Sanchez Hits Walk-Off Homer for Milkmen, Abbott Homers Twice, Alexander Tosses Gem
Featured Image Courtesy of 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, Robert Pannier recaps the six games in the American Association on Friday, including Garrett Alexander tossing gem for Cleburne Railroaders, the Milwaukee Milkmen clinched a playoff spot, and the Gary SouthShore RailCats Homer four times and he victory over the Chicago Dogs.. This, plus much more.
Game Recaps for Friday
Sanchez Walk-Off Homer Propels Milkmen
Hector Sanchez drilled a three-run homer with one down in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Milwaukee Milkmen a 6-3 victory over the Kane County Cougars. Milwaukee took the lead in the bottom the second on an RBI single by Sanchez but the Cougars took the lead in the top of the sixth. Sherman Johnson doubled and scored on an error and Nick Franklin doubled home Josh Rolette to make it 2-1.
The Milkmen took the lead an inning later on a two run double by Keon Barnum but Kane County tied the score in the top of the eighth and an RBI single by Alexis Pantoja. That sent the contest extra innings were Sanchez turned on the first pitch he saw, drilling it for his 11th homerun of the season to give Milwaukee the victory.
Sanchez finished 4-5 with a run and four RBI. Rodrigo Benoit earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Johnson and B. J. Lopez each had two hits for the Cougars.
Homers Lead RailCats Past Dogs
The Gary SouthShore RailCats hit four homeruns, including two by Sam Abbott, to earn a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Dogs. Chicago took the lead in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by K. C. Hobson, but Abbott drilled his first home run of the game, a two-run shot in the second inning to put the RailCats on top. The Dogs tied the score in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI single by Stevie Wilkerson but Abbott came up big once again, drilling his second homerun of the game in the top of the fourth.
In the sixth, Victor Nova extended the lead to two with his seventh homerun of the season and Jesus Marriaga added a solo shot in the ninth for his fifth of the year. Adam Heidenfelder earned the victory while Jack Eisenbarger came on to close out the contest for his fourth save of the season.
Abbott finished 3-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Nova had two hits and scored two runs. Ryan Lidge had three hits for Chicago.
Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Ryan Zimmerman
Alexander Gem Leads Railroaders Past Saltdogs
Kacy Clemens drove home both runs and Garrett Alexander did the rest, allowing one run over seven innings as the Cleburne Railroaders defeated the Lincoln Saltdogs, 2-1. Alexander was brilliant, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out seven to earn his fourth victory of the season. Kevin McCarthy tossed a scoreless eighth and Nick Gardewine came on in the ninth to earn his 15th save of the season.
Cleburne took the lead in the top of the second when Clemens drilled his ninth homerun of the season to make it 1-0. Two innings later, the infielder drove home Chase Simpson with a sacrifice fly. Lincoln had no answers for Alexander through the first seven innings but finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth when Luke Roskam led off a homerun. However, that would be all the offense that Lincoln could produce.
John Bezdicek dropped to 0-4 despite pitching very well, allowing two runs in seven innings. Clemens had two hits for Cleburne and Welington Dotel had two for Lincoln.
Lincoln Saltdogs Recap by Michael Dixon
Escarra Homers Twice in Monarchs Victory
J.C. Escarra homered twice and drove in three as the Kansas City Monarchs defeated the Sioux Falls Canaries, 7-4. Kevin Santa put his team in front in the top of the third on an RBI double as Kansas City scored three runs in the frame. Jabari Henry got one of those runs back in the bottom half with an RBI single, but Escarra led off the fourth with his 11th home run of the season.
Kona Quiggle drove home a run with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth and Henry hit his 27th homerun in the fifth make this a one run game. Dylan Harris extended the lead to two with an RBI single in the sixth and Escarra put this game out of reach in the eighth with a two-run shot.
Nick Belzer earned the victory, allowing three runs in six innings. Escarra finished 2-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Five players for the Monarchs had two hits in the contest. Henry had two hits and drove in two for the Canaries.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Dan Vaughan, Jr.
DockHounds Down Explorers in Extra Innings
Tristen Carranza drilled a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Lake Country DockHounds a 6-4 victory over the Sioux City Explorers. Sioux City had taken the lead in the top half of the frame on a sacrifice fly, but T.J. Bennett singled to put runners at the corners with two down. That brought Carranza to the plate, who drilled a Thomas McIlraith offering to give Lake Country the victory.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Connor Ryan
Goldeyes-RedHawks Washed Out
The contest between the Winnipeg Goldeyes and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks as rained out. This contest will likely be made up on Saturday as part of a double-header.
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Garrett Alexander (Cleburne Railroaders) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, ER, 7 K
No. 2 – Sam Abbott (Gary SouthShore RailCats) 3-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI
No. 1 – Hector Sanchez (Milwaukee Milkmen) 4-5. R. Walk-Off Homer, 4 RBI
American Association Daily Notes
The Milwaukee Milkmen became the fourth team to clinch a playoff spot. The club pulled within one game of the Chicago Dogs for the top record in the East Division… The Sioux City Explorers set a single season-high with 19 strikeouts on Friday… The Lake Country DockHounds Their slim playoff hopes alive with their victory on Friday. A loss on Saturday or a victory by the Cleburne Railroaders and they will be eliminated.
Transactions
Kane County: Signed RHP Keith Rogalla
Kansas City: Signed OF Dylan Harris
Winnipeg: Placed LHP R.J. Martinez on the Injured List retroactive to August 25; Activated RHP Freisis Adames from the Injured List
By Robert Pannier
