Another Kipper Masterpiece Helps Dogs Coast Past Cougars, 4-1
July 7, 2022 - American Association (AA)
Chicago Dogs News Release
ROSEMONT, Ill. - A pitching masterclass was on display at Impact Field, courtesy of Jordan Kipper. It's what helped push the Chicago Dogs to a 4-1 win over the rival Kane County Cougars.
The Dogs' ace tossed 7.2 innings, allowed one run off of five hits and two walks. The righty had only four strikeouts, but was quickly generating outs through pounding the strike zone and generating soft contact. In three of his past four starts, Kipper has pitched six or more innings and allowed one run or less.
Chicago's offense was quiet for most of the game, but put together a three-run rally in the fifth that was headlined by a RBI-double from Ryan Lidge. The star catcher finished 2-for-4 with two total RBI. Grant Kay put out an impressive game to generate the rally, going 3-for-3 with two runs and a solo home run.
It wasn't until the third inning that Chicago earned a baserunner, coming off a leadoff double from Kay. His double play partner, Connor Kopach, dropped a single into shallow left field to cleanly drive him in and take the lead 1-0. Prior to that sequence, the Dogs offense was struggling. It took only a moment to flip the script.
In the bottom of the fifth, Kay led off again and once again did damage on a pitch. Kane County starter Ryan Tapani hung a curveball down the heart of the plate and Kay made him pay with a home run to left field to double the lead.
A pair of singles opened the opportunity for Lidge, who drove a double into the right field gap to score both runners and end the inning up 4-0.
Even when a Cougars' rally began to brew, Kipper shut it down. Kane County did not advance a runner to scoring position until the sixth inning when Kane County knocked consecutive singles, but Kipper turned it into a double play to end the inning. With runners on second and third in the seventh, the Arizona native kept his cool composure and forced a fly out.
The lone run allowed by Kipper didn't even come when he was on the mound. The starter led off the eighth inning with a walk, but forced the double play to cancel out the runner. Once he walked a second batter, Chicago went to the bullpen. Kevin Marnon entered the game and allowed a RBI double to Cornelius Randolph that scored the run. Ryan Clark entered for Marnon and struck out the next batter to leave the damage minimal.
Tempers flared in the bottom half of the inning when Danny Mars was ejected for slamming his bat on the ground. Home plate umpire Ian Whigham called strike three on a pitch on the outer edge and Mars immediately overhead thrusted his bat to the plate like a lumberjack. Two days prior, Kane County manager George Tsamis was ejected from the game for talking back to the umpiring crew. Against Milwaukee, three total ejections were made.
Chicago held on to the lead and came away with the comfortable 4-1 victory in under three hours. With the win, the Dogs move to 32-16 on the year and grow their divisional lead to 6.5 games. The series finale will feature Kyle "The White Rhino" Murphy for the Dogs and former MLB starter Vance Worley for the Cougars. The 34-year-old Worley holds a 4.12 ERA in nine starts in his second season for Kane County.
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American Association Stories from July 7, 2022
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