The Gary SouthShore RailCats (29-43) walked off the series over the Sioux Falls Canaries’ (27-43) in thrilling fashion, as it was second baseman José Mercado who came up clutch yet again with a walk-off RBI single in extra innings.
The series finale ended up taking two extra frames, as Mercado’s walk-off came in the eleventh, scoring right fielder Raymond Jones who raced around third and slid in safely to the plate. Mercado’s clutch base knock would be his only hit of the day, as he finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, walk and strikeout.
The Canaries scored the first run of the game early in the second as Daryl Myers drove in Mike Hart on a single to the second baseman.
The score would stay 1-0 until the seventh, where center fielder Jacob Talamante knocked in third baseman Alec Olund on a sacrifice fly to left field for the tying run. Talamante finished the contest 0-for-2 with the sacrifice fly being his lone RBI, and Olund ended his day 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Today’s ballgame was a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel, as hurlers from both teams matched each other frame for frame.
Gary SouthShore starter Jack Eisenbarger and Sioux Falls starter Angel Ventura went pound-for-pound through seven, until the relievers took over and picked up right where their starters left off.
For the RailCats, relievers Bobby Kametas, Matt Vonderschmidt and Tasker Strobel combined for five scoreless innings after Eisenbarger exited. In total, they allowed only five hits and striking out three while surrendering one walk.
Eisenbarger gave up just one earned run and struck out five batters over six innings in a no-decision.
On the Canaries’ side, relievers Trevor Simms, Colby Wyatt and Grady Wood supported Ventura after his departure to the tune of three scoreless innings of their own.
Strobel received the win for three innings of shutout baseball in the ninth and the extra frames.
Ventura took a no-decision despite seven innings of three-hit ball. It was reliever Brady Stover that took the loss for his one earned run in the eleventh frame.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats and Sioux Falls Canaries split the series. A new three-game set with Lincoln Saltdogs opens tomorrow, Friday, August 6 at 7:10 p.m. at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.