NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

Masaoka Grounds Flyers, RailCats Roll to 8-0 Win

Published on June 13, 2009 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


GARY, Ind. - Onan Masaoka pitched seven two-hit, shutout innings and Steve Haake drove in four runs to lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats to an 8-0 win over the Schaumburg Flyers Saturday night in front of 4,013 fans at U. S. Steel Yard.

Masaoka (1-4) won for the first time this season and was excellent Saturday night, allowing only a first inning Jose Valdez single and Richard Mercado's leadoff single in the fifth. The 31-year-old Hawaiian struck out six against only three walks and allowed just two runners to reach second base. Masaoka threw 111 pitches in his outing to help spare a bullpen that logged eight innings in Friday's 12-inning win.

The RailCats scored four times in the first inning to jump in front, with Haake driving in the first two runs on a double to gap in right-center. Haake came in to score one batter later when Jordan Czarniecki doubled to left, and Mike Rohde's single brought Czarniecki around with the fourth run of the inning. Schaumburg starter Tom Lyons (1-2) did not make it out of the third and suffered the loss.

The ‘Cats did the rest of their scoring in the sixth against their former teammate Alain Quijano, with Haake capping the four-run frame with a two-run homer to right, his fifth of the season. Haake posted his second straight three-hit game Saturday and made a bit of history doing so, breaking Tanner Townsend's career RBI record with his first inning double. Haake has driven in 232 runs in his five-year RailCats career, three more than his longtime teammate.

Kyle Heyne, in his first appearance since the birth of his daughter last weekend, pitched a scoreless final two innings to complete the shutout, the first of the season for the RailCats. Schaumburg was limited to only four hits in the game, while the RailCats racked up 13 hits, including four doubles. The ‘Cats have out-hit the Flyers 27-12 in the first two games of this three-game series.

The RailCats (12-16) go for the series sweep Sunday at 2 p.m. on Kids T-Shirt Giveaway Day, sponsored by Strack and Van Til. The first 1,500 kids - age 12 and under - will get a free RailCats t-shirt at the gate, and all kids can run the bases after the game on another The Times Family Sunday. Tickets are available by calling 219.882.2255 or visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com.

The ‘Cats will send newly acquired right-hander Grant Johnson (1-3, 6.19 ERA) to the mound Sunday against Schaumburg (15-11) right-hander Ed Almonte (2-1, 2.73 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.

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Northern League Stories from June 13, 2009


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