Kansas City outfielder has five home runs over his last three contests… The Lincoln Saltdogs saw their five-game winning streak come to an end… The Kansas City Monarchs extended their winning streak to four straight games… The Kansas City Monarchs and Lincoln Saltdogs combined for 10 home runs on Monday night. That is the most home runs hit in a game by two teams this season… Saltdogs outfielder Hunter Clanin and Monarchs outfielder Willie Abreu led off the game for their teams with homeruns on Monday. While it does not appear that this is recorded as an official stat in the American Association, it is the first time in at least eight years that both leadoff batters led off the game for their team with a homerun.

Transactions

Chicago: Placed RHP Mickey Jannis on the Injured List retroactive to May 20

Cleburne: Signed C Nikolas Sanchez; Released RHP Pete Perez and RHP Alexis Rivero; Placed RHP Brendan Bell on the Injured List retroactive to May 29

Fargo-Moorhead: Traded INF Jacob Bockelie to Cleburne for a player to be named later

Gary SouthShore: Activated OF Zach Welz from the Inactive List; Removed LHP Trevor Lubking from the Injured List and placed him on the Inactive List retroactive to May 14; Placed RHP Edward Cuello on the Injured List retroactive to May 21; Signed RHP Zachary LeBlanc

Lake Country: Signed RHP Alex Reinoehl; Placed LHP Kyle Huckaby on the Injured List retroactive to May 18; Removed RHP Cory Taylor from the Injured List and placed him on the Inactive List retroactive to May 5

Lincoln: Traded OF Connor Panas to Trois-Rivières (Frontier League) for a player to be named later

Milwaukee: Signed LHP Jack Mahoney

Sioux City: Released RHP Carlos Sierra

By Robert Pannier