Three home runs help Chicago Dogs win, cut magic number to one

The Dogs rode home runs from Dusty Stroup, Narcisco Crook and Kenny Serwa made Dogs history Wednesday night as Chicago shrank its magic number to reach the playoffs to one with a 6-3 win over Milwaukee.

The Milkmen jumped on Serwa for a run in the fourth inning, but the Dogs answered in their half of the inning as Derek Maiben, Chase Harris and Nick Novak each drove in runs to put Chicago up 3-1. They extended that lead in the fifth inning as Dusty Stroup hit his 21st homer of the year. Stroup has 12 home runs and 30 RBI in August.

Milwaukee picked up single runs in the sixth and seventh off Serwa. Serwa left the game after 6⅔ innings, scattering seven hits and three runs, two earned, walking just one and striking out six.

Serwa’s outing pushed him to the top of the Dogs single-season record book for innings pitched in a season with 119⅔. He earned the victory, improving to 6-6 on the season. Joey Marciano was electric in his 2⅓ innings of work, striking out five and earning his American Association-leading 25th save of the year.