RailCats Break Losing Streak with Shutout Win over Joplin
September 2, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
GARY, IN- The Gary SouthShore RailCats' (50-47) pitching staff combined to hold the Joplin Blasters (35-62) to just three hits in a 3-0 shutout victory on Friday night.
The win broke a four-game losing streak and kept the RailCats in contention in the American Association's Central Division with three games left in the season. They are one game back of the Lincoln Saltdogs and 1.5 games back of the Sioux City X's. The winner of the division gets a trip to the playoffs.
Aryton Costa was brilliant on the mound for Gary SouthShore. The true rookie was perfect through 4.1 innings until he finally walked a batter. He didn't give up a hit until the sixth inning. Santiago Rodriguez retired all five batters he faced and Jorge de Leon notched his tenth save of the year in a two-inning outing.
The RailCats offense got going early to give its pitchers the lead. Chase Harris started the bottom of the first with a single. He stole second base and Colin Willis walked to bring Tony Cheky to the plate. The Portage, Indiana native laid a bunt down the left side of the infield and third baseman Sergio Leon threw the ball past wide of first base to allow Harris to score. Joplin starting pitcher Carlos Fuentes was able to get Alex Crosby to line into a double play to end the inning with the score just 1-0.
The bats surfaced again in the second. Kris Goodman singled to start the frame and stole second base. John Holland sent a one-out pitch through the middle of the infield to score Goodman and make it 2-0.
Fuentes settled in after the second but the Blasters offense couldn't cut into the RailCats' lead. Gary SouthShore added an insurance run in the seventh. Goodman doubled to right field and Fuentes was pulled for reliever Keith Picht. Goodman moved to third on a ground ball by Jaime Del Valle and stood at third with another chance for Holland to drive in a run. The Georgian came through and hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Goodman to make the score 3-0.
De Leon struck out the first three batters in the eighth and one in the ninth to secure the shutout for the RailCats.
Goodman and Jarred Mederos had multi-hit games and Holland drove in multiple runs. The RailCats made two base running mistakes trying to move from second to third base and were caught both times. The RailCats also made an error in the game, but the pitching was dominant enough to cover up the mistakes.
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American Association Stories from September 2, 2016
- RailCats Break Losing Streak with Shutout Win over Joplin - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Saints Falter In First Chance To Clinch North, Lose 5-2 - St. Paul Saints
- :Canaries Win Fourth Straight, Top Kansas City - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Wingnuts Game Notes: September 2 at Laredo - Wichita Wingnuts
- Milestone Moment: Broadcaster Sean Aronson Set to Call His 1000th Saints Game Monday - St. Paul Saints
- De La Cruz, Mazzola Named League All-Stars - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Cabrera, Rohm Named Postseason All-Stars - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Sioux City Explorers Samson Named Post Season All-Star - Sioux City Explorers
- Saints Outfielder Harris Postseason All-Star, Closer Rodebaugh Named Relief Pitcher of the Year - St. Paul Saints
- Gonzalez Named American Association Defensive Player of the Year - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Caughel Named A.A. Pitcher of Year; Smith, Alen All Stars - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Fish Lose One-Run Series Finale - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- X's Battle Back, Walk off in 10th - Lincoln Saltdogs
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