RedHawks Win 10th Straight, Nip RailCats 2-1
August 21, 2009 - Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
FARGO, N.D. - Donzell McDonald blooped a two out base hit into shallow center with two outs in the eighth inning to score the go-ahead run as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks beat the Gary SouthShore RailCats 4-2 Friday night at Newman Outdoor Field for their 10th straight victory.
Tony Cogan (7-7) took the loss Friday despite a masterful performance against the Northern League's runaway best offense. Cogan seemed in control all night despite allowing single runs in the third and fourth innings. The RailCats tied it in the seventh before Mike Coles doubled to lead off the eighth. Coles went to third on a flyout before Cogan struck out the league's RBI leader, Nic Jackson, for the second out. McDonald came up next and after a long battled dropped the 3-2 pitch over second baseman Eric McNamee's outstretched glove to plate Coles with the go-ahead run. Fargo added another run off reliever Eddie De la Cruz and held on despite a few nervous moments in the ninth.
Cogan matched a career best with 10 strikeouts Friday, including three in the seventh inning. Cogan allowed just seven hits and two walks, but Fargo stranded only four runners on base in the first seven innings against him. Cogan went a total of 7.2 innings and threw 130 pitches against a RedHawks offense that came in averaging more than seven runs per game in August.
The RailCats had a chance in the ninth inning against much-ballyhooed RedHawks closer Tim Lavigne, getting singles from Anthony Esquer and Rob Marconi to put the tying runs on before Mike Massaro grounded out on a bang-bang play at first to end the game. Lavigne earned his second save in three outings with Fargo, closing the win for reliever Jeremy Hauer (1-2) who retired all five batters he faced, including three via strikeout.
Jeff Icenogle pitched well for Fargo in his first start against the 'Cats, but fell behind early when Jay Pecci singled in Massaro with one out in the first inning. Icenogle settled in to retire nine in a row between the third and sixth innings, but the 'Cats managed to tie the score in the seventh. Esquer doubled with one out to end Icenogle's night, and the RailCats catcher scored when Marconi singled against tough RedHawks reliever T.J. Stanton.
The win gives the RedHawks sole possession of first place for the first time this season and the 10-game win streak is the longest by a Northern League club this year. Jeremiah Piepkorn finished 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead Fargo offensively and Coles cracked two doubles in the win.
The RailCats banged out seven hits including the second straight three-hit game for Marconi. Pecci and Esquer had the other four 'Cats hits with two apiece.
Saturday night at 7 p.m., the RailCats (51-36) and RedHawks (51-34) continue their three-game series at Newman Outdoor Field. Derell McCall (5-0, 2.18 ERA) will start for the 'Cats against Fargo left-hander Broc Coffman (9-5, 5.29 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.
Notes: The loss was the RailCats seventh in a row in Fargo ... Cogan's last 10-strikeout game was also against the RedHawks, June 1, 2008 at U. S. Steel Yard ... Friday's crowd was 4,918, a sellout at Newman Outdoor Field on Fan Appreciation Night.
Northern League Stories from August 21, 2009
- RedHawks Win 10th Straight, Nip RailCats 2-1 - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- RedHawks Grab First Place - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Bolton Stifles Joliet with Seven-Hitter - Kansas City Monarchs
- Flyers and Goldeyes suspended; to be continued Saturday - Schaumburg Flyers
- T-Bones Blank JackHammers 7-0 - Joliet JackHammers
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