Featured Image Courtesy of 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, Robert Pannier recaps the four games in the American Association on Monday, including the David Washington hitting his 29th homerun of the season for the Winnipeg Goldeyes, the Sioux Falls Canaries and Sioux City Explorers split a double-header, and Evan Kruczynski tosses a gem for the Lake Country DockHounds. Plus, Westin Muir and John Silviano receive weekly honors. This, plus much more.

Game Recaps for Monday

Kruczynski Sharp in DockHounds Victory

Evan Kruczynski allowed two earned runs in seven innings to lead the Lake Country DockHounds to a 9-2 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen. Kruczynski got off to a rough start, as Milwaukee plated two runs in the top of the first inning. However, the DockHounds responded with two in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score, then dominated from there, delivering nine unanswered runs, including two in the third and five in the fourth.

Jake Snider gave his team the lead with a two-run single in the third and T. J. Bennett bases clearing double in the fourth. Two batters later, Snider drilled his ninth homerun of the season to put Lake Country on top by seven.

Kruczynski did the rest, scattering four hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out eight. Snider finished with two hits and four RBI. Bennett also had two hits, scoring three times and driving in three. Milwaukee produced just five hits.

Boxscore

Washington, Sagdal Homers Propel Goldeyes

David Washington and Ian Sagdal each homered to help lead the Winnipeg Goldeyes to a 7-5 victory over the Kansas City Monarchs. Winnipeg took command of this game, taking a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth. A wild pitch brought home a run in the top of the first and two run homers by both Sagdal and Washington in the third extended the lead to five. Kansas City got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Jacob Robson but Winnipeg added two more in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Reggie Pruitt and a sacrifice fly by Sagdal.

Alex Manasa was pitching very well for Winnipeg, holding Kansas City to just one run through the first three innings, but Darnell Sweeney led off the bottom of the fourth with his 13th homerun of the season. It seemed that the Monarchs would get no closer as Manasa settled in, allowing two runs over 5.1 innings before his evening was over.

In the seventh, Winnipeg turned to the bullpen and Kansas City began to rally, scoring single runs over the each of the final three innings. Jan Hernandez hit a solo homerun in the eighth and Robson added a solo blast of the night, but Will McAffer was able to close the door for his first save of the season.

Washington finished with two hits and two RBI. Sagdal had two hits, scored twice, and drove in three. Robson and Sweeney each had three hits for Kansas City.

Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster

Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Adam Cook

Boxscore

Ledesma Gem Helps Canaries Split Double-Header

Stevie Ledesma came out of the bullpen to toss six scoreless innings helping the Sioux Falls Canaries earn a split of their double-header with the Sioux City Explorers on Monday. Ledesma was spectacular, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out seven in the 1-0 victory. He retired the first 11 batters of the game before Trey Martin singled with two down in the fourth. Ledesma allowed a one-out hit in the fifth in a two-out single in the sixth as the only other runners to reach base. Mitchell Walters came on in the seventh and close out the contest for his fifth save of the season.

Sioux Falls scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Solomon Bates had dominated through the first three frames, but Gavin LaValley led off the fourth with his 18th homerun of the season. That would be the only blemish against Bates, who allowed five hits while striking out nine in 4.0 innings.

Game 2 Boxscore

In the opener, Sioux City pounced for four runs in the top of the first on their way to an 8-2 victory. Chase Harris helped the Explorers get off on the right foot, blasting a two-run homer in the first as part of a four run frame. The club then added single runs in the second, third, and fourth. That was plenty of support for Patrick Ledet, who gave up two runs in 5.2 innings to earn his fifth victory of the season.

Harris finished with two hits and four RBI. Ademar Rifaela was 3-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Aaron Takacs had two hits for the Canaries.

Game 1 Boxscore

Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – T. J. Bennett (Lake Country DockHounds) 2-3, 3 R, Double, HBP, 3 RBI

No. 2 – Evan Kruczynski (Lake Country DockHounds) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 8 K

No. 1 – Stevie Ledesma (Sioux Falls Canaries) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 7 K

American Association Daily Notes

This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Kane County Cougars right-hander Westin Muir as the American Association Pitcher of the Week. Muir went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts…This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Fargo-Moorhead outfielder John Silviano as the American Association Player of the Week. Silviano hit .379 with three homeruns and 10 RBI… The Kansas City Monarchs broke the record for homeruns hit by a team in a season, hitting their 148th on Monday. Kansas City had set the record last season with 147. The club has 149 home runs and still has 13 games to extend their record. Winnipeg Goldeyes 1B David Washington hit his league-leading 29th homerun. He is four shy of tying the American Association record set by Milwaukee Milkmen outfielder Adam Brett Walker last year… Kansas City Monarchs outfielder Jan Hernandez ended a nine-game homerless streak with his 22nd on Monday.

Transactions

Fargo-Moorhead: Released RHP Josh Vincent

Kane County: Released INF Luke Mangieri

By Robert Pannier