(Rosemont, IL) The Gary SouthShore RailCats, who were on a seven-game losing streak, got set for a three-o’clock game against the Chicago Dogs. The Dogs, who outscored the ‘Cats 28-8 in the first two games, were playing for the sweep, while the RailCats attempted to salvage at least one game.
Andres Diaz started for the RailCats, but the Dogs got the best of him in the bottom of the second. Nick Novak pulled a double into right-center for the first run of the game. With the bases loaded, Dusty Stroup blasted a grand slam, and Chicago had a 5-0 lead. Brantley Bell would later plate Novak to grow the lead to six.
Gary wasn’t going down without a fight. The RailCats scored their first run from a Francisco Del Valle sacrifice fly as Novak, and the left fielder Chad Pike collided. Three batters later, Gio Diaz turned on a fastball and sent it over the wall for his first home run this season, cutting the Dogs’ lead to three.
In the sixth, Carlos Rincon led off with a single, and with one out, LG Castillo hit a hard-liner drive to right field that rolled away from Narciso Crook and to the wall, bringing Rincon in from first. Del Valle’s second hit made it a one-run game as Castillo scored with two outs.
Chicago would buy a run in the bottom of the seventh with Jacob Teter trotting in from third on a passed ball; the Dogs led 7-5. Miguel Sierra led off with his third home run of the series with a solo shot to left field. Joey Marciano got the ball for a save opportunity, Howard Rodriguez got on base with an infield single, Gio Diaz moved him on a sac bunt, and Guillermo Quintana grounded out to get Rodriguez to third.
With two outs and Rodrigez at third, Carlos Rincon dropped the ball into right, and the RailCats completed the comeback after being down six runs. Zion Pettigrew reached on an error, and Chicago would win on a Chad Pike RBI double, giving Chicago the sweep.
Gary is now 25-49 and has now lost eight straight games. Their next game is in Fargo, North Dakota, where they will play a three-game set against the RedHawks. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:02 CDT; there will be a broadcast available on AABaseball.TV, Mixlr, and WE.FM 95.9.