CLEBURNE STRANDS TWELVE IN SHUTOUT LOSS TO MILKMEN
FRANKLIN, WISCONSIN (Aug. 2, 2022) – The Railroaders recorded nine hits in the inaugural game of their three-game set in Wisconsin against the Milkmen but failed to scratch any runs across in the contest as they fell 8-0 from Franklin Field on Tuesday evening.
Milwaukee started the scoring in the bottom of the second when Keon Barnum launched a bomb over the right field fence off Cleburne starter Kody Bullard to give them a 1-0 lead. Another run scored in the inning to expand on the Milkmen's lead.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth that the Milkmen were able to get any more runs on the board. They brought three around the score in the frame, highlighted by a Bryan Torres two-RBI double. After four, it was 5-0 in favor of the Milkmen.
Keon Barnum struck again in the bottom of the seventh, as he hit a moonshot to straightaway center field off Austin Fairchild to make it 6-0.
When the eighth inning rolled around for the Milkmen, they decided to end things there once and for all. They did so on a fly ball off the bat of Torres that got caught in the wind and sailed over the left field wall. The home run brought home Trowbridge, who had drawn a walk in the inning off reliever Landon Holifield.
Down to their final out, Cleburne put up a bit of a fight in the bottom of the ninth. Nick Shumpert singled. He advanced to second on a walk to Edwin Arroyo. Chuck Taylor was then hit in the foot by Milkmen closer Rodrigo Benoit to load the bases for Zach Nehrir, who flew out to right field to end the game.
Ben Holmes got the win for the Milkmen. He was lights out in his six innings of work, scattered six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Bullard picked up the loss for Cleburne. He went five innings, let up five runs on eight hits with four walks and only one strikeout.
Brendan Bell was the only Railroaders’ pitcher that did not allow a run. He pitched a shutout sixth inning, only allowing one hit.
With Gary’s victory this afternoon over the Lincoln Saltdogs and the Railroaders’ loss, the two teams are tied for fourth place heading into tomorrow’s games.
The three-game set with the Milkmen continues tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. from Franklin Field, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:20 p.m. on aabaseball.tv and on the Railroader Radio Network.