AA Gary SouthShore Railcats

RailCats, UAW Local 588 Set Attendance Record in 5-2 Victory

Published on August 27, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


GARY, Ind. - The Gary SouthShore RailCats entertained the hard-working men and women of United Auto Workers Local 588 and the Ford Chicago Stamping Plant to a thrilling 5-2 victory over the St. Paul Saints in front of 7,732 fans, the largest ever in the nine-year history of RailCats games at U. S. Steel Yard.

After Friday's crowd of 6,016 became the first sellout and largest crowd of 2011, the RailCats set franchise history Saturday thanks to a big assist from UAW Local 588 and the Ford Motor Company. The 7,732 in attendance at U. S. Steel Yard sets a new single-game attendance record effectively shattering the old mark of 7,089 set on Memorial Day in 2003 when the ballpark officially opened for professional baseball for the first time.

As momentous an occasion as this day was in franchise history, the RailCats along with the United Auto Workers Union, are poised for another record-setting day Sunday, with an even larger crowd expected at U. S. Steel Yard when the ‘Cats and Saints continue the battle for an American Association playoff berth at 2:10 p.m. With their fourth consecutive victory, the RailCats now lead the Wild Card by one game with just three to go in the regular season.

It's difficult to find enough good things to say about the play of the RailCats Mike Massaro in 2011. The RailCats centerfielder continued his streak of consecutive multi-hit games, which now stands at four, after the lefty went 5-5 in the Saturday's contest. Massaro now has 139 hits on the year, good for most by a RailCats player in a single season. The Colorado native is now also tied for the RailCats franchise mark for triples in a career after matching Steve Haake's record of 22 in the sixth inning.

The RailCats offense collectively kept the pressure on opposing pitchers with another double-digit hit performance collecting 13 against the Saints staff Saturday. Late-season acquisition Rico Washington reached base four times thanks to two walks and a pair of singles. Washington has now drawn a walk in his last nine games and has fit perfectly into the five-hole in Manager Greg Tagert's lineup since joining the ‘Cats via trade. Leadoff man Adam Klein continues to excel, despite playing through an injury, contributing a two-hit performance with a walk and a run scored, while Mike Rohde collected his franchise-best 31st double of the season in the seventh.

Seven pitchers graced the U. S. Steel Yard mound for the home team in the contest holding the visitors to just two runs on nine hits. With LHP Alain Quijano sidelined with an injury, Tagert turned to reliever Jeremy Hauer, who performed admirably in the spot start assignment. The crafty lefty allowed just two runs while scattering six hits and three walks over 3.2 innings of work. Hauer left with the bases loaded in the fourth and got an assist from rookie T.J. Wohlever, who came in to strike out Shane Costa to end the threat. The combination of James Baker, Jorge Martinez, Will Krout and Travis Minix held the Saints scoreless before Andy Shipman picked up his first save in 2011 in a RailCats uniform after closing the door on St. Paul.

The ‘Cats got in the board first with a pair of runs in the first after Hauer stranded a pair of St. Paul runners on base in the top of the inning. Cristian Guerrero and Washington each picked up their 81st RBI of the 2011 campaign with the Dominican slugger grounding out to drive in Klein and the RailCats third baseman smacking a two-out single to score Massaro for a 2-0 lead. The ‘Cats tacked on another run in the second when Massaro singled and Toddric Johnson came around to score.

However, the Saints answered with their first run of the game when the Saints Adam Frost lead off the third with a solo home run to left. The RailCats responded in the home half of the frame by capitalizing on miscommunication by the Saints. Chris Carrara dropped down a bunt single and Washington scored when the throw from St. Paul starting pitcher Jose DePaula ended up in the visitor's bullpen after throwing blindly to first and no one covering the bag.

The Saints cut the advantage to 4-2 in the next half inning when Adam Frost coerced a bases loaded walk from Hauer before Wohlever's clutch strikeout kept the ‘Cats in front by two. The RailCats would not let St. Paul get any closer and added an insurance run in the seventh on a single by catcher Mike Valadez, who won the battle during a marathon 10-pitch at-bat before Shipman closed the door on the Saints in the ninth.

The same two teams meet at U. S. Steel Yard Sunday with RHP Ryne Reynoso (3-3, 5.35) of the RailCats taking on the Saints RHP Todd Mathison (0-0, 10.29) for a scheduled 2:10 p.m. first pitch. Standing room seats are still available for Sunday's contest but if you cannot make it to the ballpark, tune in to 89.1 FM The Lakeshore as Tim Calderwood and Billy Evans call all the action live. To purchase tickets to an upcoming game, call the ‘Cats at 219.882.2255 or check out www.railcatsbaseball.com.

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