Saltdogs Win in 10, DockHounds Down Cougars, Milkmen Dominate

Robert Pannier July 8, 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, Rob Pannier recaps the six great games in the American Association on Friday, including the Milwaukee Milkmen crushing the Lincoln Saltdogs defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats in 10, the Lake Country DockHounds held off the Kane County Cougars, and the Milwaukee Milkmen crushed the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

Game Recaps for Friday

Jones Homers Twice in DockHounds Victory

Thomas Jones homered twice and drove in five as the Lake Country DockHounds defeated the Kane County Cougars, 10-7. Lake Country jumped out to an eight-run advantage thanks to back-to-back five run frames in the third and fourth innings. The top four batters in the DockHounds order were brutal, going a combined 11-19 with eight runs scored and six RBI.

Lake Country got things going in the third, when the first two batters reached and Jones followed with his sixth home run of the season. Nick Banks added an RBI double and a fielder’s choice by Dustin Woodcock made it 5-0. Kane County responded with two runs in the top of the fourth as Jimmy Kerrigan and Daniel Wasinger delivered back-to-back home runs, but the DockHounds all but put this game away in the bottom of the fourth.

Jones hit his second home run of the game, a two-run blast, and Marcus Chiu added a three-run shot, his ninth of the season. The Cougars refused to quit, scoring a run in the fifth, then putting four on the board in the seventh. Gio Brusa hit a three-run shot in the frame, his third of the season, and Wasinger went deep for the second time in the contest. However, the Lake Country bullpen was able to shut the door, with Jojanse Torres coming on in the ninth to record his fifth save of the season.

Blake Tiberi was a perfect 4-4 with two RBI and Jones was 3-5 with five runs driven in. Brusa had two hits and four RBI for the DockHounds.

Boxscore

Anderson Homer Propels Saltdogs

Nick Anderson hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th to give the Lincoln Saltdogs a 6-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats. That made a winner of Matt Cronin, who tossed two scoreless innings. DJ Wilkinson took the loss. Anderson finished 2-3 with three runs scored and two RBI.

The Saltdogs jumped on top in the top of the first, thanks to a two-run single by Yanio Perez. However, Gary SouthShore responded in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs on four hits. LG Castillo and Francisco Del Valle delivered RBI singles and Seth Caddell drove home a run with the bases loaded walk. The RailCats left the bases loaded, spoiling an opportunity to take control of this game early.

Lincoln tied the score in the top of the fourth, and both teams plated a run in the eighth. That sent the contest to extra innings where Anderson delivered the game-winner, hitting his 15th home run of the season.

Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon

Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Zach Letson

Boxscore

Milkmen Crush Goldeyes

A night after scoring 15 runs, the Milwaukee Milkmen offense Things going, crushing the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 16-4. Milwaukee had three home runs in the contest, and recorded 14 hits and seven walks.

The Milkmen to control of this game early, jumping out to a 10-0 lead through the first three innings. Milwaukee scored two in the first capped off by a two-run single by Michael Crouse and added three more in the second, thanks to back-to-back home runs by Roy Morales and Gabriel Cancel. In the third, Crouse led off with his first home run of the season and Bryan Torres and Cam Balego delivered RBI doubles.

Winnipeg got on the board in the sixth when Max Murphy hit his 15^th home run of the season, a three-run shot. However, the milkmen sealed the victory with six in the top of the eighth. Milwaukee needed just two hits, as they drew six consecutive walks in the inning.

Ryan Zimmerman earned his sixth victory of the season and Juan Echevarria tossed the final four innings to earn his second save of the year. Torres finished 3-6 with three runs scored and Crouse had three hits, scored three runs, and drove in four. Murphy finished with two hits and drove in three for the Goldeyes.

Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Doug Greenwald

Boxscore

Finnegan Grounds RedHawks

Brandon Finnegan allowed one run in six innings to lead the Kansas City Monarchs to a 5-3 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Kansas City scored four runs through the first three frames, giving them a three-run advantage and extended the lead to four before hanging on for the two-run victory. Patrick Weigel came on in the ninth to record his fifth save of the year. Kevin McGovern took the loss.

Kansas City took the lead in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Brian O’Grady. Correlle Prime tied the score in the bottom of the frame, hitting a solo home run, his 10th of the year. In the second, the Monarchs took the lead for good as Odubel Herrera delivered an RBI single and Chris Herrmann drove home Herrera with a sacrifice fly. The lead became three in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Robson. In the eighth, Gavin Collins hit a solo homer, his sixth of the year, but Fargo-Moorhead responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame as a ground out and a single by Sam Dexter made it 5-3. However, the RedHawks would get no closer.

O’Grady finished with two hits for Kansas City and both Alec Olund and Dexter had three hits for Fargo-Moorhead.

Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Carter Woodiel

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Recap by Chad Miller

Boxscore

Canaries Rally to Defeat Dogs

The Sioux Falls Canaries found themselves trailing by three early, but scored six unanswered runs to earn a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Dogs. That made a winner of Mitchell Walters, who allowed three runs in six innings. The bullpen did the rest, as three relievers combined to allow one hit and one run over the final three frames. Charlie Hasty came on in the ninth to close out the contest for his league-leading 13th save of the year.

Chicago took a 3-0 lead in the first as Matt Bottcher and Ryan Lidge each hit solo homers and Nick Heath drove in a run with a ground out. Sioux Falls tied the score in the bottom of the third and took the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Jabari Henry, his ninth of the year. Two innings later, Mike Hart hit a two-run shot, his 11th of the year to extend the lead to three. Chicago got one of those runs back in the top of the seventh, but were shut down by the Canaries bullpen.

Henry finished with two hits and scored three runs for the Canaries. Heath had two RBI and walked three times for Chicago.

Boxscore

Railroaders-Explorers Postponed

For the second time this week, the Sioux City Explorers had a game postponed. This time it was Friday’s contest against the Cleburne Railroaders. The game will be made up as part of a double-header on Saturday with the first contest beginning at 5:05.

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Nick Anderson (Lincoln Saltdogs) 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, HBP, BB

No. 2 – Daniel Wasinger (Kane County Cougars) 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, BB

No. 1 – Thomas Jones (Lake Country DockHounds) 3-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI

American Association Daily Notes

Milwaukee Milkmen infielder Bryan Torres has recorded at least three hits in three consecutive games, producing a combined 9-15… Sioux Falls Canaries closer Charlie Hasty earned his league-leading 13th save of the season… Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Max Murphy and Lincoln Saltdogs outfielder Nick Anderson both hit their 15th home runs of the season on Friday. With Cleburne Railroaders first baseman José Sermo headed to Mexico, the two now trail by two for the league lead.