Chicago Dogs split doubleheader at Texas
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - The Chicago Dogs split a doubleheader with the Texas AirHogs Monday night at AirHogs stadium, dropping game one 3-2 and winning game two 6-1.
In a game being made up after a June 21 rainout in Rosemont, the Dogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game one thanks to a Joe Benson two-run homer. It was the third of the year for Benson and the Dogs' only extra-base hit in the game.
Texas responded immediately with 2 runs in the bottom half. Stewart Ijames led off with a hit-by-pitch, and Correlle Prime followed with an RBI double. Two batters later Casio Grider scored Prime with an RBI single.
Tommy Thorpe made a spot start in game one for the Dogs, his third of the year. Thorpe pitched 5⅓ innings but took the loss because of a go-ahead steal of home by Prime in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With runners on the corners and one out, Grider took off for second base. Grider intentionally caught himself in a rundown, and although Chicago shortstop Stephen Perez was able to tag Grider out, his throw to the plate was too late to nab Prime and cut down the go-ahead run.
With the AirHogs up 3-2 Carlos Contreras pitched a scoreless top of the seventh for his sixth save of the year.
The Dogs again struck first in game two thanks to an RBI know from Edwin Arroyo and a sacrifice fly from Jonathan Moroney.
After a Dillon Thomas RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning, the score would remain 2-1 in favor of the Dogs until the top of the seventh.
Chicago struck for 4 runs in their final at-bat, sending nine men to the plate and collecting RBI from Moroney, Perez, Tony Rosselli, and Matt Dean.
The Dogs walked three times in the inning and eight times in the game, matching a single-game franchise record. Chicago also stole four bases, setting a single-game franchise mark.
Kylin Turnbull started game two for Chicago, marking his first start since June 29. Turnbull went five innings, allowing one run on six hits and earning the win.
With the split, the Dogs find themselves at 21-34, while Texas sits at 15-40. The teams resume their four-game set Tuesday.