Abbott, Alexander, Vasquez, Mars Each Homer Twice, Cougars Edge RedHawks
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 six games in the American Association on Friday, including the Danry Vasquez homering twice in his first game with the Sioux City Explorers, the Sioux Falls Canaries edged the Kansas City Monarchs, and Sam Abbott goes deep twice for the Gary SouthShore RailCats. This and much more.
Five-Run Frame Propels Canaries Past Monarchs
The Sioux Falls Canaries scored five runs in the bottom the third inning, then held on for a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Monarchs. Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Matt Adams 13th homerun of the year.
That lead held until the third when Trey Michalczewski tied the score when he reached on an error. A single by Gavin LaValley gave Sioux Falls the lead and John Nester and Shamoy Christopher followed with run scoring singles to extend the lead to three. The Monarchs were able to pull within one when Pete Kozma delivered a two-run single in the fourth, but the Sioux Falls bullpen closed the door from there. Four relievers combined to toss four scoreless frames.
Charlie Hasty earned the victory and Ryan Ferrell closed out the game for his sixth save of the season. LaValley and Nester each finished with two hits and an RBI. Kozma had two hits for Kansas City. Akeem Bostick took the loss.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Caleb Grizzle
Vasquez Homers Twice as Explorers End Skid
Danry Vasquez homered twice and Ademar Rifaela was a perfect 4-4 as the Sioux City Explorers ended their six-game skid with a 7-5 victory over the Cleburne Railroaders. Sioux City took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Trey Martin delivered a two-run blast and Vasquez followed with his first homerun in his first game with the Explorers.
Cleburne responded by scoring single runs in each of the next five frames. Hill Alexander hit his second homerun of the season in the bottom of the third, and he put the Railroaders on top in the bottom of the fifth with his second homerun of the night. However, the Cleburne bullpen could not hold the advantage. Rifaela hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh, putting his team back on top, and Vasquez hit a solo shot in the eighth to seal the victory.
Brandon Brosher earned the victory, tossing three scoreless innings of relief. Thomas McIlraith came on in the ninth to close the game out for his ninth save of the season. Rifaela finished 4-4 with a homerun, two runs scored, and three RBI. Martin and Vasquez each drove in a pair of runs. Alexander had two hits and two RBI and Edwin Arroyo had three hits and drove in a pair of runs for Cleburne.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Fox Hurls Cougars to Rain-Shortened Victory
Jack Fox allowed one unearned run in five innings as the Kane County Cougars defeated the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in a rain shortened affair, 3-1. The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the first on a single by Leobaldo Pina and that lead held through the first three innings as Peyton Wigginton was dominating.
However, in the fourth, Kane County took the lead. Sherman Johnson tied the score with an RBI double and Josh Rolette followed with a sacrifice fly to drive home Dylan Busby. A single by Nick Anderson brought home Johnson as all three runs scored with two outs.
That was all the support that Fox needed, who allowed one unearned run on two hits in 5.0 innings to earn his third victory of the year. Cornelius Randolph finished 3-3 with a run scored and both Busby and Anderson had two hits for the Cougars.
Mars Homers Twice in Dogs Victory
Danny Mars homered twice and drove in five as the Chicago Dogs defeated the Lake Country DockHounds, 11-5. The bottom of the order was devastating for Chicago, as the 6-9 hitters went a combined 13-22 with six runs scored and eight RBI.
Lake Country held a 3-0 lead after two innings, but Chicago scored a run in the third and put up three in both the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead. Grant Kay hit a two-run blast in the fourth that gave Chicago the lead and Mars hit a three-run homer in the fifth. The Dogs sealed the victory with four runs in the ninth in the ninth as Mars hit his second homerun of the game.
Mars finished 3-5 with two runs scored and five RBI. Connor Kopach was 4-5 with two runs scored and Stevie Wilkerson went 3-5 with three runs scored and an RBI. Jordan Kipper earned the victory, allowing four earned runs in five innings. Jake Snider was 2-3 with two runs and two RBI for Lake Country. Gabriel Noriega also drove in a pair of runs.
Abbott Homers Twice in RailCats Victory
Sam Abbott homered twice and drove in five as the Gary SouthShore RailCats defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen, 8-2. Gary SouthShore was trailing by a run entering the top of the sixth, when Thomas Walraven tied the score with a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, Michael Cruz gave his team the lead, leading off the frame with his second homerun of the season. Abbott extended the lead to three with a two-run shot and Walraven hit his third homerun of the season to make it 5-1. The Milkmen cut the deficit to three, but the RailCats sealed the victory with three more runs in the ninth. That came courtesy of Abbott’s second homerun of the evening, a three-run shot.
Abbott finished 3-4 with three runs and five RBI. Walraven drove in a pair of runs and Jesus Marriaga had two hits and scored two runs. Chris Erwin earned the victory, allowing one unearned run in 6.0 innings. Ryan Zimmerman pitched well for Milwaukee but took the loss, allowing two runs in 6.0 innings. Aaron Hill scored two runs for the Milkmen.
Goldeyes-Saltdogs Postponed
Due to mechanical issues with the bus, the contest between the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Lincoln Saltdogs was postponed. The contest will be made up as part of a double-header on Saturday.
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Danry Vasquez (Sioux City Explorers) 3-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
No. 2 – Danny Mars (Chicago Dogs) 3-5, 2 R, 2 HR, Double, 5 RBI
No. 1 – Sam Abbott (Gary SouthShore RailCats) 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, Double, 5 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
The Kane County Cougars earned their third straight victory, pulling within 3.0 games of the Chicago Dogs in the East Division… The Kansas City Monarchs have three of the top four homerun hitters in the American Association, including Jan Hernandez (15), David Thompson (14), and Matt Adams (13),,, The Chicago Dogs have the top two stolen base leaders in the American Association with Michael Crouse (15) leading the league and Charlie Tilson (14) right behind.
Transactions
Chicago: Acquired INF Stevie Wilkerson on loan from Guadalajara (Mexican League)
Cleburne: Released LHP Manuel Silva; Transferred the contract of RHP Michael Krauza to the New York Mets
Gary SouthShore: Signed RHP Yeison Medina; Released RHP Zachary LeBlanc
Kansas City: Removed RHP Brock Gilliam from the Injured List and placed him on the Inactive List retroactive to June 4; Placed OF Joel Booker on the Inactive List; Placed LHP Jacob Lindgren on the Injured List retroactive to June 15
Lake Country: Released RHP Taylor Bloye and RHP Mei Mei Cheng; Signed LHP Robert Gonzalez
Sioux City: Released C Cordell Dunn Jr.
Winnipeg: Traded RHP Josh Lucas to Cleburne for cash considerations
By Robert Pannier
