Luke Westphal Helps Dogs Complete Double-Header Sweep
Game One: Dogs 7, Canaries 2
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Kelly Dugan and Victor Roache homered to back D.J. Snelten as the Chicago Dogs took down the Sioux Falls Canaries, 7-2, in game one of the Wednesday doubleheader at Impact Field.
Dugan led off the second with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center to give Chicago the 1-0 lead. The Encino, California native finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI, a walk, and a run scored.
Tony Rosselli and Keon Barnum followed up Dugan’s big fly with back-to-back singles. Three batters later, Rey Gonzalez singled home Rosselli to double the Dogs’ lead.
Chicago kept the good times rolling with three runs in the fourth inning. Victor Roache launched a no-doubt home run over the left field wall, his second of the season, to extend Chicago’s lead to 3-0. After singles by Jordan Dean and Gonzalez, consecutive RBI singles by Edwin Arroyo and Trey Vavra extended the home advantage to 5-0.
Snelten (W, 2-0) contributed six solid innings of work in his third start of the season. The former big leaguer shut out Sioux Falls for five innings before running into a slight hiccup in the sixth, as the Canaries started the inning with three straight singles. The Canary offense would not be a total loss, as their two runs came via RBI groundouts. Snelten finished the contest surrendering two runs on five hits, while striking out four and walking three.
Arroyo and Vavra jump-started the Dogs offense once again in the bottom half of the frame, leading off with back-to-back singles. That brought up Dugan, who sent both runners home with a double and pushed Chicago’s lead back to five runs.
Rich Mascheri slammed the door in the seventh to secure the victory.
Game Two: Dogs 1, Canaries 0
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Victor Roache backed another gem by Luke Westphal with a walkoff home run in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Dogs completed the Wiener Wednesday sweep of the Sioux Falls Canaries, 1-0, at Impact Field.
It was a pitcher’s duel throughout the game as both teams combined for six hits in seven innings. That would change when Roache came to bat in the eighth, driving the ball to dead-center off of Canaries reliever Reilly Hovis (L, 1-1) to send the fans home happy.
Westphal continued his spectacular start to the season, allowing only three hits and striking out eight over six innings of shutout ball. This marked the first time the Clintonville, Wisconsin native allowed a hit this season, and he has totaled a remarkable 20 strikeouts over his last two starts.
Josh Goossen-Brown (W, 1-1) took over in the seventh and kept the shutout alive into extras. He worked two innings and allowed three hits and struck out two.
The Dogs are off tomorrow before opening a three-game set against the Sioux City Explorers this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Impact Field. Fans can tune in to The Chicago Dogs Baseball Network to watch every Dogs home game. For more updates, follow @TheChicagoDogs on social media and use the hashtag #TakeABite.
By Sam Brief