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NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

RailCats Win Regular Season Title, Beat RedHawks 6-3

August 30, 2009 - Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


GARY, Ind. - The Gary SouthShore RailCats will enter the Northern League Playoffs with the number one overall seed, clinching the best regular season record in the league with a 6-3 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Sunday afternoon at U. S. Steel Yard.

The RailCats will begin the playoffs against the fourth-seeded Kansas City T-Bones, the defending league champions who defeated the RailCats in the 2008 league finals. The two teams will square off Wednesday and Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. at CommunityAmerica Ballpark before returning home next weekend for the final three games of the best-of-five series.

Sunday, the RedHawks got off to a hot start with two runs in the top of the first inning against Grant Johnson (5-7), but the RailCats responded in a big way in the bottom of the inning. The first seven hitters all reached base as did eight of the first nine before Fargo starter Matt Mossey (4-3) was pulled with one out in the first. Mossey allowed five hits and three walks and was charged with six earned runs as Jay Pecci, Mike Rohde, Jeff Beachum and Brett Wallace all notched run-scoring singles. Cristian Guerrero drew a bases loaded walk as well in the first.

The six-run first was enough for Johnson, who pitched beautifully after the rough first inning. Johnson had only one 1-2-3 inning but worked into the seventh, allowing two runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings, walking two and striking out three. Johnson won for the first time as a starter since June 14. Aaron Cook relieved Johnson in the seventh and worked 1.1 scoreless in his second appearance in as many days since coming off the disabled list.

Fargo got one run back in the ninth inning but Nic Jackson flied out to Mike Massaro in left to wrap up the win. The RedHawks actually out-hit the RailCats 10-8, getting two hits each from Mike Coles, Zach Penprase and Ruben Salazar. Nick Fellman pitched well in relief of Mossey, allowing only two hits in 5.1 scoreless innings.

Massaro went 2-for-4 to lead the RailCats Sunday, notching his second straight two-hit game and his 34th multi-hit game of the season. The 'Cats had only three hits after the first but drew six walks against four RedHawks pitchers to beat Fargo for the third night in a row.

The RailCats (57-38) have won four in a row and will finish with the best record in the league for the second time in the last three years. The 2007 RailCats went 58-38 before winning the post-season title as well, and with a win in Monday's season finale the RailCats will match the 2007 club for the best all-time regular season record.

The RailCats and RedHawks (52-42) will meet Monday night at 7 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard on Fan Appreciation Night. The RailCats will be passing great prizes out all night long as they celebrate another great season of baseball in Gary and thank the over 160,000 fans who have seen the 'Cats this year. As a special treat, fans can also enjoy a post-game fireworks show.

Monday will also be Football Night at The Steel Yard, with former Chicago Bears Otis Wilson and Bobby Douglass on hand signing autographs and interacting with fans. As part of Football Night any RailCats fans wearing their favorite football jerseys will get $2 off the price of any ticket and the first 1,000 fans will pick up a free foam RailCats football. Football Night is sponsored by U. S. Steel Gary Works and Lakeshore Public Television.

Notes: Tickets to see the RailCats Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard are on sale now by calling 219.882.2255 or visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com. The 'Cats will also host games four and five of their series against Kansas City, Saturday and Sunday, September 5-6 if necessary ... the RailCats have won five straight games against Fargo and have moved to 10-11 this season against the RedHawks ...the RailCats improved to 34-13 at U. S. Steel Yard this year, the best home record in the league.

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