DockHounds, Explorers Remain Red-Hot, Kasser Homers Twice
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 the six great games in the American Association on Friday, including Kyle Kasser homering twice in the Sioux City Explorers victory, the Sioux Falls Canaries win a rain shortened affair, and the Lake Country DockHounds remain red-hot.
Game Recaps for Friday
Canaries Down Cougars in Rain-Shortened Affair
The Sioux Falls Canaries and Kane County Cougars only made it through six innings on Friday, but that was enough for the Canaries to come away with an 8-1 victory. Ty Culbreth went the distance, allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven to earn his fourth victory of the year.
Kane County got off on the right foot, taking the lead in the bottom of the second when Jonah Davis led off with his 12th home run of the year. Hunter Clanin tied the score almost immediately, leading off the third with his sixth homer of the year, and it was all Canaries from there. Sioux Falls took the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI ground out by Welington Dotel and extended the lead to five, scoring four runs in the top of the fifth. Jordan Barth had a two-run single as the key hit of the frame. The Canaries added two more runs in the sixth before rain brought an end into the contest.
Jack Fox took the loss, allowing five runs in 4.1 innings. No player for either team had more than one hit.
Goldeyes Down Railroaders
The Winnipeg Goldeyes defeated the Cleburne Railroaders on Friday, 8-4. Jacob Bockelie led the way, driving in three as Winnipeg scored runs in five of the first seven innings.
The Goldeyes took the lead in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs and extended the lead to three before Cleburne finally got on the board. A Hill Alexander two run homer made it a one game, but the Goldeyes responded with five unanswered runs to take a commanding advantage. Three of those runs came in the fifth.
Jackson Smith had three hits and Max Murphy had two doubles and scored two runs. Alex Jackson had two hits for the Railroaders. Luis Ramirez came out of the bullpen to tossed seven innings, earning his fourth victory of the year.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Doug Greenwald
Five-Run Fifth Leads DockHounds to Victory
The Lake Country DockHounds scored five runs in the fifth inning, leading them to an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Dogs. That made a winner of Keisy Portorreal, who came out of the bullpen to allow one in three innings for his third win of the year. Thomas Jones homered and drove in three for the DockHounds.
Lake Country took the lead with two runs in the top of the third, but the Dogs scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, capped off by a two-run homer by Dylan Rosa, his eighth of the year. The DockHounds wasted little time retaking the lead, scoring five in the top of the fifth, sending 10 men to the plate. Jaxx Groshans tied the score with an RBI single, and Jones put his team on top for good with a double to the wall in center, scoring two runs. He scored on a single by Nick Banks, and Banks came home on an RBI single by Steven Sensley. Jones hit a solo home run in the eighth to close out the scoring.
Rains came and canceled the remaining frame.
Chicago Dogs Recap by Sam Brief
Explorers Open Series with Win in Fargo
The Sioux City Explorers downed the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, 8-5. Kyle Kasser led the way, hitting his first two home runs of the season as part of a three-hit performance. Matt Lloyd and Jake Ortega each had a home run and three hits.
Sioux City jumped out in front in the bottom of the first, as a double by Ortega scored Lloyd and Kasser followed with a three-run home run, his first of the season. The RedHawks began to chip away, scoring single runs in three of the next four innings to cut the deficit to one. Scott Schrieber hit his third homer in four games since joining the RedHawks, and Nick Novak added a solo home run in the fifth.
The Explorers would not give this contest away, however. Ortega led off the sixth with his third homer of the year and Lloyd added a solo shot to lead off the seventh. In the eighth, Kasser hit his second home run of the game. Trenton Toplikar earned his third victory of the year, and Sean Rackoski came on in the ninth to earn his 11th save of the year. Schrieber hit his second home run in the contest, and has four in four games for Fargo-Moorhead.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Austin Thomas
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Recap by Chad Miller
Six-Run Third Propels Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs found themselves trailing by two entering the bottom of the third, but scored six runs on four hits to help lead them to a 10-5 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen. Luke Roskam led the way, homering and driving in five as the Saltdogs hit four home runs in all.
Each team scored a run in the first and Milwaukee took the lead in the top of the second on an RBI single by Reggie Pruitt. In the third, the Milkmen extended the lead to two, but the Saltdogs responded with a huge inning in the bottom half of the frame. Roskam put his team on top for good with a grand slam, his ninth of the year, and Aaron Takacs followed with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season.
Lincoln kept the offense going. Connor Panas hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and Will Kengor added a solo home run in the fifth. The Saltdogs led by seven heading into the eighth before Milwaukee scored two more runs, as Aaron Hill hit his fourth homer of the year, a two-run blast. That made it 10-5, which is how the contest ended.
David Holmberg earned his second victory, allowing three runs in six innings. Roskam finished 2-4 with five RBI, and Panas scored three times. Miguel Gomez had three hits and Hill had two hits, scored two runs, and drove in two for the Milkmen.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
RailCats-Monarchs Delayed
The Gary SouthShore RailCats and Kansas City Monarchs contest was delayed due to rain. The contest will be made up as part of a double-header on Saturday. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00.
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Scott Schrieber (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks) 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
No. 2 – Luke Roskam (Lincoln Saltdogs) 2-4, R, HR, 5 RBI
No. 1 – Kyle Kasser (Sioux City Explorers) 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
Lincoln Saltdogs catcher Luke Roskam extended his hitting streak to 16 straight games. That is tied for the second longest streak in the American Association this season… The Lake Country DockHounds moved into second place in the East Division standings with their victory on Friday. This is the highest in the standings the DockHounds have been in franchise history… Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks right-hander Jake Dykhoff has allowed at least five runs in three straight starts, allowing 17 total runs in 15.2 innings.
Transactions
Sioux Falls: Signed RHP Cole LaLonde
American Association Stories at Minor League Sports Report
TWITA: Kevin Luckow and Robert Pannier
Lincoln Saltdogs C Luke Roskam Named Player of the Week
Sioux City Explorer RHP Trenton Toplikar Named Pitcher of the Week
By Robert Pannier
