Verburg Dominates as RedHawks Even Record
Mitchell Verburg came out of the bullpen to toss 5.2 scoreless innings as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks defeated Leones de Yucatán, 2-1. It was a two-run second inning that provided to be all the support the RedHawks needed. Verburg did the rest, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out three. The victory evened the record for the RedHawks through the first two games of the Baseball Championship Series.
After a scoreless first inning, Fargo-Moorhead put two on the board in the second against Wilmer Rios Bojorquez. The Yucatán starter retired the first two batters of the inning, but the third out proved to be elusive. Alec Olund doubled down the left field line and Sam Dexter followed with a double to almost the identical location, bringing home Olund. Dillon Thomas then singled, driving home Dexter to give Fargo-Moorhead a 2-0 lead.
Colten Davis started for the RedHawks and was spectacular through the first three innings, but Yucatán began to rally in the fourth. Drake Dominguez hit a solo home run with one down to cut the deficit in half and Marco Tulio Jaime Medina singled two batters later. That brought a call to the bullpen, as Verburg came on to retire the final hitter of the inning to preserve the one run lead.
Verburg then dominated from there, retiring the first 11 batters he faced. That streak came to an end in the top of the eighth when Juan Escarra singled with two down, but was thrown out by Connor Panas trying to stretch the hit into a double. It was the second outfield assist by Panas through the first two games of the series.
In the ninth, Dominguez singled with one out, but Verburg retired the next two batters to end the contest.
Thomas finished with three hits and an RBI for the RedHawks. Yucatán was led by Jonathan Villar Roque and Dominguez, who each had two hits.
The RedHawks will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Barranquilla. The contest is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
by Robert Pannier
