Chicago Dogs Secure Series Win with Nine-Run Offensive Outburst
July 7, 2022 - American Association (AA)
Chicago Dogs News Release
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Booming bats helped the Chicago Dogs prevail past the Milwaukee Milkmen and win their third series in a row by a final score of 9-7.
The Dogs led by as many as nine runs, with the collection of rallies headlined by K.C. Hobson's three-run home run. It was his second straight day with a long ball and to near the exact spot as the day before. He finished with four total RBI.
Milwaukee made a massive comeback through a seven run sixth inning and did so without an extra-base hit. Despite the scare, the Dogs' bullpen locked up and eventually closed the door on the Milkmen.
Offensive momentum began in the third inning for Chicago when three singles led to an early run. With runners sitting at scoring position and Hobson to the plate, he hammered a ball hard off the bat and on to the right field concourse. It was a near duplicate to his laser last night that found the same section. The home run put the Dogs up 4-0 at the end of the inning.
The Dogs continued their patient hitting on Ryan Zimmerman the next frame, when a pair of walks and a single loaded up the bases and once again brought up Hobson. The first baseman brought the count to 3-2 and, never hesitant at the opportunity of a walk, Hobson laid off a pitch outside of the zone for a RBI walk.
On the bump, Chicago starter Shane Barringer was simply getting outs. Through the first five innings, the southpaw allowed four total baserunners off two singles and two hit-by-pitches. He was pitching to contact, as he collected only one strikeout, but looked comfortable getting the ball to his defenders.
The strong start was in part to tremendous defense. In the second inning, Michael Crouse gave his best Air Jordan impression when he made a leaping catch on the warning track in center field. That same inning, right fielder Danny Mars slid face first to the ground to rob another Milwaukee hitter from reaching base. The defensive theatrics of the Dogs made them appear more like the Harlem Globetrotters than a baseball team.
Chicago sparked a second four-run inning at the bottom of the fifth, first through Grant Kay's double. He eventually scored off a passed ball. Michael Crouse, who ended the game 4-for-4, smacked a single that scored one. The rally was capped off by an error that scored two runs. At the end of the fifth, it was a 9-0 Chicago lead.
Milwaukee would not go quietly into the night, however. In the sixth the Milkmen jumped on Barringer for four straight singles that kicked him from the game with the bases loaded and two runs already scored. Left-handed pitcher Tanner Lawson came from the bullpen, but could not do much better. Lawson allowed two singles and hit two batters to score five more runs, three attributed to Barringer.
Lawson's appearance came with some early fireworks. After hitting Milwaukee's Bryan Torres, Torres slammed his helmet out of frustration. Chicago to that point hit 11 total Milkmen during the series, and even though none appeared intentional, it led to some annoyance from the opposition. Hitting coach D.J. Boston was ejected by the end of the scuffle for arguing with umpires at first base.
Mason Davis carried on fire brought by his teammates with a two RBI single. With a once large lead dwindled down to two, manager Butch Hobson went to arguably his strongest reliever in Ryan Clark. Just as he's done all season, the righty shut down the rally and recorded the final two outs in order.
Clark and lefty Kevin Marnon tag-teamed the next two innings for Chicago and struck out three to maintain the 9-7 score. Closer Brian Schlitter came in to finish off the game cleanly and the Dogs took the series finale.
It marked the first series win over Milwaukee all season and brought the division lead to 5.5 over second-place Kane County, who comes to Impact Field for a July 4th double-header. The Dogs will trot out A.J. Kullman to start game one and usual bullpen arm Jeff Kinley for game two of Independence Day.
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