Explorers Rally for Victory, Dogs, Cougars, DockHounds Propelled by Big Innings
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 Wednesday, including the Sioux City Explorers rallying to defeat the Kansas City Monarchs, the Lake Country DockHounds outslugging the Lincoln Saltdogs, and the Chicago Dogs and Kane County Cougars using big innings to earn victories. This and much more.
Tiberi Hit Completes Explorers Comeback
The Sioux City Explorers scored three runs in the eighth inning, then got a Blake Tiberi walk-off double in the 10th to complete a 7-6 comeback victory over the Kansas City Monarchs. Kansas City held a 3-1 lead coming out of the first two innings as Casey Gillaspie delivered his fourth homerun of the season. However, Sioux City tied the score in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by Ademar Rifaela, his first of the season.
The Monarchs jumped out in front once again, scoring a run in the sixth and two in the seventh and looked like they were in command when they turned the contest over their bullpen. However, Brandon Koch found himself in trouble in the eighth, giving up a pair of walks before Tiberi singled with two down. Jameson McGrane came on, but was greeted by a two-run single off the bat of Chase Harris. That set up the extra innings victory. Trey Martin began the inning on second and Tiberi followed with a double down the line to win the game.
Thomas McIlraith earned the victory, tossing two scoreless innings. Rifaela had two hits and drove in three. Tiberi had three hits and drove in two and Chase Harris also drove in a pair of runs. Gillaspie and Kevin Santa each drove in two runs for Kansas City.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Kaitlyn Saunders
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Will Glocker
Seven-Run Eighth Propels DockHounds
It was a wild affair in Lincoln on Wednesday, as the Lake Country DockHounds and Lincoln Saltdogs put up 21 runs and 28 hits and a 12-9 Lake Country victory. Each team held the lead at least twice in this contest. The Saltdogs looked in good shape in the bottom of the seventh when they put three on the board to take a 6-5 lead.
However, three costly errors in the top of the eighth allowed the DockHounds to score seven runs on just four hits. Jake Snider tied the score when his sacrifice bunt led to an error. Three batters later, Gio Brusa drove home a pair of runs with a single in the third run scored on an error. Aaron Takacs doubled home two more runs in the frame.
Matt Sparks earned the victory despite giving up three runs in 0.2 innings pitched. Cyrillo Watson came on to retire the final five batters of the game. Daniel Martins-Molinari had an impressive performance, going 4-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Lincoln was led by Ryan Long who hit his fourth homerun of the season as part of a two-hit, three RBI performance.
Lake Country DockHounds Recap by Sam Matheny
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Garcia, Phillips Down Canaries
Nick Garcia and Aaron Phillips allowed two total runs as the Gary Southshore RailCats defeated the Sioux Falls Canaries, 5-2. Garcia allowed one run on eight hits in 6.0 innings, striking out eight. Phillips came on in the seventh, earning the save with three outstanding innings of relief.
The score was tied until the top of the fourth when the RailCats put three on the board to take command of this game. Alec Olund gave his team the lead with an RBI double and Jesus Marriaga tripled to the wall two batters later. Thomas Walraven delivered an RBI single to make it 4-1.
Marriaga had an impressive performance, going to-three with two runs scored and three RBI. He also hit his first homerun of the season. Wyatt Ulrich, Ozzie Martinez, and Kona Quiggle each had two hits for Sioux Falls.
Gary Southshore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Pina’s Perfect Night Propels RedHawks
Leobaldo Pina was a perfect 5-5, including hitting his third homerun of the season as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks defeated the Cleburne Railroaders, 10-4. Fargo scored three in the second, two in the third, and a run in the fourth to jump out to a 6-1 lead. John Silviano gave the RedHawks the lead in the bottom of the second when he hit his ninth homerun of the season, a two-run shot. In the third, Pina drilled his third homerun of the year.
That was plenty of support for Davis Feldman, who allowed two runs in 6.0 innings to earn the victory. Peyton Wigginton completed the final three innings to earn his first save of the season. Silviano had two hits and drove in two runs.
Cesar Trejo had two hits and drove in two for Cleburne. Kody Bullard took the loss.
Four-Run Fifth Inning Propels Dogs
The Chicago Dogs extended their lead to five, scoring four runs in the top of the fifth in a 5-2 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen. Chicago took the lead in the top of the third when Charlie Tilson hit his second homerun of the season. In the fifth, Tilson singled home Connor Kopach to extend the lead to two and Ryan Lidge delivered a sacrifice fly. With two down, Danny Mars doubled home two more to make it 5-0.
Kyle Murphy had been outstanding through the first four innings, allowing just two hits, but Milwaukee was able to get to on the board in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to three. However, that was as close as they would get. The Dogs bullpen was spectacular, tossing 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. Brian Schlitter, making his debut for Chicago, recorded the final four outs for his first save.
Tilson finished 3-5 with two runs and two RBI. Mars had two hits and also drove in a pair of runs. Mason Davis had three hits and an RBI for Milwaukee.
Four-Run First Give Cougars Victory in Rubber Match
The Kane County Cougars scored four runs in the first inning on their way to a 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes, earning the win in the rubber match of their series. Cornelius Randoph delivered a two-run single and Jimmy Kerrigan followed with his ninth homerun of the season to make it 4-0. In the top of the second, Ernie De La Trinidad scored on a Sherman Johnson base hit, extending the lead to five.
Winnipeg was down, but rallied for two runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to RBI doubles by Raul Navarro and Max Murphy. The Goldeyes would get no closer, however, as Jack Fox came on in the fourth, tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn his second victory of the season.
De La Trinidad reached base three times and scored three runs for Kane County. Josh Rolette and Johnson each had three hits. The Goldeyes were led by Navarro and Kevin Lachance who each had two hits.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Daniel Martins-Molinari (Lake Country DockHounds) 4-4, 2 R, Double, 2 RBI
No. 2 – Jesus Marriaga (Gary Southshore RailCats) 2-3, 2 R, Triple, HR, 3 RBI
No. 1 – Jimmy Kerrigan (Kane County Cougars) 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB
American Association Daily Notes
Lake Country DockHounds OF Aaron Takacs and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 1B/3B Drew Ward have now reached base and 29 consecutive games… Kansas City Monarchs OF Gabriel Guerrero saw his hitting streak reach 16 straight games on Wednesday, tied for the longest streak in the American Association this season… The top three ERAs in the league have all come from left-handers. Kansas City Monarchs Matt Hall (1.29) and the Lincoln Saltdogs Buddy Baumann (2.03) and Greg Minier (2.16) lead the league.
Transactions
Chicago: Traded RHP Tanner Shears to Schaumburg (Frontier League) for a player to be named later’ Placed OF Anfernee Grier on the Inactive List retroactive to June 13; RHP Brian Schlitter
Cleburne: Signed INF Joe Johnson
Lincoln: Signed RHP Zach Keenan
By Robert Pannier
