Walraven Homers Twice, Dogs, Cougars Win in Extra-Innings, Hernandez Hits for Cycle
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 Friday, including Jan Hernandez hitting for the cycle for the second time this season for the Kansas City Monarchs, the Chicago Dogs and Kane County Cougars winning in extra innings, and Thomas Walraven homers twice for the Gary Southshore RailCats, This and much more.
Hernandez Hits for Cycle as Monarchs Roll
Jan Hernandez hit for the cycle for the second time this season as the Kansas City Monarchs defeated the Lake Country DockHounds, 18-10. Every batter in the Monarchs lineup had at least one hit, and the team scored at least one run in every inning.
Hernandez led the way, producing an RBI double in the first, a triple in the fifth, a single in the seventh, and a three-run homer in the eighth. Hernandez finished 4-4 with four runs scored, five RBI, and two walks. Casey Gillaspie and J.C. Escarra each drove in three runs and the Monarchs hit five total homeruns.
That ruined a big night from Wilfredo Gimenez who was a perfect 5-5 with a run and two RBI. Gio Brusa hit his 11th homerun of the season, a grand slam.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Kaitlyn Saunders
Railroaders Rally to Edge Saltdogs
The Cleburne Railroaders rallied from a two-run deficit, scoring two runs in the seventh and a run in the eighth to defeat the Lincoln Saltdogs, 5-4. Cleburne held a one run lead until the fifth when Josh Altmann drilled a three-run blast, his ninth of the year.
The teams exchanged runs until the seventh, when Cleburne scored two to tie the score. Chase Simpson delivered the big blow, a two-run homer to tie the score at four. An inning later, Chuck Taylor reached on an error, plating Hector Sanchez to put the Railroaders on top for good. Austin Fairchild earned the victory, tossing a scoreless inning of relief, and Nick Gardewine finish the game for his sixth save of the year.
Simpson finished a perfect 3-3 with a run and three RBI. Taylor had two hits and scored two runs. Matt Goodheart had three hits for Lincoln and Altmann drove in three.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Michalczewski Single Propels Canaries Past Explorers
Trey Michalczewski drove home the game-winning run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to give the Sioux Falls Canaries a 5-4 victory over the Sioux City Explorers. Sioux Falls had taken the lead in the top of the first, but Sioux City responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, as Danry Vasquez delivered a two run double to put the Explorers on top, 2-1.
In the third, the Canaries jumped back in front when Jabari Henry drilled a three-run homer, his 20th of the year, giving Sioux Falls a 4-2 lead. However, Sioux City responded with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to tie the score. That sent the game to the ninth tied at four where the Canaries put two on with two down before Michalczewski delivered the game-winning hit.
Henry finished a perfect 3-3 with a run, four RBI, and two walks. Angelo Altavilla had three hits and scored two runs. Matthew Dunaway earned his second victory with a scoreless inning of relief, and Riley Ferrell came on to record his 11th save of the season. Vasquez had two hits and drove in two for Sioux City and Nate Samson had three hits.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Cougars Walk-Off Milkmen in 11
The Kane County Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to earn a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen on Friday. Kane County took a two-run lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer by Sherman Johnson, his fifth of the season. However, the lead did not last long as Milwaukee responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to tie the score. Aaron Hill drove home Dylan Kelly with a single and he later scored on a double by Logan Trowbridge.
With the score tied at two, the contest went the extra innings. Neither team scored in the 10th, but Milwaukee took the lead in the top of the 11th. That set up the dramatic bottom half of the inning, where the Cougars brought home two more runs to earn the 4-3 victory.
Tyler Koch earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Hill scored two runs for Milwaukee.
Dogs Edge RedHawks in 10
The Chicago Dogs rallied from a one run deficit, scoring a run in the top of the eighth to tie the score and winning it with a run in the 10th, defeating the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, 4-3. The score was tied at two heading to the bottom of the fourth when Sam Dexter drove home Nick Novak to give the RedHawks a 3-2 lead.
That held until the eighth when Anfernee Grier singled home Ryan Lidge to tie the score at three. The game then headed to extra innings where an error allowed Stevie Wilkerson to score to give Chicago the lead for good.
Brian Schlitter earned the victory, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Wilkerson scored a run and drove in two others. Lidge had three hits and scored two runs. Rymer Liriano, Evan Alexander, and Novak each had two hits for Fargo-Moorhead.
Walraven Homers Twice, RailCats Crush Goldeyes
Thomas Walraven homered twice as part of a five-homer game for the Gary Southshore RailCats as they crushed the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 15-1. All nine players in the RailCats lineup scored at least one run as the team recorded 18 hits and drew six walks.
Gary Southshore took the lead in the top of the second with a run, then added two in the third, a run in the fourth, and three more in the fifth. The club continued to pour it on, adding three more in the seventh and sealing the victory with five in the ninth. Jack Eisenbarger was impressive for the RailCats, tossing five innings scoreless innings.
Walraven finished 4-6 with three runs scored and four RBI. LG Castillo hit his first homerun of the season as part of a three-hit performance. Castillo scored two and drove in four. Chris Burgess and Daniel Lingua also went deep for the RailCats. Raul Navarro had two hits for Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster
Gary Southshore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Chase Simpson (Cleburne Railroaders) 3-3, R, HR, 2 Doubles, BB, 3 RBI
No. 2 – Jan Hernandez (Kansas City Monarchs) 4-4, 4 R, Double, Triple, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB
No. 1 – Thomas Walraven (Gary Southshore RailCats) 4-6, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
The Gary Southshore RailCats hit five home runs on Friday evening. That is a season-high for the club… Cleburne Railroaders infielder Edwin Arroyo extended his hitting streak to 17 straight games. That is two behind the longest streak in the American Association this season… The Cleburne Railroaders have won six straight games.
Transactions
Kansas City: Activated LHP Jacob Lindgren from the Inactive List; Placed RHP Cam Hill on the Injured List retroactive to July 5; Released OF Joel Booker
Milwaukee: Signed LHP Ben Holmes
Sioux Falls: Activated RHP Tony Lanier from the Injured List
By Robert Pannier
