FARGO, North Dakota – The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks cruise to a series win against the Gary SouthShore RailCats during Cancer Awareness Night on a warm and muggy June evening.
After a threat of rain delayed the beginning of tonight’s game by over an hour, Jake Dykhoff finally took the mound and despite giving up a couple of hits, he escaped the jam to keep the RailCats scoreless in the opening frame. What followed was nothing short of exemplary from the rookie. His night ended after throwing seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits while utilizing his defense as he only struck out five in the process of not only picking up his second win, but his first quality start of his professional career.
The RedHawks would get runners on the basepaths early but would not be able to take advantage of it until the bottom of the third and fourth innings. Alec Olund led off the inning with a walk, he would then move the second on an Evan Alexander single to right field. Olund would advance to third on the following flyout and Alexander would be thrown out trying to tag from first. In the ensuing at-bat, Leo Pina lines a double down the left field line to score Olund for the game’s opening salvo. However, it would not last long as John Silviano would add another double to left field to score Pina to bring the game to a 2-0 score.
Fargo-Moorhead would tack on three more in the bottom of the fourth as Sam Dexter led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, who would then be moved over by a Nick Novak sacrifice bunt. In the next at-bat, Olund would get every stich of a pitch and hit a no-doubt home run over the left field wall. After an Alexander walk, Dillon Thomas would line down the right field line to score him from first to make it a 5-0 lead in favor of the home team.
Gary SouthShore would scratch two runs across late thanks to four hits but Alex DuBord would slam the door on the RailCats in the top of the ninth inning to secure the 5-2 win.
With the victory, Fargo-Moorhead rises to a 22-12 record, keeping them on pace for the AAPB West Division lead. The RedHawks are back in action on Thursday, June 22 when they face off against the RailCats in the series’ final game. The first pitch for Business Day is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.