Goldeyes Blank RailCats, Dogs Rally Past RedHawks, Shumpert 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 four games in the American Association on Sunday, including five pitchers combining to lead the Winnipeg Goldeyes in a shutout victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats, the Chicago Dogs Rally to defeat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, and the Cleburne Railroaders crush the Lincoln Saltdogs This and much more.
Goldeyes Blank RailCats
Five pitchers combined to allow just four hits as the Winnipeg Goldeyes shut out the Gary SouthShore RailCats, 4-0. This was quite a nailbiter, as Winnipeg held a 1-0 lead through the first seven innings. Neither team was able to score through the first four, but the Goldeyes got on top in the fifth when Eric Rivera drove home Reggie Pruitt with a sacrifice fly. Winnipeg blew this game open in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run single by David Washington and an RBI double by Logan Hill.
Jhon Vargas started for the Goldeyes and tossed two scoreless innings before his afternoon was over. RJ Martinez then took over, tossing four scoreless frames to move his record to 5-4. Bryan Blanton and Travis Seabrooke each tossed a scoreless frame and Tasker Strobel finished off the contest with a scoreless ninth inning. The Goldeyes staff allowed four hits and three walks while striking out nine total.
John Sheaks started for Gary SouthShore and tossed four scoreless innings. Robbie Coursel came on in the fifth and allowed two of the first three batters he faced to reach before his afternoon was over. He suffered the loss when Yeison Medina gave up the sacrifice fly. Raul Navarro and Washington each finished with three hits for Winnipeg.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Jason Young
Dogs Rally to Down RedHawks
The Chicago Dogs moved to 6-1 in their last seven games, rallying for five runs over the final five innings to defeat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, 9-5. Chicago jumped out to a two-run lead in the top the first as K.C. Hobson capped off the scoring in the frame with his seventh homerun of the season. The RedHawks cut the deficit to one in the bottom half of the frame, but the Dogs extended the lead to three in the top of the third, plating two more runs.
That sent the game to the bottom half of the inning where a two-run single by John Silviano and a two-run homer by Rymer Liriano put the RedHawks on top by a run. The Dogs tied the score in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Hobson, then took the lead in the top of the seventh inning, scoring three runs. Ryan Lidge put his team ahead for good with an RBI single and Hobson added his third RBI of the game with a second double. Anfernee Grier drove home a run with a sacrifice fly. Chicago added one more run in the eighth to finish off the scoring.
Jeff Kinley started for Chicago and struggled, giving up five runs in 5.0 innings. Joe Cavallaro came on in the sixth to earn the victory, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Hobson finished 3-5 with a run and four RBI. Lidge drove in three and Michael Crouse was a perfect 5-5 with four runs scored. Silviano had two hits and drove in two for Fargo-Moorhead.
Seven Unanswered Runs Propel Milkmen to Victory
The Milwaukee Milkmen scored seven unanswered runs, including five in the top of the ninth inning to earn a 7-3 victory over the Kane County Cougars. Kane County jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring single runs in the first, second and fourth innings. Sherman Johnson homered in the second as part of the early run production for the Cougars.
Ryan Tapani was in complete command in this game, keeping Milwaukee off the board through the first six innings. However, in the top of the seventh, Aaron Hill led off with his fourth homerun of the season and Christ Conley added his fifth to cut the deficit to one. In the ninth, the Milkmen sent nine men to the plate, scoring five times. Logan Trowbridge gave his team the lead with a two run double and Conley, Will Kengor, and Mason Davis each drove home a run in the frame.
Ryan Zimmerman earned a no decision for Milwaukee, allowing two earned runs in 6.0 innings. Kyle Huckaby earned his first victory since joining the Milkmen, tossing 1.0 innings of scoreless relief. Conley finished with three hits, scored two runs, and drove in two. Jimmy Kerrigan had two hits for the Cougars. Tapani earned a no decision, allowing two runs in 6.2 innings. He struck out eight.
Railroaders Rock Saltdogs to Sweep Series
The Cleburne Railroaders scored 11 runs in the eighth inning in a thrashing of the Lincoln Saltdogs, 25-3. Every player in the Cleburne lineup had at least one hit and scored one run. Nick Shumpert had a huge day, going 4-5 with five runs scored and seven RBI. He also hit for the cycle.
Cleburne took control of this game for the very start, scoring eight unanswered runs through the first three frames. Lincoln battled back to pull within five, but the Railroaders scored two in the fifth and added four more in the sixth to jump out to a 14-3 lead. In the eighth, the club sent 15 men to the plate. Shumpert hit a grand slam in the frame.
Michael Wong benefited from all the run support, allowing three runs in 6.0 innings to earn his second victory of the season. Kacy Clemens had four hits, including hitting his fifth homerun of the season, and drove in four. Five Railroaders players scored at least three runs in the game. Ryan Long had two hits and scored two runs for Lincoln.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Christ Conley (Milwaukee Milkmen) 3-4, 2 R Double, HR, 2 RBI
No. 2 – K.C. Hobson (Chicago Dogs) 3-5, R, 2 Doubles, HR, 4 RBI
No. 1 – Nick Shumpert (Cleburne Railroaders) 4-5, 5 R, Double, Triple, HR, 7 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
Chicago Dogs OF Michael Crouse extended his hitting streak to 14 straight games, raising his average 55 points during the streak. Crouse is now hitting .315… The Cleburne Railroaders won their eighth straight game, moving into fourth place in the East Division… The Railroaders set several season-high marks in their victory over Lincoln on Sunday. The 25 runs scored was the most by a team this year as was the 24 RBI. Infielder Nick Shumpert scored five runs in the game, also a season-high. The 25 runs scored by Cleburne was a club record. Shumpert also became the third player to hit for the cycle this season.
Transactions
Cleburne: Placed INF Jacob Bockelie on the Injured List retroactive to July 16
By Robert Pannier