Cougars Set Franchise Mark, Harris Tosses Gem, Railroaders Walk-Off Canaries
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 the Milwaukee Milkmen and the Sioux City Explorers winning an extra innings, the Kane County Cougars crush the Lake Country DockHounds and Jon Harris tosses a gem for the Kansas City Monarchs,. This and much more.
Cougars Set Franchise Record
This may only be the second season in the American Association for the Kane County Cougars, but they set quite the threshold on Friday evening, rapping out 21 hits in a 23-5 victory over the Lake Country DockHounds. Kane County held an 11-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, but scored 12 runs in the inning, also setting a franchise record for runs in an inning.
Every player in the Cougars starting lineup scored at least two runs. Jimmy Kerrigan had five hits, scored four runs, and drove in four, Dylan Busby drove in five, and Ernie De La Trinidad had two hits, scored three runs, and drove in four. Alexis Pantoja also had four hits and drove in four. That was clearly enough support for Ryan Tapani, who allowed two runs in 5.1 innings to earn the victory.
Angel Ventura had a tough outing in his first start for Lake Country, allowing five earned runs in 3.2 innings. Jake Snider scored two runs and Tristen Carranza had two RBI for the DockHounds.
Lake Country DockHounds Recap by Sam Matheny
Amaral, Exploers Down Goldeyes in 10
Danny Amaral delivered a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Sioux City Explorers a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Sioux City took a one run lead in the bottom of the second inning, but Winnipeg tied the score when Logan Hill hit his 10th homerun of the season in the top of the third. Sioux City responded right away in the bottom half of the frame to retake the lead, but the Goldeyes got an RBI single by Raul Navarro in the top of the seventh, forcing extra innings.
Winnipeg took their first lead of the game in the top of the 11th when Reggie Pruitt scored to put the Goldeyes on top, 3-2. That set up the dramatic bottom half of the frame, where Amaral turned on the first pitch he saw, drilling it for a three-run homer to give Sioux City the victory.
Thomas McIlraith earned the victory. Amaral finished with two hits and three RBI. Chase Harris had three hits for the Explorers. Navarro and Hill both had two hits for Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Railroaders Earn Literal “Walk”-Off Victory
The Cleburne Railroaders used three bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a 5-4 victory over the Sioux Falls Canaries on Friday. Sioux Falls scored two runs in the first and fifth to jump out to a four-run lead. Jabari Henry hit a two-run homer in the first to put Sioux Falls on top of the first, and back-to-back errors in the fifth extended the lead to four.
However, Cleburne began to chip away in the bottom of the sixth when Zach Nehrir hit a solo homerun, his fifth of the year. In the eighth, the lead became two when Kacy Clemens singled to drive home Chuck Taylor. That sent the game to the ninth inning where Riley Ferrell struggled, walking the bases loaded. Taylor and Chase Simpson then drew walks to tie the score, bringing Clemens to the plate. He drew a five pitch walk to drive in the winning run.
Hunter Cerevenka earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief. Clemens drove in two runs. Henry had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI for Sioux Falls.
Milkmen Down Dogs in 10
The Milwaukee Milkmen scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning, then held on for an 8-6 victory over the Chicago Dogs. The Dogs scored single runs in each of the first three innings as Michael Crouse and Stevie Wilkerson each hit solo homeruns. However, Milwaukee rallied for five runs in the top of the fourth. Keon Barnum gave his team the lead, closing out the scoring in the frame with his 12th homerun of the year, a two-run shot. Chicago cut the deficit to one as Connor Kopach hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the fourth. Charlie Tilson then tied the score when he was hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded in the bottom of the sixth.
That sent the game to extra innings where Milwaukee jumped out in front, scoring three runs in the top of the 10th. Chicago attempted to rally in the bottom half of the frame, cutting the deficit to two, but could get no closer.
Karch Kowalczyk earned the victory. Bryan Torres had four hits and drove home three runs. Mason Davis had three hits. Tilson and K.C. Hobson had two hits for Chicago.
Chicago Dogs Recap by Matthew Barthelemy
Alexander, Correa Drive in Four in RedHawks Victory
Evan Alexander and Christian Correa each drove in four runs as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks defeated the Lincoln Saltdogs, 11-3. After Correa drove home John Silviano in the bottom of the second to make it 1-0 RedHawks, Fargo-Moorhead added three in the bottom of the third, capped off by a two-run single off the bat of Alexander.
Lincoln cut the deficit to two on a two run double by Hunter Clanin in the top of the fourth, but the RedHawks put this game out of reach with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Silviano doubled home Drew Ward and Alexander delivered a two run double in the frame. Correa then drove home Alexander to make it 8-2. Correa capped off his night with a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth, his second of the year.
Kevin McGovern earned the victory, allowing three runs in 5.2 innings. Silviano finished 4-5 with four runs scored and an RBI. Alexander and Correa each had two hits and four RBI. Skyler Weber and Eddy Martinez had three hits apiece for Lincoln.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Harris Gem Propels Monarchs Past RailCats
Jon Harris went the distance on Friday evening, allowing one run on six hits to lead the Kansas City Monarchs to a 6-1 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Harris blanked the RailCats through the first eight frames, but Gary was finally able to get on the board on an RBI double by Jesus Marriaga in the top of the ninth.
While Harris was tossing a gem, his team staked into a one run lead in the bottom of the third. An RBI single by Matt Adams made it 1-0 and the team extended the lead to four with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kansas City added two more runs in the sixth, more than enough support for Harris on this night.
Adams drove in two for the Monarchs and Darnell Sweeney scored two runs. Marriaga had two hits for Gary.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Kaitlyn Saunders
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Dylan Busby (Kane County Cougars) 2-5, 2 R, HR, 5 RBI
No. 2 – Jimmy Kerrigan (Kane County Cougars) 5-6, 4 R, Double, 4 RBI
No. 1 – Jon Harris (Kansas City Monarchs) CG, 9.0 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 6 K
American Association Daily Notes
The Kane County Cougars set franchise marks for most runs scored in a game (23) and most runs scored and an inning (12) on Friday evening. The 23 runs scored was also the most scored in the American Association this season… Winnipeg Goldeyes right-hander Luis Ramirez was named by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as American Association Pitcher of the Month for June. Ramirez posted a perfect 5-0 record with a 1.93 ERA in six of June starts… Kansas City Monarchs outfielder Jan Hernandez was named by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as American Association Player of the Month for June. Hernandez hit .363 during the month with a league-leading 12 homeruns… Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks infielder Leobaldo Pina extended his hitting streak to 18 straight games on Friday. That is tied for the longest hitting streak in the American Association this season.
Transactions
Kansas City: Signed RHP Cam Hill
Sioux Falls: Released C Robert Barham
By Robert Pannier
