RailCats Lose First Game of Series with Edmonton
July 7, 2006 - Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
Gary, Ind.-Ashley Freeman's two-out single to left brought in two runs to break a 1-1 tie and four Edmonton pitchers combined to scatter six hits as the Cracker-Cats defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 4-1 on Friday night before a crowd of 4,514 at U. S. Steel Yard.
The loss drops the RailCats to 22-24 with two games to play in the first half. They will need to beat Edmonton on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon to finish the half at the .500 mark.
The game featured a pitcher's duel between Gary's Jason Shelley and Edmonton 's Chris Kemlo. Through the first five innings, neither team could score as the RailCats collected just two hits and Edmonton had only one. In the top of the sixth, Freeman reached on an error by RailCats shortstop Jay Pecci and scored on a double off the left field fence by Jeremy Ware to put the Cracker-Cats on the board.
Gary tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a Pecci infield single, a pair of infield ground outs to move Pecci around to third, and a run-scoring single to right by Steve Haake to make it 1-1.
The decisive inning was the seventh. Edmonton's Derek Patterson and Chris Becker started the inning with back-to-back singles. Shelley struck out the next two hitters, but after a wild pitch, walked Stubby Clapp to load the bases with two out. Freeman followed with a bloop hit over the infield that fell in shallow left field beyond the reach of RailCats third baseman Tanner Townsend, who sprinted out onto the grass to try to make an inning-ending catch. Two runs scored to make it 3-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, the RailCats loaded the bases with one out on a Mike Coles single and a pair of walks to Townsend and Alex Taylor, but Pecci grounded into a double play to first to end the innng.
Edmonton added one more run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Nick Hiter after a pair of walks by RailCats reliever Sazi Guthrie sandwiched around a single by Patterson.
J.P. Fauske threw a scoreless ninth for his seventh save for Edmonton. Kemlo, in his first appearance with the Cracker-Cats, earned the win, going six innings, allowing four hits and one run with two walks and three strikeouts. Shelley was the hard-luck loser. He allowed five hits over six and two-thirds and three runs (two earned) with two walks and a season-high nine strikeouts.
The two clubs meet again on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The first 1,000 kids receive a free baseball glove, sponsored by Westfield Mall SouthLake and the Times.
Northern League Stories from July 7, 2006
- Northern League Transactions - NL
- Mathis breaks Northern League all-time triples record in win - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- RailCats Lose First Game of Series with Edmonton - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Vipers shutout Joliet 4-0 - Calgary Vipers
- T-Bones Outlast Schaumburg for 12-8 Win - Kansas City Monarchs
- T-Bones Snap Flyers Six Game Win Streak - Schaumburg Flyers
- JackHammers earn two hits in a 4-0 Calgary shutout - Joliet JackHammers
- 'Cats Make Three Mound Moves - Edmonton Capitals
- JackHammers outfielder Gary Harris signs with Phillies - Joliet JackHammers
- Northern League Recaps - NL
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