NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

RailCats win seventh straight, qualify for one game playoff with Joliet

Published on September 3, 2006 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


Gary, Ind. - Alex Taylor drilled a game-tying pinch hit home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and Tanner Townsend was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the tie-breaking run later in the same inning as the Gary SouthShore RailCats defeated the Kansas City T-Bones 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at U. S. Steel Yard.

The win coupled with a Joliet 2-1 loss to Schaumburg on Sunday night lifts the RailCats into a first place tie with Joliet at the end of the scheduled Northern League regular season. Gary will host Joliet in a special one game playoff on Monday at 2:05 at U. S. Steel Yard. The winner of that game will begin the Eastern Division Playoffs on Tuesday night in Schaumburg. The loser of Monday's game will be done for the year.

The RailCats broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh as Mike Coles led off the inning with a bunt single, went to second on Jay Pecci's sacrifice, to third on an error, and scored on Eric McNamee's single to right to give Gary a 2-1 lead.

But Kansas City quickly took the lead in the top of the eighth. Doug Dreher walked with one out and Greg Jacobs followed with a two-run home run to right field to give the T-Bones a 3-2 advantage.

Taylor, who had hit over one previous home run in his two seasons with the RailCats, led off the Gary eighth with a home run to right to tie the game. With one out, Andy Rohleder walked and stole second. After Mike Coles struck out, the T-Bones walked Jay Pecci intentionally, and then McNamee worked a walk to load the bases. James Morrison then hit Townsend with a 2-1 pitch to force in Rohleder and give Gary a 4-3 lead.

Kansas City threatened in the ninth against RailCats reliever Pete Sikaras. Darryl Lawhorn led off with a single to center and went to second on Chad Sosebee's sacrifice. Pinch hitter Charles Peterson walked with one out, but pinch hitter Craig Hurba grounded back to Sikaras, who started a game-ending double play.

Following the game, RailCats coaches, players, and front office staff remained at U. S. Steel Yard, listening to an internet broadcast of the Joliet-Schaumburg game. Schaumburg scored twice in the first inning and held on for a 2-1 win to snap a five game losing streak and send the RailCats into Monday's tie-breaker.

Jason Shelley (11-8, 3.78) will start on Monday for Gary. The RailCats are 26-22 in the second half and 50-46 overall.

Check out the Gary SouthShore Railcats Statistics

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Northern League Stories from September 3, 2006


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