Railroaders, Saltdogs Record Walk-Off Wins, Goldeyes Maul Cougars
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 six great games in the American Association on Saturday, including the Cleburne Railroaders and Lincoln Saltdogs both earning walk-off victories, and the Winnipeg Goldeyes offense erupts to defeat the Kane County Cougars.
Game Recaps for Saturday
Thomas Powers RedHawks Past Canaries
Dillon Thomas homered twice and drove in four as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks defeated the Sioux Falls Canaries, 9-4. Fargo-Moorhead hit five homers overall, a single game high this season. The top five in the batting order recorded all nine hits, going a combined 9-20.
The RedHawks scored single runs in the first and third, but Sioux Falls tied the score in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run homer by Mike Hart. The score remained tied until the third when Fargo-Moorhead flexed their muscles, as Thomas, Leobaldo Pina, and John Silviano delivered back-to-back homers to make it 6-2. Evan Alexander homered in the sixth and Thomas added a two run shot in the ninth.
Thomas finished 2-4 with two runs and four RBI and Manuel Boscan had three hits and scored three times. Pina had two hits and drove in two. Hart had a home run and walked three times.
Sioux Falls Canaries Recap by Tanner Hoops
Railroaders Rally to Down Milkmen
John Figueroa drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cleburne Railroaders a 9-8 come from behind victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen. The Railroaders trailed by two entering the ninth, but sent eight men to the plate. Jose Sermo had an RBI single and Zach Nehrir added a sacrifice fly to tie the score. Nate Hadley then loaded the bases on a single and a walk before walking Figueroa on four pitches.
This game was tied at one after one, but the Railroaders scored three in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Milwaukee pulled within two, then scored four in the top of the fourth. The Railroaders tied the score in the bottom of the fifth, but the Milkmen responded with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. They sent Nate Hadley to the mound in the ninth looking to close out the contest, but he could not deliver.
DockHounds Stymy RailCats Comeback
The Gary SouthShore RailCats rallied from a four-run deficit, tying the contest, but then fell when the Lake Country DockHounds scored a run in the ninth, as Lake Country earned the 5-4 victory. Austin Faith earned the victory, tossing four solid innings, allowing one run. DJ Wilkinson took the loss.
The DockHounds took the lead right away, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Nick Banks singled home a run, and Brian Rey drove home two more with a triple to the wall in center. He was left stranded, however. In the third, Banks hit his fifth homer of the year to make it 4-0, but Gary SouthShore began their comeback right away, scoring one in the bottom half of the frame on a single by Gio Diaz. The RailCats cut the deficit to one in the fifth on RBIs by Francisco Del Valle and Jesus Marriaga and tied the score in the seventh when Jackson Valera plated the tying run with a single to left. This game looked like it was headed for extra innings, but a wild pitch drove Marcus Chiu home with the winning run.
Banks had a huge day, recording four hits and two RBI. He also scored twice. Chiu had three hits. Marriaga had three hits for Gary SouthShore.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Zach Letson
Dogs Down Monarchs
The Chicago Dogs are regaining some of their bite, winning their second straight game as the defeated the Kansas City Monarchs, 7-4. The Dogs took a 4-2 lead before Kansas City tied the score in the top of the sixth. However, Chicago scored two of their own in the bottom half of the inning as Ben Livorsi hit a two-run shot. Luke Mangieri hit his seventh homer of the year to lead off the eighth to close out the scoring.
Andrew Edwards earned the victory, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings, and Brian Schlitter recorded his sixth save of the season. Miller Hogan took the loss. Cody Bohanek had three hits for Chicago and Nick Heath, Mangieri, and Livorsi each had two RBI. Jan Hernandez and Micker Adolfo each had three hits for the Monarchs.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Carter Woodiel
Saltdogs Down Explorers in 10th
Zane Zurbrugg delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to give the Lincoln Saltdogs a 5-4 victory over the Sioux City Explorers on Saturday. Lincoln had rallied from a one-run deficit in the ninth to force extra innings before winning on the Zurbrugg hit.
The Saltdogs took the lead in the first, plating two. Sioux City was held off the board by Josh Roeder through six, but the Explorers finally broke through in the seventh thanks to an error that scored two. Lincoln immediately retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch, but Sioux City responded in the top of the ninth, scoring two to take the lead when John Nogowski drilled a two-run homer, his first since returning to the American Association. Will Kengor doubled in the bottom half of the inning, plating Zurbrugg to tie the score and force extra innings.
Zurbrugg finished with four hits and scored twice. Four players for Sioux City had two hits, including Nogowski. Steffon Moore earned the victory while Sean Rackoski took the loss.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by GMW Vaughan
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Goldeyes Offense Comes Alive in Rout of Cougars
The Winnipeg Goldeyes scored a single run in three innings and added three in the sixth, but it was a five run fifth that proved to be the difference as the Winnipeg Goldeyes defeated the Kane County Cougars, 11-6. Winnipeg held a 10-1 advantage at one point as the team produced 16 hits.
Leading by two the Goldeyes scored five in the fifth, sending nine men to the plate. Five different players drove in runs in the frame. An inning later, they scored three more, sending eight to the dish. Kane County scored three in the bottom of the frame but were not going to come back in this game.
Brynn Martinez scored four times and Dayson Croes, Max Murphy, and Hidekel Gonzalez each had three hits. Murphy hit his eighth homer of the year. Jimmy Kerrigan continues his surge, recording three hits.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Doug Greenwald
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Zane Zurbrugg (Lincoln Saltdogs) 4-5, 2 R, 2 SB, RBI
No. 2 – Nick Banks (Lake Country DockHounds) 4-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
No. 1 – Dillon Thomas (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks) 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
Cleburne Railroaders 1B Jose Sermo hit his league leading 13th homer of the season… Sioux City Explorers Broadcaster Dan Vaughan, Jr. broadcast his 900th game on Saturday.
Transactions
Cleburne: Signed RHP Nick Gardewine
Gary SouthShore: Signed INF Jackson Valera
Lake Country: Signed RHP Jordano Pérez
Sioux Falls: Placed INF Osvaldo Martínez on the Inactive List
Winnipeg: Released LHP Rob Klinchock
June 16, 2023
Chicago: Signed RHP Nolan LaMere
Cleburne: Placed RHP Kevin Hilton on the Injured List retroactive to June 11; Signed RHP Michael Wong
Gary SouthShore: Released INF Emmanual Tapia
Sioux City: Placed RHP Mitchell Verburg on the Injured List retroactive to June 5; INF John Nogowski
Winnipeg: Signed RHP Cal McAninch
American Association Stories at Minor League Sports Report
TWITA: Milwaukee Milkmen Infielder Bryan Torres
Milwaukee Milkmen IF Bryan Torres Named American Association Player of the Week
Kansas City Monarchs RHP Jalen Miller Named American Association Pitcher of the Week
By Robert Pannier
