Jake Dahlberg allowed one run in five innings and the bullpen did the rest as the Chicago Dogs defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 5-1. The Dogs scored in three consecutive innings to take the lead and never looked back. This Week in the Association Player of the Week Michael Crouse and Blake Allemand each drove in two runs for Chicago, who won their fourth straight game.

Winnipeg jumped out in front of the bottom of the first-inning. Kevin Lachance led off with a base hit but was eliminated on a double play. Dahlberg looked like he would breeze through the first, but back-to-back singles by Eric Wood and Kyle Martin put runners at the corners with two down. Logan Hill followed with a single, his first of four hits on the day, driving Wood home to put the Goldeyes on top, 1-0.

Winnipeg starter Kevin Hilton was dominant through the first four innings, allowing three hits combined. However, Chicago would rally against him in the top of the fifth. Allemand led off with a walk and moved to second on a base hit by Harrison Smith. Garrett Hope moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice before Brett Milazzo lined out the first. Hilton looked like he may leave the inning unscathed, but Crouse lined a single up the middle, bringing both runners home to put the Dogs on top, 2-1.

In the sixth, Chicago extended their lead. Joey Terdoslavich and K.C. Hobson led off with back-to-back singles. Victor Roache then hit into a double play and, as with the previous inning, it looked like Hilton may get out of the frame, but Allemand followed by drilling the first pitch he saw for his third homerun of the season, putting the Dogs on top by three.

Chicago added one more run in the seventh. Milazzo singled with one out and moved into scoring position on a base hit by Edwin Arroyo two batters later. Nate Antone came on for Hilton and was greeted by a single by Terdoslavich to bring home Milazzo to make it 5-1.

After giving up the first-inning run, Dahlberg (2-1) found himself in trouble in the second, giving up a one-out single and a two-out walk, however, he was able to get Darnell Sweeney to fly out to end the threat. He then gave up just two more hits over the next three innings. Dahlberg gave up a leadoff double in the sixth and his night was over. The Chicago right-hander allowed eight hits, a walk, and a run in five innings. He struck out one.

From there, the Chicago Dogs bullpen was outstanding. Wes Helsabeck took over in the sixth and tossed two shutout innings, walking one and striking out two. Casey Crosby came on in the eighth and struck out two more batters in a scoreless frame. Adam Choplick finished off the contest, striking out the side in the ninth. That gave the bullpen seven strikeouts in four innings of work.

Allemand finished the game 1-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Terdoslavich had three hits, scored a run, and drove in another. Logan Hill finished 4-4 for Winnipeg with the team’s lone RBI.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier