Chicago Dogs Win Pitcher’s Duel in Walk-Off Fashion, 1-0
In American Association Daily, Robert Pannier recaps the six games from around the American Association. The Game of the Night was a great 1-0 walk-off victory by the Chicago Dogs over the Sioux Falls Canaries. The St. Paul Saints downed the Wichita Wingnuts, 2-0, and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks homered four times to defeat the Lincoln Saltdogs, 9-4.
Chicago Dogs Earn 1-0 Walk-Off Win
It was an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel in Rosemount, IL on Tuesday night as neither the Sioux Falls Canaries or the home town Chicago Dogs were able to get a run across home plate through the first 10 innings. However, Shawon Dunston, Jr., who appeared in his first game for the Dogs on Monday, ended the game with a walk-off single in the 11th to give the Dogs the 1-0 victory. Five pitchers allowed the Canaries just 5-hits in the win.
Scott Barnes started for the Chicago Dogs and found himself in a little bit of trouble in the first when he hit the first batter of the game and walked the third to put two on with one down. However, he got Chris Jacobs to ground into a double-play to end the threat. Barnes allowed his first hit in the second and then another in the fourth, but that would be all the hits he would allow in his 6-innings of work.
Miles Nordgren was just as impressive. He gave up his first hit in the third and another in the fourth, but both runners were eliminated on double-plays. Chicago would get one other hit in the fifth, but that would be all they could muster against Nordren, who also went six innings.
From there, it became a battle of bullpens. Both were outstanding, keeping the game scoreless through 10. In the top of the 11th, Tyson Perez (1-1) came on for the Dogs and gave up a two-out double, but got the final out on a foul pop out to end it.
In the bottom half of the inning, Michael Baca led off with his second hit of the game, a double. Wilfredo Rodriguez attempted to lay down the bunt but the throw was not in time to get either runner, putting Dogs at the corners with no one out. That brought Shawon Dunston, Jr. to the plate, who was 0-9 in his first two games since returning from the disabled list. On a 1-1 pitch, he grounded a ball hard to first. Jacobs could not make the play and everyone was safe, as Baca scored to give the Chicago Dogs the 1-0 victory.
Edwin Arroyo was 3-5 for Chicago. Mike Hart was 2-3 for Sioux Falls.
Meng Weiqiang Skewers T-Bones in AirHogs 3-2 Victory
After suffering two hard luck loses this season, Meng Weiqiang (1-2) finally got into the win column, allowing one-run on 5-hits in 5-innings as the Texas AirHogs defeated the Kansas City T-Bones, 3-2. Texas took the lead with single runs in the first and fourth. Dillon Thomas plated Stewart Ijames in the first when both AirHogs doubled in the frame. In the fourth, Thomas doubled to start the frame, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Wagner. Each team scored in the fifth and the T-Bones added a run in the seventh, but the AirHogs bullpen shut the door over the final two frames, with Pedro Hernandez earning his first save of the season. Ijames was a perfect 3-3 with a run and an RBI, and Thomas was 2-4 with a run and RBI.
Brennan Metzger Homers Twice as RedHawks Soar Over Saltdogs, 9-4
Usually it is the Lincoln Saltdogs putting up the big power numbers, but not this time, as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks recorded four home runs, including two by Brennan Metzger in their 9-4 victory over the Saltdogs. Metzger led off the game with his first homer of the year and hit a two-run shot an inning later as the RedHawks led 5-0 through two. Leading 5-2 in the top of the eighth, Charlie Valerio blasted his seventh homer of the year, a three-run shot that tied him with Lincoln’s Angel Reyes for most homers in the American Association. An inning later, Yhoxian Medina hit his first home run of the year. DJ Brown (2-0) earned the victory and Tyler Herron took the loss, despite striking out 10 in 8 innings of work. Metzger finished 2-5 with 2-runs and 4-RBI and Valerio was 2-4 with a run and 3-RBI. The Saltdogs added two more homers, the fifth by Curt Smith and the fourth by Christian Ibarra.
Jose Sermo Drives in Two, Explorers Extend Win Streak to Six, 5-2
The Sioux City Explorers won their sixth straight game on Tuesday night, downing the Cleburne Railroaders, 5-2, the same score from Monday night’s contest. A pair of runs in both the second and third put the Explorers on top 4-0. A wild pitch scored Nate Samson with the first run of the game and an error allowed Jose Sermo to score. in the third, Sermo extended the lead to four with a two run double. Cleburne would cut the deficit to three, but Sioux City added a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Samson in the three run victory. Justin Vernia (2-1) earned the victory, and Tyler Fallwell earned the save for the second straight night. Sermo finished 2-4 with a run and 2-RBI.
Reggie Abercrombie Delivers Perfect Night, Goldeyes Win 4-3
The Winnipeg Goldeyes downed the Gary Southshore RailCats on Tuesday, 4-3, thanks to a perfect night at the plate by veteran Reggie Abercrombie. The Goldeyes outfielder was 4-4 with 2-runs and an RBI in the victory. Winnipeg took the lead in the top of the second when Victor Cruzado drove home Abercrombie with a double. Two innings later, it would be the Cruzado-Abercrombie combination again, as a bases loaded walk brought Abercrombie in for the second time in the contest. The veteran added an RBI double in the fourth, the final run the Goldeyes would produce. The RailCats battled back to pull within one, but Victory Capellan closed the door in the ninth for his league leading sixth save.
Jake Esch Blanks Wingnuts, Saints Win 2-0
Jake Esch and four St. Paul Saints relievers made a first inning RBI ground out by Noah Perio, Jr. hold in the 2-0 victory over the Wichita Wingnuts. Esch shook off a tough start in his last outing, blanking the Wingnuts on 5-hits through seven, while striking out 10. The only trouble the right-hander found himself in was in the sixth, when Wichita loaded the bases with one down, but Josh Allen made an incredible play on the other side of the bag, snagging a line drive and turning it into a double-play. Tom Wilhelmsen came on in the ninth and retired the side for his fourth save. Kes Carter added his third homer of the year.
American Association Daily Notes
The Sioux Falls Canaries claimed OF Jordan Smith off waivers from the St. Paul Saints and signed RHP Neal Kunik. Smith had appeared in just 3-games for St. Paul, hitting 1-11. Kunik was with Sioux Falls briefly last season, posting a 2.35 ERA in 3-appearances…The Gary Southshore Railcats signed RHP Jeremy Holcombe. Holcombe last pitched in 2016 for Normal (Frontier League) where he made 2-appearances.
By Robert Pannier
