FARGO, N.D. — The RedHawks pounded out 11 runs on 13 hits on Sunday afternoon in the series finale against the Houston Apollos enroute to an 11-3 win in front of 2,741 fans on Sunday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field. The RedHawks, who finished their first homestand with a record of 5-1, limited the Apollos to only three hits after the first inning.

Kevin McGovern started his third game of the season and got off to a rocky start, giving up two runs in the first inning. After Ramon Villa got on base with a leadoff single, Brian Dansereau hit a home run over the left field wall to give the Apollos the 2-0 lead. McGovern got better as the game went on, and at one point retired 17 batters in a row. McGovern exited the game in the eighth inning after allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. He got his third win of the season and is now 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 23.0 innings pitched.

The RedHawks responded in the third inning, when rookie Will Zimmerman knocked in Dylan Kelly with an RBI single. Zimmerman got another RBI on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning — the rookie has five RBIs in his first three games with the RedHawks. Leo Pina tied the game at two apiece in the fourth inning, and Dylan Kelly (2-for-3, two runs, three RBI) hit a bases-clearing double two batters later to give the RedHawks their first lead of the game. In the fifth inning, John Silviano blew the game open with a two-run moonshot over the batter’s eye to extend the RedHawks’ lead to 7-2.

In the eight inning the Apollos hit two singles off reliever Nathan Foriest to begin a late rally, but the RedHawks turned a 4-3-6 triple play after Houston catcher Hudson Bilodeau hit a line drive right at second baseman Ed Reichenbach. The infielder then threw the ball to first to double off the runner, before Corelle Prime threw to Sam Dexter who tagged the runner coming back to second. The triple play is the first at Newman Outdoor Field since Aug. 25, 2020, when the Winnipeg Goldeyes turned a 6-4-3-5-4 triple play in a 5-1 loss to the RedHawks. Sunday’s triple play was the first turned by the RedHawks since Aug. 31, 2020, when Fargo-Moorhead turned two 5-4-3 triple plays in a 3-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs.

The RedHawks improved to 8-4 in their first two weeks of the season and will be at least tied for first place in the American Association North Division after the conclusion of Sunday play (Kane County is 7-4 and plays Winnipeg on Sunday night at 6:30 P.M.). Houston has now lost seven games in a row and is currently six and a half games back of Sioux City in the South Division standings.

The RedHawks will begin their second road trip of the season on Monday with a doubleheader against the Gary SouthShore RailCats at U.S Steel Yard. RHP Gage Hinsz (0-1, 9.34 ERA) is slated to start for the RedHawks in the series opener. The starter for the second game is yet to be determined. You can watch every RedHawks road game live on aabaseball.tv or listen to the games called on 740 The Fan.

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By Chad Ekren, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks