The leaves have been raked, the snow has melted, and the birds have begun chirping again at the US Steel Yard for their 2024 home opener as the ‘Cats played host to East Division foe, the Lake Country DockHounds.
The first four innings were a pitcher’s duel between the starters, Chris Erwin and Sterling Sharp. It wouldn’t be until the 5th inning that the fans saw any offense; after a lead-off single by Jackson Valera, Marcos Gonzalez grooved a ball over the left field fence to homer for the second day in a row.
In a thrilling turn of events, the RailCats surged ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning, generating runs to distance themselves from Lake Country. Olivier Basabe double down the left field, Guillermo Quintana legged out an RBI triple, and an LG Castillo base hit all contributed to the team’s 4-0 lead.
With a united front, the RailCats called upon Nate Alexander to close the game, and he did so with finesse, striking out the last two batters and sealing the contest. This victory marked the home team’s first shutout this season. Chris Erwin, Andres Diaz, Franklin Perez, and Alexander worked in harmony, bridging Erwin to his first win this season.
The RailCats have now won two straight games, moving them 2-5 this season. Tomorrow’s game is back at the Steel Yard, with Tai Tiedemann getting the nod for Gary SouthShore at 4:00 PM.
The RailCats are scheduled for a double-header on Memorial Day against the Sioux Falls Canaries, with the first game being scheduled for a 4:00 PM start. Single-game tickets are available by calling 219-882-2255 and www.railcatsbaseball.com.
