Dogs Maul Railroaders, Milkmen Blank Cougars to Advance

Robert Pannier September 10, 2023

Photo Credit: Jennifer Andreachi/Field Dreams Photography

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, Rob Pannier recaps the two games in the first round of the American Association playoffs, including the Chicago Dogs destroying the Cleburne Railroaders to advance to the second round of the American Association playoffs, and the Milwaukee Milkmen ride the arm of right-hander Kyle Mora to advance.

Game Recaps for Saturday

Dogs Roll Past Railroaders

The Chicago Dogs found themselves trailing after three and a half innings, but responded with eight unanswered runs on their way to a 12-5 victory over the Cleburne Railroaders. Steven Lacey allowed one run in five innings to earn the victory. The victory allows Chicago to advance to the East Division Finals.

Cleburne took the lead in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by José Sermo, his second of the postseason. However, Chicago responded immediately, scoring two in the bottom half of the inning. With one down Brennan Metzger was hit by a pitch before Nick Heath walked. That brought Payton Eeles to the plate, who singled home two runs. The Dogs added a run an inning later on a Cody Bohanek double, then scored five more in the bottom of the sixth. Luke Mangieri had an RBI single. A wild pitch brought home a second run of the inning before Dylan Rosa hit a two-run homer, his first. Matt Bottcher then went back-to-back with his first home run of the postseason.

Cleburne loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but came away empty-handed. In the eighth, the Railroaders added a run on a double play groundout, but Chicago put this game away, scoring four more in the bottom half of the frame. Ryan Lidge had a two run double. Cleburne did add three more in the top of the ninth thanks to a Zach Nehrir three run homer, but that would be all the offense they could produce.

Rosa had three hits, scored three runs, and drove in two, and Eeles had two hits and drove in three. Bohanek also had three hits, as seven of the nine players in the starting lineup for Chicago each had at least two hits. Sermo, Elmer Reyes, and Blaze Brothers were each 2-4 with a run scored for Cleburne.

Boxscore

Mora Dominates for Milkmen

Kyle Mora allowed four hits in 6.2 innings, leading the Milwaukee Milkmen to a 4-0 victory over the Kane County Cougars. The right-hander allowed just one hit through the first six innings and finished with three walks and eight strikeouts. Roy Morales was the offensive hero, recording three hits and driving in all four runs.

Morales gave his team the lead in the top of the third, singling into left field to score two. In the seventh, the catcher produced a seeing eye single, driving home two more runs. Bryan Torres scored twice in the contest and had two hits.

Mora found himself in trouble in the seventh when he gave up three hits, but Todd Lott was thrown out by Michael Crouse trying to reach third and Juan Echevarria got the final out of the inning. The Cougars put two on in the eighth against Nate Hadley but came away empty handed and Peyton Grey got the final three outs in the ninth.

Boxscore

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Dylan Rosa (Chicago Dogs) 3-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR

No. 2 – Kyle Mora (Milwaukee Milkmen) 6.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, 8 K

No. 1 – Roy Morales (Milwaukee Milkmen) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB him, 0 ER, 4 K

American Association Daily Notes

With their victory on Saturday, the Chicago Dogs earned their first playoff series victory since joining the league. The team had lost the first two series in franchise history and are now 5-6 in playoff games… Milwaukee Milkmen catcher Roy Morales drove in four runs in each of the final two games of the series against the Kane County Cougars.