Saltdogs Sweep Double-Header, Gotta Drives in Six, McCanna Tames Dogs
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 seven games in the American Association on Saturday, including the Lincoln Saltdogs sweeping a double-header against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Kevin McCanna and Max Kuhns combined to blank the Chicago Dogs, and the Kane County Cougars shut out the Kansas City Monarchs This, plus much more.
Hilton Tosses 5-Star Performance
Kevin Hilton allowed one earned run in 7.0 innings to lead the Cleburne Railroaders to a 4-2 victory over the Lake Country DockHounds. The right-hander scattered five hits and did not walk a batter while striking out seven to earn his sixth the victory of the season.
The Railroaders jumped on Lake Country starter Evan Kruczynski in the first, scoring three runs. A wild pitch brought home one run and Kacy Clemens followed with a two run double. An inning later, Nick Shumpert it a one-out homerun, his sixth of the year.
Kruczynski pitched well, allowing four runs in 6.0 innings. The first inning proved to be the undoing as his team produced just five hits. Lamar Briggs had two hits and scored a run for the DockHounds.
Eight-Run Fourth Sends Canaries Soaring
The Sioux Falls Canaries scored eight runs in the fourth inning to come away with a 14-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Sioux Falls held a 1-0 lead, but sent 12 men to the plate, scoring eight runs on seven hits. Nick Gotta had the big hit of the frame, drilling a grand slam, his first homerun of the season. Jabari Henry later added a two-run single.
In the sixth, Gavin LaValley hit his 14th homer of the year, a solo shot that made it 10-0. The RailCats got on the board in the bottom of the seventh as LG Castillo hit his third homerun of the season, a two-run shot. Thomas Walraven and Michael Woodworth added RBI singles, but the Canaries added one more in the eighth and three in the ninth to seal the victory.
Neil Lang pitched very well for Sioux Falls, allowing three runs on three hits in 6.2 innings. He allowed just one hit through the first six innings. Ozzie Martinez finished with three hits and John Nester and Gotta both scored three runs. Gotta finished 3-3 with three runs scored and six RBI.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Five Cougars Pitchers Combine to Blank Monarchs
Five Kane County Cougars pitchers combined to toss a five-hit shutout on Saturday, as the Cougars defeated the Kansas City Monarchs, 3-0. Koby Bishop started, allowing three hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. He left after loading the bases with one out, what Jack Anderson coming on. Anderson struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam. He then remained in the contest, tossing a scoreless sixth inning.
In the seventh, Michael Morin came on to toss a scoreless frame and CJ Carter tossed a scoreless eighth. Ryan Richardson came on in the ninth to complete the shutout, earning his sixth save of the season.
Kane County provided their pitching staff all the support they needed in the fourth. Jimmy Kerrigan gave his team a one run lead with an RBI double and a bases loaded walk to Galli Cribbs made it 2-0. B.J. Lopez completed the scoring with an RBI single. Brock Gilliam took the loss, allowing three runs in 4.1 innings. Kerrigan finished with three hits.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Adam Cook
Goldeyes Down Milkmen
The Winnipeg Goldeyes scored three runs in the sixth and added three in the eighth to come away with a 9-6 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen. Winnipeg took a three-run lead early, scoring two in the first and adding one in the second. However, the Milkmen responded with three runs in the bottom of the second, as Will Kengor drilled a bases clearing triple.
Milwaukee took the lead an inning later, but the Goldeyes took the lead for good, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth. Hidekel Gonzalez doubled to tie the score and Eric Rivera gave his team the lead with an RBI single. In the eighth, Raul Navarro added a two run double. Jeremiah Burks hit a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame, but Milwaukee could not rally.
Travis Seabrooke earned the victory. Rivera had two hits and scored three runs and Gonzalez had three hits, scored twice, and drove in two. Kengor drove in three from Milwaukee.
Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster
McCanna, Kuhns Shut Out Dogs
Kevin McCanna and Max Kuhns combined on a four hitter as the Sioux City Explorers shut out the Chicago Dogs, 4-0. McCanna allowed just three hits and two walks in 7.0 innings to earn his seventh victory of the season. Kuhns came on in the eighth, allowing one hit while striking out five to finish off the shutout.
Sioux City took the lead in the top of the first inning when Danry Vasquez walked with the bases loaded. Dogs starter Jordan Kipper was in complete command of this game from there, retiring 13 straight batters at one point. However, the Explorers finally broke through for another run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Snyder.
Ademar Rifaela added an RBI single in the seventh. He finished with two hits and two RBI in the contest. K.C. Hobson had two hits for Chicago.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Saltdogs Sweep Double-Header
Garett Delano tossed six shutout innings in the second game on Saturday, as the Lincoln Saltdogs swept a double-header against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Delano allowed six hits and no walks while striking out five to earn his fifth victory of the season. Carter Hope came on in the seventh to finish off the shutout. Kevin McGovern took the loss, allowing four runs in six innings.
Lincoln took the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Randy Norris. An inning later, Josh Altmann drilled a three-run homer, his 13th of the year. The Saltdogs scored their final run of the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Altmann. That made it 5-0. Altmann finished 3-3 with a run and four RBI. Jason Rogers had two hits, walked twice, and scored two runs.
In the opening contest, Lincoln scored two runs in the top of the eighth to earn a 4-2 victory. Zach Keenan started against Derek Feldman, and both starters look very good. Keenan allowed one run in five innings while Feldman allowed two in five frames.
The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Evan Alexander but Rayder Ascanio put Saltdogs on top with his first homerun of the season in the top of the fourth, a two-run shot. The RedHawks tied the score on Peter Maris’ 14th homerun of the season in the bottom of the sixth. That sent the game to extra innings where Ascanio gave his team the lead for good with an RBI single.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon’s
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Rayder Ascanio (Lincoln Saltdogs) 3-6, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 BB
No. 2 – Kevin McCanna (Sioux City Explorers) 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 5 K
No. 1 – Nick Gotta (Sioux Falls Canaries) 3-3, 3 R, HR, 6 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
Cleburne Railroaders starter Kevin Hilton has now allowed three earned runs in his last 14.1 innings pitched… Chicago Dogs OF Michael Crouse extended his home hitting streak to 20 straight games… Cleburne Railroaders IF Edwin Arroyo has now reached base in 36 straight games, the longest such streak in the American Association this season. Arroyo also has an 18-game road hitting streak… The Lake Country DockHounds lost their ninth straight game…
Transactions
Gary SouthShore: Removed RHP Elio Serrano from the Injured List and placed him on the Inactive List retroactive to May 16; Placed RHP Ryan Campbell on the Injured List retroactive to August 1; Signed LHP Jaylen Smith
Kansas City: Released INF Chad De La Guerra; Placed INF Pete Kozma on the Injured List retroactive to July 30; Signed OF Jacob Robson and OF Mallex Smith
Milwaukee: Placed INF Correlle Prime on the Injured List; Signed INF Brandon Chinea
Sioux City: Released C Mitch Ghelfi
Sioux Falls: Signed RHP Tony Lanier
By Robert Pannier
