(Gary, IN) The Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks got set for their Tuesday doubleheader. The RedHawks won the day prior 7-6 and the ‘Cats had two rookies making their professional debut with Blaze Wong going game one, and Hayden Bailey in game two.
The RedHawks scored in the bottom of the first after Jose Sermo got into a run down and Dillon Thomas ran in before the throw from Nick Podkul could throw him out. In the top of the third, Podkul dropped in a ball into left field to plate two runs and Kevin Watson Jr double for Gary to take the lead 3-1. Fargo tied it when Jesus Lujano blasted a two-run homer for his second of the year.
In the top of the fifth after a double play, Marc Flores lined a ball over the head of Lujano in right field. Podkul would drive in his third run of the game by singling into right-center and the ‘Cats were head 4-3. With two outs Sermo would double, and Matt Kroon singled to drive him in and tie it at four.
In the bottom of the sixth the ‘Hawks put together an impressive two-out rally with Thomas driving in two runs on one swing and Sermo doubling to bring in one more. The RailCats, trailing by three, had two runners on to start the top of the seventh but Tyler Jeans got a double play and a strikeout to give the RedHawks a 7-4 win.
In game two the bats came out swinging for both sides. RailCats scored with an Elvis Peralta sac fly and the RedHawks tied it when Jairus Richards got hit with the bases loaded. The second inning was a good one as the ‘Cats scored five runs and sent up all nine batters to the plate to build a 6-1 lead. Fargo scored three more to cut it to 6-4.
In the third inning Cooper Edwards laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score a run and Korry Howell legged out a groundball to move the score to 8-4. Andy Nelson tripled in Richards with a ball into right and Aidan Byrne’s singled brought in Nelson and it was 8-6 after just three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, one groundball up the third base line and Olivier Basabe’s throw sailed passed Colin Summerhill down the line and it cleared the bases for Fargo to take their first lead 9-8.
In the sixth inning, Peralta came through clutch with a double into left and Howell scored to tie it at nine. With the go-ahead run at third, Carlos Amaya hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 10-9. That would be the final score.
The RailCats enter Wednesday 24-35 and having lost five-consecutive. Gary will turn to Deyni Olivero for the final game from Fargo while the RedHawks will pitch Eric Chalus. First pitch is scheduled for 7:02 and a livestream will be available at AABaseball.TV.