DOGS TAKE GAME ONE OF SERIES IN NAILBITER
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS (July 22, 2022) – Cleburne knotted the game up late on an error by Dogs’ third baseman Harrison Smith but failed to capture the win as Chicago prevailed in a 7-6 nailbiter in game one of the three-game set from Impact Field on Friday, July 22.
The Railroaders struck early in the first inning once again, putting up two in the run column in the frame. The first came when Kacy Clemens lined a single into center field to score Chuck Taylor. With the hit, Clemens extended his hitting streak to 20 games, a league-high thus far in 2022. Zach Nehrir would come around to score after Dogs’ starter Kyle Murphy walked Hector Sanchez with the bases loaded to bring to score to 2-0.
Chicago struck for two in the bottom of the inning off Trevor Simms when K.C. Hobson launched his 200th career home run over the right field fence to knot the game back up.
The run-scoring continued in the second with both teams putting up runs in the inning. Cleburne put up two in their half off a Taylor sacrifice fly that brought Nick Shumpert home and then a Chase Simpson sacrifice fly scored Edwin Arroyo to bring the score to 4-2.
Grant Kay led off the bottom half of the second with a solo shot to cut Cleburne’s lead in half and then Michael Crouse hit a liner into the corner for a triple that scored Charlie Tilson and Smith. After two, it was 5-4 Dogs.
Run production took a halt until the bottom of the fifth when the Dogs hit yet another home run, this one a solo shot by former big leaguer Stevie Wilkerson to extend the lead to 6-4.
Down to their final few outs heading into the top of the eighth, the ‘Roaders were able to scratch and claw their way back into it. Taylor hit a grounder through the hole and into left field to score Shumpert to cut the lead to one. Then with two outs and Taylor on first, Nehrir hit a routine grounder to Smith who short-hopped the throw to Hobson at first who was then unable to make the pick. Taylor was able to score on the play and Nehrir found his way all the way to third but was stranded there to end the inning.
Nick Gardewine came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth against the heart of the Chicago lineup. After striking out the first two batters he faced, Kay launched his second home run of the night and the fourth of the evening for the Dogs to give Chicago the lead for good. Brian Schlitter had himself a shut down ninth to clinch the opening game of the series for the Dogs at a final score of 7-6.
Gardewine was slated with the loss after surrendering the go-ahead blast in the eighth. Schlitter got the win after putting up 1.1 innings of scoreless work.
The loss brings Cleburne back to ten games of .500. They do stay pat in fourth place in the division as Gary SouthShore fell to Winnipeg 5-2.
Cleburne continues its series at Impact Field against the Dogs tonight at 6:00 p.m., with pregame coverage starting a 5:45 p.m. on AABaseball.tv and on the Railroader Radio Network.