AA Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

RedHawks Win Third Straight

Published on July 15, 2015 under American Association (AA)
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks News Release


AUGUSTA, NJ - The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks defeated the Sussex County Miners in the first ever meeting between the two teams by a 4-2 final in front of 601 fans at Skylands Stadium on Wednesday night.

Brandon Mann started on the bump for the RedHawks. The left-hander was searching for his first win since June 1st at Sioux Falls and he got it by producing his fifth quality start in his last six outings. RedHawks starters have tossed complete games in 11 of the last 14 games, including the last six games in a row. He went seven innings, allowing four runs on two hits (both earned) with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Fargo-Moorhead jumped on the board first. Frank Salerno and Drew Muren lead off the third with singles, and Salerno would come around to score on Chad Mozingo's second opposite field single of the game making it 1-0 Fargo-Moorhead.

Brandon Mann allowed base runners on in both the second and third, but forced Ryan Pineda and former big leaguer Reggie Abercrombie to ground into 6-4-3 double plays getting him out of the jam.

The RedHawks would tack on more in the fifth. Like a replay of the third, Salerno and Muren led the frame off with singles. Penprase stepped to the plate pushing a ball up the middle scoring Salerno easily from third and allowed Muren to wheel 120 feet into third. Mozingo stepped to the plate next and belted a towering shot that would have been his second home run in as many games at Newman Outdoor Field, but a tape measure reads 330' down the line at Skylands Stadium. Mozingo's deep sac fly allowed Muren to trot home and Penprase to tag to third making it 3-0 RedHawks heading to the home half of the fifth.

Sussex County got to Mann in the bottom of the fifth. Ryan Mathews, who was released days before the start of the season from Fargo-Moorhead, sent a leadoff double off the wall in right-center. Two batters later Cory Morales would walk, followed by a Jason Hernandez double scoring Mathews and advancing Morales to third. Johnny Bladel then proceeded to rip a single into left scoring Morales making it 3-2 after five innings.

Mann would settle in and mow down the Miners in order in the sixth and seventh frames. He had retired seven straight before Johnny Bladel lead off the home half of the eighth with a single signaling the end of the line for Brandon Mann.

Perhaps overshadowed by the loss was the strong outing of Miners' starter Matt Sommo. The right-hander went the distance for Sussex County, throwing all nine innings allowing four runs (three earned) on ten hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

The duo of Tyler Thompson and Joe Harris were called upon to finish the eighth. Thompson hit veteran Sergio Miranda square in the back before striking out Kenny Bryant and forcing Abercrombie to fly out right. Simunic signaled for the left-hander Harris to face the right-hander David Thaut with two outs and runners on first and second, and Harris would deliver with a backwards "K" to end the inning.

Fargo-Moorhead added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Tyler Peterson would walk and the next batter, Frazier Hall, sent a rocket into the alley in right-center scoring Peterson all the way from first making it 4-2.

Mike Nesseth came on to close the game in the bottom of the ninth. Mathews and Ryan Pineda led off the inning with singles giving Sussex County a pair of no-out base runners. Nesseth would strike out Morales with a 93 mile per hour heater bringing Jayson Hernandez to the plate. Hernandez sent a hard hit grounder to Brent Peterson, who had just subbed in for Frazier Hall, who bobbled it. Peterson was charged with the error and the bases were loaded with one out. Redemption's came as the Bladel stepped to the plate next. He sent a liner to right at Brent Peterson who fielded it, tagged Pineda and whipped across the diamond for the 5-3 double play ending the game.

Nesseth earned his team leading seventh save of the season in relief, while preserving the win for Brandon Mann's (2-5, 4.37 ERA). Sussex County's Matt Sommo (0-1, 3.95 ERA takes his first loss of the season.

Fargo-Moorhead improves to 17-34 winning its third straight game, the team's longest win streak of the season while Sussex County drops to 18-27. The two teams will return tomorrow morning at 9:35 a.m. for an early-bird start with the RedHawks sending Tyler Herron (3-4, 3.98 ERA) while the Miners will counter with Shawn Sanford (2-3, 3.77 ERA). All games are broadcast by Jack Michaels on 740 AM The Fan.

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