Reggie Abercrombie Drives in 4 to Lead Goldeyes to 9-7 Victory in 10
In American Association Daily, Robert Pannier recaps an incredible night of baseball in the American Association, as all 12 teams were in action. In the Game of the Night, the Winnipeg Goldeyes defeat the Sioux Falls Canaries in 10 thanks to 4-RBI from Reggie Abercrombie, and the Lincoln Saltdogs hang on for a 3-2 victory.
Reggie Abercrombie Provides Game-Winning Home Run in 10th
Reggie Abercrombie continues to deliver for the Winnipeg Goldeyes, recording 4-hits and driving in four runs as the Goldeyes downed the Sioux Falls Canaries in 10 innings, 9-7. The victory, coupled with a Gary Southshore RailCats loss, moved Winnipeg into a second-place tie in the North Division.
Sioux Falls took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first-inning. Jordan Smith led off with a walk and it looked like he would be left stranded, but a two-out walk to Jabari Henry kept the inning alive before Smith scored on a wild pitch to put the Canaries on top 1-0.
In the third, the Winnipeg Goldeyes would grab the lead. Gavin Stupienski started the inning with a single and advanced to second on a base hit by Dave Sappelt. Eric Aguilera loaded the bases with an infield hit before Abercrombie delivered a single to drive in Stupienski. That brought Josh Mazzola to the plate, who hit the seventh pitch he faced for a double, clearing the bases and putting Winnipeg on top, 4-1.
Sioux Falls got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Blake Schmit doubled with one out and scored on an error to make it 4-2.
The Goldeyes got that run right back in the top of the fourth. Stupienski started the inning with a double and moved to third on an error. He scored when Sappalt hit into a double play to extend the lead back to three.
The Canaries came right back themselves. Patrick Fiala singled into left with one out and moved to third on in Aaron Gretz single. With runners at the corners and two outs, Chris Grayson grounded a single up the middle to score Fiala and Sioux Falls trailed 5-3.
It would be quiet through the next two frames, but both teams would plate a pair in the seventh. In the top half, Sappalt walked with one out and moved to third on a double by Aguilera. A two run single by Abercrombie brought both runners home to extend the lead to four.
Right back came the Sioux Falls Canaries, as Henry singled with two outs and scored on a two run blast by David Bergin. For Bergin, it was his second home run of the season and first since rejoining the Canaries.
In the ninth, Winnipeg sent Victor Capellan to the hill looking for his 13th save. He struck out Smith to begin the inning, but Grayson followed with a double. Maxx Garrett popped out and it looked like this game was in the bag, but Henry blasted the first pitch he saw for a two run homer, tying the game at nine.
Sioux Falls was ecstatic, but the enjoyment did not last long. In the top of the 1oth, Abercrombie started the inning by hitting his third home run of the season. That brought Tucker Nathans to the plate, who hit his first home run of the season and the Winnipeg Goldeyes were back on top, 11-9.
Jack Charleston came on in the bottom half of the inning looking to close it out. He retired all three batters he faced, striking out two of them for his first save of the season. Capellan (1-2) earned the victory despite blowing the save.
Reggie Abercrombie finished 4-5 with 2-runs, a homer, and 4-RBI. Josh Mazzola drove in three and Eric Aguilera was 2-4 with 2-runs scored. Jabari Henry was 2-4 with 2-runs and 2-RBI for Sioux Falls.
Saltdogs Thwart Railroaders Comeback, 3-2
The Lincoln Saltdogs got five solid innings out of Kyle Kinman in his first start of the season, as the Saltdogs downed the Cleburne Railroaders, 3-2. Cleburne took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but Lincoln would score single runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth to take a two run lead. Chase Simpson drove in a run in the sixth with a single and added an RBI double in the eighth. José José came on in the ninth. He gave up a leadoff triple to Patrick Palmeiro, who was driven home on a groundout by his father, Rafael Palmeiro, but the Railroaders would get no closer. Kinman (1-0) earned the victory with José earning his fourth save of the season.
Leobaldo Pina Powers RedHawks to 5-4 Victory
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks downed the Kansas City T-Bones Saturday night, thanks to a 3-RBI night by Leobaldo Pina it the 5-4 victory. The RedHawks jumped out in front in the bottom of the first when Pina hit his second home run of the season, a three run shot to stake his team to an early lead. In the second, the lead became four on an RBI single off the bat of Maikol Gonzalez. Kansas City would battle back to tie the score in the top of the seventh but, in the bottom of the eighth, Quinn Irey scored on an error to put Fargo-Moorhead back on top. Randy McCurry came on in the ninth and closed it out for his sixth save of the season. Piña finished 2-4 with a run, homer, and 3-RBI.
Justin Vernia Declaws RailCats, Explorers Win, 5-1
If there was an apparent weakness to the Sioux City Explorers early on the season it seemed to be there starting pitching. However, they seem to have answered that question. A night after Keith Picht tossed five scoreless innings, Justin Vernia allowed one run in 7-innings as the Explorers downed the Gary Southshore RailCats, 5-1. Sioux City took the lead in the top of the second on an RBI double by Dexture McCall and he scored on an RBI single by Dylan Kelly. The Explorers added three more in the third, thanks to a two run double by Jay Baum and an RBI single from Sermo. Vernia (3-1) made that stand, allowing 5-hits and a run in 7-innings, while striking out a season high 9.
Trey Vavra Gives Dogs Come from Behind Victory, 7-6
The Chicago Dogs found themselves trailing by a run entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but Trey Vavra drove home two with a two out, two run single to give the Dogs a 7-6 victory over the St. Paul Saints. Vavra also hit his sixth home run of the season while driving in three runs. Chicago hit three home runs in all. Zach Racusin was 3-3 with a run scored and Joe Benson had 3-hits and a run scored as well. Kaohi Downing saved his sixth game of the season. Brady Shoemaker had a big night for St. Paul, going 3-5 with 2-runs and 2-RBI. He also hit his third home run of the season.
Charlie Gillies Shuts Down AirHogs in 7-2 Victory
Charlies Gillies looked every bit as good in his second start for the Wichita Wingnuts as he did in his first, leading the team to a 7-2 victory with seven solid innings. Wichita got 3-RBI from rookie Hunter Clanin and veteran Abel Nieves drove in two to lead the offense. Wichita scored a run in the top of the first, and then had single runs in the third and the fourth. The Wingnuts added a pair in the sixth on a Clanin two run single and added two more in the seventh to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Mark Haynes returned from a serious motorcycle accident to pitch for the Wingnuts.
American Association Daily Notes
The Chicago Dogs signed OF Jon Nunnally, Jr. IF Matt Telesco, and C Ryan Wagner. Telesco returns to the Dogs after starting the season with the team. He is hitting .161 in 11 games. Wagner started the season with the Texas AirHogs, hitting .175 in 12 games…The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks signed LHP Kenny Mathews. Matthews pitching in 2017 in Winnipeg, and began the season with the Goldeyes. He was 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA in 8 games this season, but was impressive last season, going 3-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 33-appearances.
By Robert Pannier
