Home Run Challenge and All-Star Game Walk-Offs: Ten Things to Know in the American Association this Week

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Home Run Challenge and All-Star Game Walk-Offs: Ten Things to Know in the American Association this Week

July 25, 2024 - American Association (AA) News Release


The American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) season welcomed enthusiastic crowds in for the AAPB Home Run Challenge, Celebrity Softball Game and All-Star Game in Kansas City, Kansas, this week, and gets back to regular season play today with a full slate of series, all available for free live viewing at aabaseball.tv.

Here are 10 (or so) Things to Know about the AAPB this week:

It was a walkoff winner for Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks outfielder Ismael Alcantara, who drove in the winning run with a gapper for a 4-3 West win in the AAPB All-Star Game at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kan., on Tuesday.

That followed Monday's "swing off" in the Home Run Challenge, with Cleburne Railroaders Hill Alexander and Brian O'Grady battling in the final. At the end, it was O'Grady's titanic lefty blast deep over the lawn seats, past the right field foul pole in "sudden death" that won it with his fourth home run in the one-minute extra session after both slugged 12 in the first round and advanced to the final.

And who was responsible for serving up all those dingers? That was Mike Weatherford, by trade a teacher with nearly three decades in the classroom and coaching lines in Texas, the last 20 at Denton Guyer HS, who has been helping out the Railroaders and coaching staff this season. But the story gets better... O'Grady actually gave up his seat on the plane heading to the All-Star festivities so Weatherford could take it, instead driving the eight-or-so hours for his appearance in the Challenge and All-Star Game. With Weatherford's teaching responsibilities starting up again next week, Saturday's game vs. Sioux City will be his last of the season officially with the club.

The Gwinnett Daily Post had this fine feature on Alan Zhang Carter's baseball journey to the Lake Country DockHounds and to the the AAPB All-Star Game.

Barstool Sports' "Ohios Tate" joined the ranks of ceremonial first pitches gone a bit awry with these efforts last Wednesday before the Chicago Dogs' game vs. the Milwaukee Milkmen. It wasn't the worst effort (or "efforts," since he went for a second and a third try when they weren't strikes), but he had fun chronicling the event on the Website and on social media. Pro tip: only throw from the mound if you can, you know, throw from the mound...

The J.D. Scholten Saga continued Saturday (a day later than planned thanks to the rain!) when the Iowa State House Representative earned his third win in as many starts, another fine outing with 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball in the Sioux City Explorers' 3-2 win over West Division leader Sioux Falls in Game 2 of the X's doubleheader sweep.

Speaking of Division leads, there are two superb pennant races going on, with the Cleburne Railroaders (38-27) just a half game ahead of the Kane County Cougars in the East, with the Chicago Dogs just 3.5 back. And the West is even tighter, with three teams within a half-game of each other, Sioux Falls (36-27) in front of the streaking (six straight wins!) Winnipeg Goldeyes and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, plus the Kansas City Monarchs hovering 4.5 back.

The Winnipeg Free Press has been catching on to the aforementioned Goldeyes' winning ways, putting together this deep piece on homegrown lefty Ben Onyshko, who on Saturday ran his scoreless innings streak to 22 2/3 innings since joining the team in June. The 'Peg native and Stetson University graduate played as high as triple-A Tacoma after being drafted by the Mariners in 2018.

Unique foods at the 12 AAPB ballparks are part of the attraction, and the Chicago Reader's Leor Galil was pleased to run into the Kane County Cougars' Bun Dinger, offering this high-brow-type review of the Northwestern Medicine delicacy. His verdict: "All the sweet elements accentuate the Angus dog's spiciness, which provides the aftertaste's dominant sensation; its heat seems to simmer after the Bun Dinger's sweetness dissolves into memory."

Milwaukee Magazine knows how fun a Milkmen or DockHouds game can be, and they let their readers know in this fun roundup of "4 Fun Things to Do With Your Kids at Milwaukee's Ballparks."

Kansas City Monarchs left-hander Michael Watson's contract was transferred to the St. Louis Cardinals' organization last week. Watson became the third different Monarch player to sign with a MLB organization this season, after recording a 1.12 ERA over 16 innings with K.C.

Utah Valley University now has two Lake Country DockHounds on its roster, with the addition of right hander Braden Boisvert last week. He joins fellow righty Mitch Mueller on the staff. Boisvert made his first start on Sunday at Chicago, fanning six in five frames.

Some fun theme nights coming up:

Friday, "St. Jude House Night," Gary SouthShore

Saturday, "Beach Night," Gary SouthShore

Saturday, "Denim and Dukes Night," Sioux Falls

Wednesday, "Superhero Night," Fargo-Moorhead

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American Association Stories from July 25, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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