FARGO, N.D. – John Silviano hit a seventh-inning grand slam to give the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks their first lead of the game and Alex DuBord sealed a 10-6 victory over the Chicago Dogs in Game 5 of the North Division Championship Series with 1.2 innings of shutout work on the mound. With the win, Fargo-Moorhead takes the best-of-five NDCS three games to two and earns their first series win as a member of the American Association.

Thursday night’s win sends the RedHawks to their first ever appearance in the American Association Finals. Game 1 of the AA Finals between the RedHawks and Kansas City Monarchs is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at Newman Outdoor Field.

Fargo-Moorhead spotted Chicago five runs in the game — with four unearned runs in the top of the first inning starting the Dogs off on the front foot — before getting on the board in the sixth inning with a 2-run single from Silviano. The right fielder went 2-for-5 with six runs batted in and a run scored.

The RedHawks scored all 10 of their runs in their final three innings at the plate, including a five-run seventh inning capped off by Silviano’s grand slam. Fargo-Moorhead took a 7-5 lead into the eighth inning, but Chicago quickly responded with a run of their own off RedHawks reliever Joe Jones (0-0, 7.71 ERA) to get back within a run.

Alex Boxwell crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and F-M went on to add two more insurance runs to make it 10-6 RedHawks heading into the ninth. Alex DuBord entered the game with the bases loaded after relieving Jones, and he shut down the Dogs to get the final five outs of the game and record his first save of the playoffs.

RHP Luke Lind (2-0, 1.80 ERA) picked up the win for the RedHawks after throwing two scoreless innings of work in relief of starter Ryan Flores (0-1, 2.91 ERA). Flores finished the game with five runs against (1 earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings on the mound.

Chicago LHP Cam Booser (0-1, 13.50 ERA) earned the loss after giving up two runs on two hits and a walk while not recording an out.The RedHawks will host the first two games of the AA Finals at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo on Friday, Sept. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 18. First pitch for Friday night’s game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the RedHawks Ticket Office at 701-235-6161.

BOX SCORE

By Chad Ekren, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks