Del Valle Crushes Two More Home Runs, RailCats Cruise
July 26, 2024 - American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
(Gary, IN) The second half of the 2024 American Association season was set to begin for the Gary SouthShore RailCats. And awaiting them back at the US Steel Yard was an old rival, the third-place Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. The RailCats also brought on reinforcements after the all-star break with the team leader in home runs, Carlos Rincon being reactivated, and Chris Erwin was making his first start on the mound in 18 days.
The first run wouldn't score until the fourth inning, LG Castillo led the bottom of the inning with a single, which was followed by a Francisco Del Valle blast into right field for the RailCats to go up 2-0. But the offense continued to hit 'Hawks starter, Orlando Rodriguez as the bats would rack up four more hits, with Gio Diaz capping the scoring with a run-scoring single to center. That was Diaz's 100th professional RBI and the 'Cats pulled ahead by four.
Chris Erwin was set to a limit, and he made great use of it. He went five innings of no-hit baseball, only two men got on base when he was on the mound and that was from an error and a hit by pitch. The bullpen would take it the rest of the way for Erwin.
In the bottom of the seventh, the RailCats loaded up the bases on Parker Harm before he gave the baseball up to Nolan LaMere. LaMere walked Olivier Basabe for Gary SouthShore to get a free run and ballon their lead to five.
The RailCats didn't take their foot off the gas in the bottom of the eighth. Rincon singled into center field to plate Miguel Sierra, Castillo drove in Diaz, and then Del Valle doubled down with another blast that scored in three for him to complete his second two-home run game in the past four games. Del Valle finished with five RBIs and turned in his third multi-hit game in the past four.
The RailCats upended the Redhawks 10-0 to start the new series. The record improves to 25-41 and drops Fargo to 37-30. In the game every single RailCats recorded a hit, the pitching staff posted the first shutout since June 18th and this was the first time that Fargo was kept off the board all season.
The middle matchup is on Friday at 6:45 PM and the former top prospect for the Detroit Tigers system, Franklin Perez, will be making his third start. He is getting matched up against the right-hander, Nile Ball. Friday is also St. Jude Jersey night where fans can participate in the silent auction and walk away with a game-used RailCats jersey!
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American Association Stories from July 26, 2024
- Cleburne Ends Sioux City's Win Streak - Sioux City Explorers
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- Cleburne's Unsung Hero - Cleburne Railroaders
- Scholten Takes Pitching Campaign to Texas - Sioux City Explorers
- Monarchs to Become 'Kansas Swiftie Monarchs,' Give Away Tickets - Kansas City Monarchs
- Del Valle Crushes Two More Home Runs, RailCats Cruise - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Sioux City Stays Hot with Extra-Innings Win - Sioux City Explorers
- Canaries Edge Goldeyes in Ten Innings - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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