Pugh's Extra-Innings Homer Gives RailCats 3-1 Win
July 17, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
WINNIPEG, MB- Tillman Pugh tallied as many runs with one swing as two teams scored in 11 innings. The right fielder pulled a 12th inning pitch over the left field fence to give the Gary SouthShore RailCats (29-26) a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes (29-26).
The RailCats and Goldeyes failed to score more than one run apiece and went to extra innings for the 13th time in the RailCats' season. Pugh's two-run blast scored EJ Devarie and improved Gary SouthShore's extra innings record to 8-5.
Moises Melendez earned the win by pitching three innings of scoreless relief, but it was starting pitcher Charle Rosario who shined the most for the RailCats.
The Cats' Ace pitcher threw nine innings and allowed just one run, a solo shot by Reggie Abercrombie. Rosario gave up four hits and walked only one batter. He struck out 10 Goldeyes, a new personal season-high and the most K's by any RailCat pitcher in one game this year.
The RailCats bats were unable to generate enough offense to reward Rosario with the win on his record. They left 11 runners on base and were caught stealing twice. However, the Cats outhit the Fish nine to five in the game.
The one breakthrough for the RailCats came in the 8th, a half inning after the Abercrombie home run. Frank Martinez reached on a walk and scored on a Jeremy Hamilton double. Hamilton came up limp after the hit and had to leave the game.
The RailCats escaped trouble in the bottom of the 11th to give Pugh a chance to hit the game-winner. The Goldeyes had runners on the corners with one out and Josh Romanski was caught between third and home for the second out. Then, the batter Jacob Rogers stuck out and the RailCats survived the scare.
The American Association's stats keeper, PointStreak, does not keep track of individual teams extra-innings games, but it can be assumed the RailCats have played more than any other team in the league. All the bonus baseball means Gary SouthShore has pitched more innings than any other team in the league, a statistic recorded by PointStreak. This was the third extra-innings contest of the road trip and the fourth in the last seven games.
Pugh's blast was his eighth of the season, the most on the team, and his second go-ahead homer of the year. Anthony Checky stole two bases tonight and the team swiped five overall. Devarie, Checky, and Hamilton all had multi-hit days.
The Goldeyes went a combined 5-39 at the plate, which equals to a .128 batting average. Abercrombie's homer was his 10th and added to his American Association career home run record.
The RailCats and Goldeyes square off again tomorrow at 1:00 PM. Coverage of the rubber match begins at 12:35 on 95.9 WEFM and railcatsbaseball.com.
American Association Stories from July 17, 2016
- 'Dogs Blank Lemurs Again to Win Weekend - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Valentin Hits Walk-Off Homer in Wild Extra Inning Victory - Joplin Blasters
- Explorers Run Away with Series Finale - Texas AirHogs
- Straka Strikes out Season High 11, But Saints Give up Six Home Runs as Win Streak Ends in 14-6 Loss - St. Paul Saints
- Canaries Fall to Wingnuts 15-5 on Sunday Afternoon - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Goldeyes Homer Six Times in Series Victory - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Graham Johnson Goes the Distance in X's 15-1 Victory over Texas - Sioux City Explorers
- Goldeyes Blowout RailCats in Series Finale - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Cox Hits for Cycle in Rout of Canaries - Wichita Wingnuts
- Saints Sign Two-Time Post-Season All-Star, Triple-A Infielder Trever Adams - St. Paul Saints
- Pugh's Extra-Innings Homer Gives RailCats 3-1 Win - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- RailCats Edge Goldeyes in 12 - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Taylor Continues to Swing a Hot Bat, Birds Lose 10-2 - Sioux Falls Canaries
- X's Wn Game Two Of Three Game Series Over Texas - Sioux City Explorers
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