Teams finish season series 2 runs short of 100
The Lake Country DockHounds and Kansas City Monarchs completed their season series Saturday. It was another drama-filled contest that saw the Monarchs outlast the DockHounds 9-6.
Lake Country got on the scoreboard first. DockHounds designated hitter, Gio Brusa showed once again why he was selected to last weeks All-Star game. With Gabriel Noriega on first and two outs, Brusa took the 2-1 offering from Monarchs starting pitcher, Lewis Thorpe, and homered for the nineteenth time this season.
DockHounds starter, Alex McRae began his outing by striking out the side in the first. He set down Darnell Sweeney, Chad de La Guerra and Jan Hernandez on a total of 15 pitches.
In the top half of the fifth, the DockHounds extended their lead to four on an RBI ground out by Noriega and a solo home run by T.J. Bennett, his ninth of the year.
Monarchs Lineup Breaks Through
The Monarch’s offense takes a toll on a team’s pitching staff, with their consistent threat from top to bottom in the lineup. They broke through with a homer in the fourth by De La Guerra (3). Then in the fifth they made McRae work hard to complete the inning.
Shortstop Pete Kozma and catcher J.C. Escarra got things going with back-to-back doubles to cut the DockHounds lead to 4-2. Sweeney made it three straight doubles, scoring Escarra, and De La Guerra drove in his second of the game with a single.
McRae showed his veteran abilities and kept the score tied by getting Hernandez to reach on a fielders choice and then striking out Matt Adams and David Thompson to end the inning. McRae finished his night going five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, striking out seven and walking only one. He now has 55 strike outs in 53 innings of work.
The score remained even until the bottom of the seventh when Hernadnez scored on a wild pitch by Cyrillo Watson, giving the Monarchs the lead at 5-4.
No Quit Spirit
The DockHounds, who continue to demonstrate a no-quit attitude, scored two in the top of the eighth. A single by Wilfredo Gimenez and an error by Gillaspie put the DockHounds back in front.
In the home half of the inning, the heart of the Monarch order came through in the clutch. Back-to-back walks to Hernandez and Adams gave the home team the lead again, and a single by Thompson padded it by scoring De La Guerra and Hernandez.
Down three in the ninth, the DockHounds brought the tying run to the plate after Zion Pettigrew walked and Efrain Contreras singled. Noriega struck out swinging, and T.J. Bennett grounded out, advancing the runners to second and third.
The drama of the evening reached its peak. With first base open, and the tying run at the plate. The Monarchs elected to pitch Brusa, and it certainly paid off for them. Brusa went down swinging on four pitches to end the game.
Next up for the DockHounds
Lake Country now has two days off before they return home for a 6-game home stand, starting Tuesday with a series against the Kane County Cougars and concluding with a three-game set against the Lincoln Salt Dogs.
The DockHounds will celebrate Christmas in July the weekend of the 22-24. Santa Claus will be in attendance on Friday, July 22. Louie Christmas ornaments will be handed out on the 23rd and a special jersey auction will take place on July 24.
Visit dockhounds.com for tickets and more information.
