RAILROADERS CAN’T SOLVE KINLEY, FALL 7-3
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS (July 23, 2022) – Cleburne scored in the first inning once again but couldn’t keep ahold of the momentum as the Chicago Dogs prevailed in game two of the three-game set at Impact Field by a final score of 7-3 on Saturday, July 23.
The Railroaders kept up their first inning scoring habits with two in the opening frame. Chuck Taylor hit the first pitch of the ball game into the left field corner for a lead-off double. Chase Simpson hit an RBI ground-out to second and then Kacy Clemens scored on a Hill Alexander single to give Cleburne a 2-0 lead.
Chicago knotted the game back up with a two-run homer by Grant Kay to bring the score even.
It was all Dogs after that. Chicago got to Cleburne starter Michael Wong for three in the fifth inning. Harrison Smith scored off a Ryan Lidge sacrifice fly to capture the lead. Charlie Tilson would then score on another sac fly, this one by Stevie Wilkerson. Michael Crouse then scored on a wild pitch by reliever Danny Zardon to give the Dogs a three-run cushion at 5-2.
Cleburne struck for their final run of the game in the top of the eighth on a Clemens RBI-ground out to second that scored Nick Shumpert to bring the scoring total to 5-3. Chicago, however, put down the hammer in the bottom half of the frame for two runs off the Railroaders’ best reliever thus far in 2022 Hunter Cervenka. Connor Kopach knocked in Anfernee Grier with a double and then Crouse singled home his first RBI of the evening with a single to score Kopach.
Dogs’ closer Paul Schwendel came in to shut the door on the night for Cleburne in the ninth and did just that with a clean, scoreless inning to give Chicago the series win at a final score of 7-3.
Wong picked up his first loss of the year to bring his record to 2-1. In his previous two starts, he had been fantastic, only allowing five runs between the two over 14 innings. He only managed 4.2 innings against the potent Dogs’ offense, allowing five runs on five hits while walking three and striking out two.
Jeff Kinley got the win for Chicago with a dominant seven inning outing, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two more.
Of note, Clemens’ RBI-double in the first inning extended his hitting streak to 21 games. He has also gotten on base in every game he has played in with the Railroaders.
The series concludes tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., with pregame coverage starting at 2:45 p.m. on AABaseball.tv and the Railroader Radio Network.