Prime Homers Twice, Ramirez Wins His Eighth, RedHawks Hold Off Explorers

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 Thursday, including Correlle Prime hitting two home runs for the Milwaukee Milkmen, the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks hold off the Sioux City Explorers, and Luis Ramirez wins his eighth game of the year. This, plus much more.
RedHawks Hang on to Down Explorers
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead for the first two innings, then held on for a 6-5 victory over the Sioux City Explorers on Thursday morning. The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the first on back-to-back singles by Rymer Liriano and Ben Livorsi. An inning later, the lead became five as Fargo-Moorhead needed just one hit and took advantage of two walks and an error to score three more runs.
Sioux City found themselves trailing 6-1 entering the top of the eighth, but pulled within two thanks to a three-run homer off the bat of Sebastian Zawada, his sixth of the year. An inning later, a wild pitch plated Danny Amaral and Sioux City had the tying run at first base, but Jon Jones was able to close out the contest for his second save of the year.
Peyton Wigginton earned the victory, allowing four runs in 7.1 innings. Liriano finished 3-4 with a run in two RBI and Evan Alexander scored two runs. Zawada finished with two hits and three RBI for the Explorers.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Five-Run First Propels Goldeyes to Victory
The Winnipeg Goldeyes scored five runs in the first inning on their way to an 8-2 victory over the Chicago Dogs. Ian Sagdal got things going with a two-run homer just two batters into the contest, and Reggie Pruitt capped off the scoring with a three-run shot, his fifth of the year.
The teams exchanged a pair of runs in the fourth. Chicago plated two on a double by Stevie Wilkerson and an RBI double by Eric Rivera and a single by Sagdal made it 7-2 in the bottom half of the frame. Winnipeg added one more run in the eighth on a double by Raul Navarro.
That was more than enough support for Luis Ramirez, who allowed two runs on four hits in 7.2 innings, striking out nine. Sagdal and Pruitt each finished with two hits and three RBI in Navarro added four hits. Charlie Tilson had two hits for Chicago.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster
Eight-Run Sixth Helps Cougars Maul DockHounds
The Kane County Cougars scored eight runs in the sixth inning to help them dominate the Lake Country DockHounds, 13-3. The DockHounds scored the first two runs of this game, as Daikan Yoh gave his team lead with a two run double in the top of the third.
The Cougars responded with 13 unanswered runs, scoring the first in the bottom half of the third when Alexis Pantoja led off with his fourth homerun of the year. An inning later, Kane County took the lead, scoring four as Pantoja drove home a run on a bases loaded walk, then Galli Cribbs gave his team the lead with a two-run single. Leading 5-2 heading in the bottom of the six, Kane County sent 15 men to the plate, scoring eight runs on just three hits. A walk, a hit by pitch, and a single loaded the bases for Nick Anderson, who drilled a grand slam, his third of the year. After a walk, Dylan Busby drove home another run with a double and a bases loaded walk and a passed ball netted two more runs.
That was more than enough support for Jack Fox, who allowed three runs in 7.0 innings. Anderson finished with only one hit, but walked twice and drove home five. Pantoja scored four runs on a hit and three walks. Tristen Carranza had two hits for Lake Country.
Thorpe, Bullpen Help Monarchs Complete Sweep
Lewis Thorpe allowed one run in five innings as the Kansas City Monarchs completed the sweep of their three-game series with the Sioux Falls Canaries, winning 4-2. This was a scoreless tie through the first three innings, but Jabari Henry led off the fourth with his 23rd homer of the year. The lead did not last long, however, as J.C. Escarra homered in the bottom half of the frame, a two-run blast for his eighth on run of the year.
Kansas City extended the lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Escarra, and made it a 4-1 lead when Matt Adams scored on a wild pitch in the seventh. Sioux Falls cut the deficit to two when Henry drove home Nick Gotta in the eighth, but they would get no closer.
Thorpe allowed five hits and a walk in 5.0 innings. Jameson McGrane came on in the ninth to close the game out for his 13th save of the season. Escarra finished with two hits and drove in three. Henry had two hits and drove in two for Sioux Falls.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Kaitlyn Saunders
Railroaders Rally to Even Series
The Cleburne Railroaders found themselves trailing by four entering the bottom of the fourth, but scored five unanswered runs over the next five innings to earn a 5-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Gary SouthShore took the lead in the top of the first on a three-run homer by LG Castillo. In the fourth, the team extended lead to for when Thomas Walraven hit his ninth homerun of the season.
However, it was all Cleburne from there. An RBI single by Hill Alexander gave the Railroaders their first run in the bottom of the fourth, and Alexander scored on an error to cut the deficit to two. In the fifth, Chase Simpson made it a one run game with an RBI single, and Cleburne took the lead in the bottom of the eighth as an error allowed Simpson to score and Alexander scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Bockelie.
Kevin McCarthy earned the victory, tossing two scoreless innings of relief. Nick Gardewine closed of the contest out for his seventh save of the season. Simpson had two hits and Alexander scored two runs. Castillo had three RBI for the RailCats and Walraven had three hits.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Milkmen Rally Late to Down Saltdogs
The Milwaukee Milkmen scored two in the eighth and four in the ninth come away with an 8-2 victory over the Lincoln Saltdogs. Lincoln took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but Milwaukee responded with two runs in the top of the third. Logan Trowbridge drilled a two-run homer, his fifth of the year, but the Saltdogs scored a run in the bottom of the fifth when Jason Rogers was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the score at two.
The game remained knotted until the top of the eighth when Correlle Prime put his team on top with his first homerun of the contest. Miguel Gomez added an RBI double to give the Milkmen a two-run lead. In the ninth, Milwaukee blew this game open. Prime hit a two-run homer to the scoring.
Peyton Gray earned the victory, tossing a scoreless inning of relief. Prime finished 2-5 with two runs scored and three RBI. Trowbridge was 2-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Skyler Weber had two hits and drove in a run for Lincoln.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Lewis Thorpe (Kansas City Monarchs) 5.0 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 2 K
No. 2 – Alexis Pantoja (Kane County Cougars) 1-2, 4 R, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB
No. 1 – Correlle Prime (Milwaukee Milkmen) 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
Chicago Dogs OF Michael Crouse saw his hitting streak ended 21 straight games, tied for the longest in the American Association this season… Winnipeg Goldeyes RHP Luis Ramirez one his league-leading eighth game of the season… Sioux Falls Canaries OF/DH Jabari Henry hit his 23rd homerun of the season on Thursday. That is tied for the league lead.
Transactions
Cleburne: Activated INF Jacob Bockelie from the Injured List; Activated RHP Landon Holifield from the Inactive List
Kane County: Placed OF Bryce Brentz on the Inactive List retroactive to June 19
Sioux City: Placed RHP Tyler Beardsley on the Injured List retroactive to July 23; Signed RHP Ma’Khail Hilliard
By Robert Pannier