Hernandez Powers Railroaders, Green Tosses Gem, RedHawks Rally
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 games in the American Association on Saturday, including David Holmberg dominating for the Lincoln Saltdogs, the Sioux City Explorers Win in walk-off fashion for the second straight night, and Ryan Hernandez drives in six for the Cleburne Railroaders.
Game Recaps for Saturday
Hernandez Drives in Six to Lead Railroaders
Ryan Hernandez homered and drove in six to lead the Cleburne Railroaders to a 9-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. The Railroaders hit three home runs in all, as Zach Nehrir and Brian Klein also went deep for the team. Chandler Casey earned the victory in relief.
Cleburne took control of this game early, opening the contest with six unanswered runs, including four in the bottom of the first. Nehrir led off with a home run and Hernandez drilled a three-run shot. The Railroaders added to the lead in the second and fourth, scoring single runs in both innings. Klein hit his third home run of the season in the fourth.
Michael Wong was making his second start of the season for Cleburne and was very sharp, tossing four shutout innings before his evening was over. The RailCats were kept off the board until the sixth when Francisco Del Valle delivered a two-run single. Cleburne responded with two in the bottom of the seventh and added one more in the eighth. The RailCats closed out the scoring with two runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run single by Gio Diaz.
Hernandez finished 4-5 with a run scored and six RBI. Klein was 3-5 with two runs scored and two runs driven in. Jesus Marriaga had three hits for the Gary SouthShore RailCats.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Sierra Walks-Off Monarchs for Second Straight Night
Miguel Sierra drove home the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Sioux City Explorers a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Kansas City Monarchs. It was the second straight night that Sioux City won in walk-off fashion. Sean Rackoski earned the victory, allowing one unearned run in three innings. Alex Valdez took the loss.
The Explorers took the lead in the bottom of the second when Daniel Perez drilled a three-run homer, his fifth of the year. Kansas City battled back, pulling within a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Chris Herrmann and a sacrifice fly by Brian O’Grady. An inning later, Justin Wylie tied the score with a sacrifice fly. That sent the game to extra innings where Kansas City took the lead in the top of the 11th. Valdez came on and struck out two of the first three batters he faced with a walk to Vince Fernandez putting two on with two down. After an infield single by Kyle Kasser, Sierra lined the first pitch he saw into left, scoring two.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Carter Woodiel
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Austin Thomas
Holmberg Dominates in Saltdogs Victory
David Holmberg allowed one run in eight innings, stymieing the Kane County Cougars as the Lincoln Saltdogs earned a 4-1 victory. The win moved the left-hander to 4-0 in five starts, lowering his ERA to 2.53. Steffon Moore retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the year.
Nick Anderson staked his team to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first when he drilled his 18th home run of the year. Kane County responded with a run in the top of the second as Todd Lott led off with his sixth homer in just 11 games with the Cougars. Lincoln restored the two-run advantage on an RBI single by Luke Roskam in the third and gave themselves a three-run lead when Jason Rogers led off the fourth with his first homer of the year.
That was more than enough support for Holmberg, who gave up six hits and no walks while striking out six. Josh Allen and Lott each had two hits for the Cougars. Jack Fox took the loss, allowing four runs in seven innings.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
DockHounds Maul Canaries
The Lake Country DockHounds needed just three innings to score 17 runs as they knocked off the Sioux Falls Canaries, 17-2. The DockHounds scored six in the first, added four in the sixth, and put up seven more in the ninth. Brian Rey had three hits and drove in five and Curtis Terry drove in four for Lake Country. Randall Delgado was sharp, allowing two runs in five innings to earn the victory.
The DockHounds took control of this game from the start, as a bases loaded walk and a hit by pitch made it 2-0. That brought Terry to the plate, who drilled his fifth homer of the year, a grand slam. The Canaries scored a single run in both the third and fourth innings, but Lake Country put up four more in the sixth. Rey hit a three-run homer, his eighth of the year, and Demetrius Sims followed with a solo shot. In the ninth, the DockHounds sent 10 men to the plate, scoring seven runs off seven hits. Rey had a two-run double.
Rey finished 3-6 with two runs scored and five RBI. Blake Tiberi had four hits and scored three runs. Welington Dotel and Ozzie Martinez each had two hits for Sioux Falls.
Green Gem Propels Dogs
Nick Green allowed two earned runs in six innings to earn his fourth victory of the year as the Chicago Dogs defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen, 7-3. Chicago had to rally from a two-run deficit, tying the game in the fifth, then putting for more up in the sixth to earn the victory. Christian Young took the loss for the Milkmen.
The Dogs held a one run lead heading to the third, but Milwaukee tied the score on an error and took the lead on a Gabriel Cancel double. The lead became two in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Bryan Torres. Torres went 3-5 in the contest, raising his average to .369. In the fifth, Chicago tied the score when Luke Mangieri led off with his 12th homer of the year and Payton Eeles came home on an error. In the sixth, Chicago took the lead for good sending eight men to the plate, scoring four times. Cody Bohanek had a two-run single to close out the scoring.
Chicago Dogs Recap by Sam Brief
RedHawks Rally to Down Goldeyes
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks found themselves trailing by three after four innings, but scored four unanswered runs, including one in the ninth to earn a 7-6 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Reza Aleaziz earned the victory, tossing a scoreless eighth, and starter Garrett Alexander came on to close out the game, earning his first save of the year.
Evan Alexander led off the contest with his eighth homer of the year, but Winnipeg tied it in the bottom of the first on a ground out by Max Murphy. The Goldeyes scored single runs in the second and third innings. The RedHawks tied the score in the top of the fourth, but Winnipeg retook the lead in the bottom half of the frame on a passed ball and a two-run shot by Murphy, his 20th of the year.
The RedHawks were down, but pulled within one in the top of the sixth when Sam Dexter delivered a two-run double. In the eighth, Leobaldo Pina tied the score with his 10th homer of the year. The contest looked like it may be headed to extra innings, but Pina delivered the game-winner, grounding out to score Peter Brookshaw.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Doug Greenwald
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Brian Rey (Lake Country DockHounds) 3-6, 2 R, 2 Doubles, HR, 5 RBI
No. 2 – David Holmberg (Lincoln Saltdogs) 8.0iP, 6 H, ER, 0 BB, 6 K
No. 1 – Ryan Hernandez (Cleburne Railroaders) 4-5, R, 6 RBI, HR
American Association Daily Notes
Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Max Murphy hit his league-leading 20th home run of the season. Murphy has a combined 51 homers over the last 166 games… Lincoln Saltdogs catcher Luke Roskam has reached base in 32 consecutive games, the second longest streak in the American Association this season… The Kansas City Monarchs have lost six straight games… The Chicago Dogs have won six straight contests… Sioux City Explorers right-hander Solomon Bates struck out four on Saturday. He is now to strikeout shy of reaching the century mark.
Transactions
Chicago: Released RHP Osiris German
Cleburne: Released LHP Kody Bullard and OF Jarel McDade
Fargo-Moorhead: Placed RHP Alex DuBord on the Inactive List retroactive to July 9
Kane County: Signed C Dylan Nolan
Kansas City: Signed RHP Bubby Rossman
Lincoln: Placed RHP John Bezdicek on the Injured List retroactive to July 26; Signed INF Jason Rogers; Activated INF Jason Rogers from the Inactive List
Sioux City: Placed RHP Kent Hasler on the Injured List retroactive to July 17
Sioux Falls: Placed RHP Hayden Thomas on the Injured List retroactive to July 13
American Association Articles on Minor League Sports Report
TWITA: Milwaukee Milkmen Right-Hander Kyle Mora
Milwaukee Milkmen RHP Kyle Mora Named American Association Pitcher of the Week
Sioux Falls Canaries OF Jabari Henry Named American Association Player of the Week
By Robert Pannier
