Milkmen, Monarchs, DockHounds, Cougars Sweep, Canaries Soar

Robert Pannier June 5, 2023

Photo Credit: Jennifer Andreachi/Field Dreams Photography

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 Sunday, including the Lake Country DockHounds winning their fourth straight game, and the Milwaukee Milkmen, Kansas City Monarchs, and Kane County Cougars complete sweeps.

Game Recaps for Sunday

DockHounds Sink Goldeyes to Extend Streak

The Lake Country DockHounds scored five runs in both the third and sixth innings to help lead the club to a 14-5 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. The victory was the fourth in a row for Lake Country. Augie Voight earned the victory, tossing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Winnipeg jumped out in front of the top of the first thanks to a two-run homer off the bat of Max Murphy, his sixth of the year. Lake Country cut the deficit in half when Marcus Chiu led off the bottom of the second with his second homer of the year, and Lake Country took the lead in third, scoring five runs on five hits. The DockHounds loading the bases with one down before Chiu singled up the middle, driving home two runs to put the DockHounds on top. Blake Tiberi followed with a two-run single of his own and Pat DeMarco closed out the scoring with an RBI single.

The Goldeyes cut the deficit to one, scoring three runs in the top of the fourth. However, it was all DockHounds from there, as they scored the final eight runs in the contest. Lake Country put up two in the bottom of the fourth then put this game away in the sixth, adding five more runs. Thomas Jones hit his second home run of the season, and Chiu and drove home his fourth run of the game with an RBI double. Brian Rey hit a two run double in the inning.

Chiu finished 3-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. DeMarco and Rey each had three hits as well. Dayson Croes had two hits and drove in two for Winnipeg.

Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Jason Young

Boxscore

Lang Dominates as Canaries Edge RailCats

After the two teams combine for 48 runs through the first two contests, the Sioux Falls Canaries edged the Gary SouthShore RailCats on Sunday, 1-0. Neil Lang was spectacular, allowing two hits and two walks in 7.2 innings to earn his first victory of the season. Angel Lebron came on in the eighth and retired the final four batters to earn his first save of the season.

Sioux Falls scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the second when Trevor Achenbach drilled a one out home run. It was the third home run of the season for the Canaries first baseman.

Edward Cuello pitched very well for Gary SouthShore, allowing just one run in 6.0 innings. Gio Diaz had both hits for the RailCats.

Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman

Sioux Falls Canaries Recap by Tanner Hoops

Boxscore

Pruitt Homers Twice as Milkmen Complete Sweep

The Milwaukee Milkmen completed their sweep of the Chicago Dogs, winning 8-4. The victory was the sixth in a row for Milwaukee this season, the longest winning streak in the American Association this year. Milwaukee trails Chicago by two games.

The teams exchanged runs in the second. Cam Redding delivered a two-run single in the top of the second, but Chicago tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Luke Mangieri hit his second home run of the year. Milwaukee responded in the top of the third, retaking the lead for good on a double play grounder by Miguel Gomez, and Justin Williams added an RBI double. In the fourth, Milwaukee all but clinched this game, as Drew Ward delivered a sacrifice fly and Gomez drove home the sixth run of the game with an infield single.

José Fuentes earned the victory, allowing three runs in five innings. Ward and Redding finished with two hits and two RBI and Cam Balego had two hits and scored two runs for the Milkmen. Ryan Lidge had two hits and two RBI for Chicago.

Boxscore

Cougars Rally to Complete Sweep

The Kane County Cougars completed their sweep of the Sioux City Explorers on Sunday, as the team scored two runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good. Spencer Van Scoyoc earned the victory, tossing 2.2 innings of scoreless relief and James Reeves came on to record the final three outs for his first save of the season.

The score was tied at one heading in the top of the third when Kane County erupted for four runs on three hits. Armond Upshaw delivered an RBI single and T.J. Bennett followed with a three run home run, his fourth of the year. Sioux City responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Matt Lloyd connected for a three-run homer, his seventh of the year to make this a one run game. The Cougars added a run in the fifth, but the Explorers took the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Jake Ortega singled up the middle, driving home two runs to make it 7-6. The Cougars would not let this one slip away, however, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth thanks to an error and a sacrifice fly.

Lloyd had a big day for the Explorers, going 2-5 with two runs scored and four RBI. Vince Fernandez also had two hits, including his fifth homer of the year. Upshaw had two hits and drove in two for the victorious Cougars.

Sioux City Explorers Recap by Austin Thomas

Boxscore

Moats Stymies Railroaders to Complete Sweep

Dalton Moats allowed just one hit in five innings to lead the Kansas City Monarchs to a 7-3 victory over the Cleburne Railroaders, completing the sweep of the three-game series. Kansas City scored four early runs only to see Cleburne battle back to pull within one, but sealed the victory with a run in the sixth in two in the eighth.

After taking the lead in the bottom of the first, the Monarchs extended their lead to three with an RBI single by Jan Hernandez and a sacrifice fly by Chris Herrmann in the third. Keon Broxton homered in the fourth, his first of the game, to make it a four-run advantage. Cleburne began to chip away in the fifth. Mark Karaviotis led off the inning with his fourth home run of the season, and José Sermo added a two-run blast in the sixth, his eighth of the year, pulling the Railroaders within one. However, Herman led off the bottom of the sixth with his eighth homer of the year, and Broxton added a two-run shot in the eighth.

Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Nolan Brooks

Boxscore

Saltdogs-RedHawks Suspended

The contest between the Lincoln Saltdogs and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks was suspended due to rain. The game will be continued when Lincoln returns to Fargo August 15-17.

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Marcus Chiu (Lake Country DockHounds) 3-4, 3 R, Double, HR, 4 RBI, HBP

No. 2 – Keon Braxton (Kansas City Monarchs) 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR

No. 1 – Neil Lang (Sioux Falls Canaries) 7.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

American Association Daily Notes

The Lake Country DockHounds set a franchise record with their fourth straight victory… Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Dayson Croes extended his hitting streak 18 straight games. That is the longest streak in the American Association the season… Lake Country DockHounds infielder Luis Aviles, Jr. had his contract purchased by the Houston Astros.