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 Game 4 of the American Association Championship series, as the Christian Young combines with two relievers to blank the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

Kevin Luckow and Rob Pannier recap Game 4 in the American Association Championship Series on This Week in the Association.

Game Recaps for Wednesday

Young, Bullpen Dominate for Force Game 5

Christian Young proved to be the savior of the Milwaukee Milkmen’s season on Wednesday evening, tossing five shutout innings to lead the Milkmen to a 3-0 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. That forced a decisive Game 5 on Thursday for the Miles Wolff Cup.

Young and RedHawks starter Peyton Wigginton were both pitching well through the first two frames, but the Milkmen took the lead in the top of the third. Bryan Torres, who proved to be a thorn in the side of Fargo-Moorhead all evening, tripled down the left field line to begin the inning. Logan Trowbridge popped out but Miguel Gomez singled up the middle to put Milwaukee on top by a run. The Milkmen looked like they would add at least two more. With two down and two on, Hector Sanchez lifted a ball down the right field line that looked like it was going to drop in, however Alec Olund made a diving catch to rob Sanchez of a double.

In the fifth, the lead became two. Torres led off with a single and moved to second when Trowbridge laid down a perfect bunt. With the count 2-1, Torres broke for third, easily reaching. The throw sailed past the third baseman, allowing Torres to score to make it 2-0.

An inning later, it was 3-0. Will Kengor singled and Sanchez followed with a ground rule double over the left field wall. That would be it for Wigginton. Reid Birlingmair came on and gave up a hard single off the first baseman’s glove to Carl Chester to make it 3-0. For some reason, Sanchez did not break for third on the play and that proved to be costly. A long fly ball to center allowed both runners to move up. Jeremiah Burks then hit a ground ball to Sam Dexter at short. Dexter tagged Chester before firing to first for the double-play.

Young took the mound for the sixth, but walked Christian Correa to start the inning and his evening was over. The right-hander allowed two hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Frankie Bartow came on and he was brilliant. The right-hander allowed three hits in three scoreless frames. Rodrigo Benoit came on in the ninth to make his first appearance of the Championship Series, striking out two while retiring the side in order for his fourth save of the playoffs.

Torres was 3-5 with two runs scored and a triple, the only player in the game with more than one hit. Wiggington allowed two earned runs in five innings.

Boxscore

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Frankie Bartow (Milwaukee Milkmen) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, K

No. 2 – Bryan Torres (Milwaukee Milkmen) 3-5, 2 R, Triple, SB

No. 1 – Christian Young (Milwaukee Milkmen) 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 7 K

American Association Daily Notes

The decisive Game 5 will be played on Thursday at 6:30 in Fargo, ND. A.J. Schugel (3-0, 0.50) will go for Milwaukee against Kevin McGovern (0-2, 5.78)… The Milkmen snapped an eight-game losing streak to the RedHawks in Fargo. The team had not won there since 2020.

Transactions

None

By Robert Pannier