In another dominant outing on the road, the Gary SouthShore RailCats (10-8) devoured the Chicago Dogs (10-8) to extend their winning streak to a current league-best four games with a 10-5 showing at Impact Field in Chicago.
RailCats’ starter Trevor Lubking earned his first win of the season, throwing 5.1 innings on the bump, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five. The save goes to Nolan Clenney who came into the game with two down in the eighth and the bases loaded as the tying run loomed in the on-deck circle. Clenney faced four and struck out four.
Gary SouthShore broke things open in the first against Dogs’ starter Jonathon Crawford who earned his first loss of the year. Crawford issued five walks in just a third of an inning as three runs scored, one of which on a Nikola Vasic single.
Three more plated in the fifth to make it 6-1, and then in the seventh, Phil Caulfield led off the frame with his fourth homer of the year, all of which have been solo blasts. Hayden Schilling roped a two-out, RBI double to make it 8-2 in the seventh.
In the bottom of the frame, KC Hobson cut the lead to four with a 2-run homer for the Dogs, his second of the night. Hobson went 3-for-5 with a pair of bombs and a single to drive in three.
To put the finishing touches on the win, Tyler Van Marter sent a two-run big fly into the Chicago night, his second of the series, making it 10-4 in the eighth.
In the series finale, the Gary SouthShore RailCats will go for the sweep against the Chicago Dogs tomorrow, June 6 with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. The RailCats will give David Griffin the nod while First Scott gets the start for Chicago.