GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2023
Contact: Ryan Zimmerman
Phone: 219-882-2255
[email protected]   

Monster Offensive Output Propels RailCats Over Monarchs 

Gary, IN – The Gary SouthShore RailCats (3-2) put up a crooked number in their trip to the plate and never looked back as they stormed past the Kansas City Monarchs (1-4) 13-1. 

Right away, the RailCats supplied a four-run rally to get their lineup going. A Michael Woodworth recorded a leadoff triple and Gio Díaz walk began the frame before LG Castillo‘s two-out single provided the game’s first run. The next batter, Francisco Del Valle stroked a three-run home run over the right field wall, his third of the season, to establish an early four-run edge. 

It did not take long for Gary SouthShore to find their stride at the dish as they plated another pair in the third inning. Díaz doubled and Jesus Marriaga drew a walk before executing a double steal to set up the middle of the order. Their savvy base running immediately led to good fortune as a Castillo ground ball to second base caused a pair of errors, allowing the duo to score. 

As the RailCat bats supplied a comfortable advantage, Julio Vivas held the potent Monarchs offense. Making his first-ever start in the American Association, he permitted just one unearned run to cross home plate in over five innings, a Jacob Robson RBI groundout, on four hits, striking out two in a winning effort. 

The Monarchs turned to the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth to attempt to slow the RailCats down, but the hosts refused to slow down. Díaz and Marriaga both got hit by pitches to provide Castillo another RBI opportunity, and once again, he came through. Though a wild pitch brought Díaz in during his at-bat, he still managed another RBI as his single tallied Marriaga from second base. Del Valle followed up by turning in another run-scoring knock of his own, and two batters later, Marco Hernandez hustled up the first base line on a ground ball to cause another Kansas City error, capping off a four-run frame and placing the RailCats ahead 10-1. 

Gary SouthShore continued to pile it on against Kansas City relief pitching in the sixth as they tacked on two more runs. Castillo contributed another big hit, this time a two-run double, upping the RailCats lead into double digits at 12-1. 

Not yet satisfied with their output at the dish, the RailCats registered one more run in the seventh inning. Dorssys Paulino ripped an opposite double to right field to begin the frame, and two batters later, a Daniel Lingua single completed his trip around the bases, giving Gary SouthShore their final tally. 

While the batting order provided the run support, the RailCats bullpen continued to lock Kansas City down. DJ Wilkinson entered in the top of the sixth and proceeded to punch out three hitters in his two scoreless frames. Jack Eisenbarger then faced the minimum with two strikeouts in the eighth before Ben Miller navigated around a leadoff hit and struck out two en route to shutting the door in the ninth. 

The RailCats and Monarchs head back to The Steel Yard to square off one more time tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in the series finale. You can watch all the action on aabaseball.tv or listen in on 95.9 WEFM or the Gary SouthShore RailCats Broadcast Network through the Mixlr app. 

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