Kane County 5 Sioux City 2
Gavin LaValley smashed a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Cougars () beat the Explorers () by a 5-2 score on Friday night. After building a 2-0 lead early, Kane County saw the lead disappear thanks in part to a game-tying solo homer by Sioux City’s Sebastian Zawada in the sixth. That set the stage for LaValley, who launched his eventual game winner on a 1-0 pitch in the eighth inning.
Winnipeg 3 Gary SouthShore 2
Max Murphy scored on a Kyle Martin single and error in the eighth and the Goldeyes (17-22) edged the Railcats (18-23) by a final of 3-2 on Friday night. Gary SouthShore took the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Lingua but Winnipeg tied the game in the fifth on a Kevin LaChance single and took the lead in the sixth on a wild pitch. The Railcats would tie it in the bottom half of the sixth on a Jesus Marriaga single to set up the late drama.
Cleburne 9 Sioux Falls 7
The Railroaders (22-19) pounded eleven hits in building an early lead, then breaking a 4-4 tie to break free of the Canaries (18-21) by a 9-7 score on Friday night. Cleburne got four runs in each of the second and fifth innings to keep Sioux Falls at bay. Troy Alexander homered for the Canaries.
Lincoln 7 Kansas City 5 (Game One)
Lincoln 2 Kansas City 1 (Game Two)
A day after sweeping a twinbill, the Monarchs (22-17) were on the receiving end of the same result as the Saltdogs (20-19) took two on Friday at Legends Field. In game one, Forrestt Allday and Josh Altmann each homered for Lincoln while Jan Hernandez launched his eleventh of the year for Kansas City. In game two, Greg Minier threw four innings of one-run ball on two hits to earn the win.
Chicago 5 Houston 3
Right-hander A.J. Jones carried a one-hit shutout into the ninth while striking out seven, Michael Crouse led off the bottom of the first with a homer, and the Dogs (24-17) cruised to a 5-3 win over the Apollos (7-33) on Friday night. Chicago’s Jones allowed only a single to Yeiler Peguero prior to the first three reaching in the ninth, including a three-run homer by Dom DeRenzo that accounted for all of Houston’s runs.
Fargo-Moorhead 14 Milwaukee 4
The RedHawks (24-18) used a seven-run second inning to close the gap on the division leading Milkmen (25-15) with a 14-4 win on Friday night. Fargo-Moorhead sent eleven hitters to the plate in the decisive frame, scoring seven runs on seven hits. Dylan Kelly and Sam Dexter knocked in runs with singles and both scored on a double by Will Zimmerman. Manuel Boscan then doubled Zimmerman home before scoring on a Leobaldo Pina double. Adam Brett Walker II slammed two more homers for Milwaukee.