LOVES PARK, Ill. – It wasn’t a bobble, but rather a bounce, that turned out to be Friday’s highlight at Road Ranger Stadium.
Jason James hit a walkoff single to right field as the Rockford RiverHawks rallied to beat Northern League-leading Kansas City, 7-6. James’ ninth-inning grounder took a bad bounce and hopped to the left of KC second baseman Jake Blackwood to bring home Rich Austin with the winning run.
James, who was honored Friday with a bobblehead doll giveaway in acknowledgement of last season’s 40-game hitting streak, also threw out a runner at the plate.
LOVES PARK, Ill. – Longtime RiverHawks nemesis Wes Long again played a pivotal role as the Winnipeg Goldeyes beat Rockford, 8-3, on Thursday at Road Ranger Stadium. Long was 1-for-5 with a ninth-inning grand slam and a couple of other helpful at-bats for the Winnipeg offense. Kevin House hit a three-run homer to account for the Rockford offense, in front of a sellout crowd of 3,482. Rockford dropped three games behind Winnipeg and Gary for the fourth and final Northern League playoff spot. Gary beat Joliet, 6-1. Long was 1-for-5 with a ninth-inning grand slam and a couple of other helpful at-bats for the Winnipeg offense. Kevin House hit a three-run homer to account for the Rockford offense, in front of a sellout crowd of 3,482.
Rockford dropped three games behind Winnipeg and Gary for the fourth and final Northern League playoff spot. Gary beat Joliet, 6-1.
Fielders Rally for 11-10 Win Against First Place T-Bones
ZION, Ill. - The Lake County Fielders (26-34) scored 10 times over the final three innings to erase a 9-1 deficit as they took the game and the series from the Kansas City T-Bones (39-23), 11-10, Thursday night in Zion, IL. It is the first series loss by Kansas City since they dropped three of four in Joliet from June 24-27.
JOLIET, IL – Three first inning runs proved to be enough Thursday night as the Gary SouthShore RailCats captured a 6-1 decision over the Joliet JackHammers (33-29) at Silver Cross Field. The JackHammers dropped to 2-2 this season against the RailCats with ten games remaining between the two clubs.
Zion, IL-The Lake County Fielders (25-34) came from behind to beat the first-place Kansas City T-Bones (39-22) 10-8 in front of 4,410 fans at Fielders' Stadium in Zion. The T-Bones plated three runs in the first inning on a two-run double from Dwayne White and a Jim Fasano RBI single. The Fielders fired back right away when Jeff Dunbar socked a two-out, two-run home run to score Josh Short and Brian McFall.
REDHAWKS SCORE SIX TIMES IN THIRD INNING, TOPPLE RAILCATS 9-1
GARY, Ind. — The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks sent 11 men to the plate in a six-run third inning to salvage a win in a three-game series at U. S. Steel Yard, knocking off the Gary SouthShore RailCats 9-1 Wednesday night. The first eight hitters in the RedHawks third all reached base against starter Tom Thornton (1-8), who walked four and gave up four hits in the inning. Fargo’s lead swelled to 8-0 with a pair of solo home runs in the fifth and that was more than enough for Scott Fogelson (6-2) who allowed just three hits in seven innings.
O’Sullivan’s milestone homer grand event in 4-3 win
Durand strikes out six for win
LOVES PARK, Ill. – Pat O’Sullivan hit a milestone grand slam and new father Brett Durand struck out six for the win on Wednesday as the Rockford RiverHawks beat Winnipeg, 4-3. O’Sullivan powered the Rockford offense, which was held to four hits, with his 200th career home run, a two-out grand slam in the sixth inning. Wes Long and Juan Diaz homered for the Goldeyes, in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 4,470 at Road Ranger Stadium. Durand’s son, Brennan Scott, was born Monday morning. On Wednesday, Durand (6-5) gave up eight hits over seven walk-free innings. Closer Scott Roehl, who had not pitched, because of injury and illness, since the all-star game two weeks earlier, struck out two in a perfect ninth inning and earned his 12th save.
SCHAUMBURG, IL – The Joliet Jackhammers (33-28) scored three runs in the first on their way to a 7-2 win over the Flyers (23-39) at Alexian Field Wednesday afternoon. Joliet got on the board after Josh Flores began the game with a single and was brought in after Jonathan Wyatt also notched a base hit. The designated hitter then got caught in a rundown in-between first and second, which allowed Flores to score. A few batters later, Chris Colton doubled home two more.
RailCats Look For Sweep Over REDHawks On Wednesday
GARY, Ind. — Louis Ott had a pair of run-scoring extra-base hits and Tanner Townsend launched a key late insurance home run as the Gary SouthShore RailCats came from behind to beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for the second night in a row, winning 9-6 Tuesday at U. S. Steel Yard. The win was the RailCats third straight and guaranteed the ‘Cats a series win over the RedHawks for the first time in four tries this season. Down 3-0 after an inning and a half, the RailCats battled all the way back to take the lead with a four-run sixth off reliever Casey Hoorelbeke (8-4), who had allowed only two hits in 9.1 innings against the ‘Cats before Tuesday.
FieldersZION, Ill. - The Lake County Fielders (24-34) fell to the hard-hitting Kansas City T-Bones in the second game of the four-game set, 8-5. Kansas City (39-21) jumped on the board in the top of the second when Ryan Fox (pictured) hit a three-run home run after John Brownell issued two consecutive walks to Jim Fasano and Brian Joynt. Lake County answered back with two runs on two hits in their half of the second. Kyle Higgins ripped an RBI triple down the right field line to score Adam Hale who reached on a single and advanced on a Cody McAllister wild pitch.
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Flyers (23-38) came out after last night's blowout and answered back against the Joliet Jackhammers (32-28) in a 6-2 win at Alexian Field Monday night. The JackHammers jumped on the board first. Leadoff hitter Jonathan Wyatt smacked a double to right center and was driven home on a Jon Nelson single after advancing to third on a Kevin Rios groundout.
SCHAUMBURG, IL – Bear Bay went the distance and the offense scored 12 runs on 17 hits as the Joliet JackHammers (32-27) routed the Schaumburg Flyers (22-38) 12-1 Monday night at Alexian Field. It was the first victory for Joliet this season against Schaumburg. The JackHammers blew the game wide open late, scoring six times in the final two frames. Nine hitters came to the plate in the eighth with four runs scoring. Jon Nelson knocked home one with a double to make it 7-1.
GARY, Ind. — Adam Klein shot a ground ball through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the 10th inning to send the Gary SouthShore RailCats to a thrilling 5-4 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Monday night at U. S. Steel Yard in the opener of a three-game series. With runners at second and third and one out, Klein liked the first pitch he saw and drove the ball past pitcher Adam Tollefson and into center, scoring Mike Reese easily from third with the winning run. The inning started when Reese notched a one-out single off Matt Petrusek (0-1) before RailCats Manager Greg Tagert called on pinch hitter Zach Rodeghero.
KC Slugging 2B Jacob Blackwood Named Player of the Week (for the Week Ended July 25th)
Blackwood, who leads the league with 53 RBI, batted .393 (11-for-28) with seven runs scored, two doubles, a league-high four home runs, and 10 RBI for the week. The highlight of the week was a two homer, five-RBI, 4-for-4 performance Friday night versus Rockford in the T-Bones 12-2 victory. The 6-0, 210-pounder, is playing his fifth season of professional baseball and second with the T-Bones. He first signed with Kansas City on June 25th, 2009 and batted .288 over 63 games for K.C. in ’09. In 2010, he has already eclipsed his previous single-season high of 10 home runs (’07 Greensboro – South Atlantic League) and is well on his way to establishing a new mark in RBI (had 78 RBI in ’07).
Veteran Gary Starter Willie Glen Named Pitcher of the Week (for the week ending July 25th)
Glen, the 2007 Northern League Pitcher of the Year and Gary SouthShore franchise all-time wins leader, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA during the week for the RailCats. He hurled six-shutout innings on Friday versus the Lake County and pitched eight and a third innings yielding only one un-earned run on July 19th versus Fargo-Moorhead. In all, he pitched 14.1 innings, allowing only 11 hits while striking out 17. On the year, he leads the Northern League in strikeouts (66), ranks third in ERA (2.72), and is tied for sixth in wins (6).
The Kansas City T-Bones are proud to announce that former pitcher Justin James has been promoted to the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. James, 29, joined the Double-A Midland RockHounds this season after having his contract purchased from Kansas City on June 17, 2010. He held a 1-0 record and 2.29 ERA in 12 appearances for the RockHounds before being called up to Sacramento.
The Rockford RiverHawks have added a pitcher and released another.
LOVES PARK, Ill. – Rockford’s only professional baseball team has announced on Thursday that it has signed right-hander Emary Frederick. The RiverHawks made room with the release of Couri Benz. Frederick, a former New York Mets prospect, was 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 35 relief appearances between class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton this season before he was released by the Mets.
Winnipeg Goldeyes manager Rick Forney announced that the club has purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Jason Mackintosh from the Maui Na Koa Ikaika of the Golden Baseball League and he has been signed to a Northern League contract. Mackintosh, 30, was a perfect 5-0 with a 1.22 ERA in nine games with Maui this season. He started five of those nine games - all of which he won - and had a shutout.
At the end of June, Mark Holliman was the anchor of the Winnipeg Goldeyes pitching rotation. Now, just a couple weeks later, he’s a step away from pulling on a Boston Red Sox uniform.
Holliman made his debut with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox last night, striking out eight and allowing just two earned runs in six innings. Pawtucket lost the game 4-1 to the Toledo MudHens, but Holliman proved he belongs at the Triple-A level. In his time with the Goldeyes this season, Holliman went 4-1 in eight starts with an impressive 2.02 ERA.
Rockford Outfielder Jason James Named Player of the Week (for the week ending July 18th)
James, who ranks second in the Northern League in batting average (.332) and third in hits (68), batted .400 (6-for-15) with six runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI in four games played for Rockford during all-star break abbreviated week. James represented the RiverHawks at the Northern League-Golden Baseball League All-Star Game this past week and went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI on his way to being the named the M.V.P. of the game.
Kansas City Starter Andrew Cruse Named Pitcher of the Week (for the week ending July 18th)
Cruse, who leads the Northern League with eight wins, went 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA during the week for the first place Kansas City T-Bones. In his lone start for K.C., he hurled seven innings of two-hit ball versus Joliet on July 18th. It was his sixth straight victory in as many starts. On the year, he is 8-2 with a 1.90 ERA over 11 starts.
After a two week road trip, minor league baseball's Lake County Fielders return home to face the Kansas City T-Bones on Monday, July 26th for a monumental 7:00pm game under the lights. The game will mark the Fielders first night game in Zion, IL, and launch the beginning of a 12-day homestand.
T-Bones Set for Replica Jersey Giveaway on August 24th
First 3,000 fans receive a FREE T-Bones replica jersey
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones are proud to announce the first T-Bones replica jersey giveaway in team history. On Tuesday, August 24th, the first 3,000 fans will receive a FREE T-Bones replica jersey. This game is also a Two-for-Tuesday game, so fans can get two draft beers for the price of one. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats will be celebrating Basketball Night on Wednesday, July 28 at 7 p.m. with a special appearance from the first player to go straight from high school to the pros, NBA-great Darryl Dawkins. Dawkins aka "Chocolate Thunder" will be on hand at U. S. Steel Yard to throw out a first pitch and sign autographs for fans.
The Kansas City T-Bones are happy to announce that they will host the Third Annual Kansas City A’s Reunion Night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Saturday, July 17. The event will celebrate Kansas City’s first major league team. This will be the third edition of the Kansas City A’s Reunion held at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, an event that continues to be one of the highlights of the season.
RailCats sign experienced catcher; also activate Tanner Townsend
GARY, Ind. — On the first day back from the four-day Northern League All-Star Break, the Gary SouthShore RailCats have taken a couple big steps towards a second half run with the acquisition of catcher Mike Valadez from the Golden League’s Tucson Toros and the activation of veteran slugger Tanner Townsend from the disabled list, the team announced Friday.
LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford RiverHawks have teamed up with the American Cancer Society to host the Bark for Life mini-relay. For more than 20 years, Relay for Life has brought hope to thousands of cancer survivors, patients, caregivers and volunteers. For the first year, canine companions are invited to join in the fight against cancer at the American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life mini-Relay.
RHP Tyler Seaman (1-2, 2.29) vs LHP Todd Moser (1-6, 6.32)
