FARGO, N.D. – The RedHawks got another great start from Bradin Hagens and home runs from Dylan Kelly and Drew Ward en route to an 8-7 win over the visiting Milwaukee Milkmen Tuesday night at Newman Outdoor Field. Milwaukee staged a late rally after going down 8-0, but Mitchell Osnowitz shut the door and earned the save with 1.1 innings of shutout work.
Hagens (1-2) picked up another nine strikeouts in his third start of the year. He gave up two runs on six hits over 6.2 innings pitched to earn his first win of the year. The right-hander leads the American Association with 30 strikeouts in 2020.
Dylan Kelly, who came into the game batting .172, went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI double in tonight’s contest to raise his average to .219. Kelly’s solo homer in the third inning was the first run of the game and his RBI double in the fourth stretched the Fargo-Moorhead lead to 5-0 after Dario Pizzano had brought in three runs earlier in the inning with a double of his own.
First baseman Drew Ward hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning to stretch the RedHawks lead to eight runs before the Milkmen started a comeback in the seventh. Milwaukee brought in seven runs over the next two innings, including four runs against RedHawks debutant Tanner Kiest, to make it a one-run game going to the ninth inning.
Osnowitz (1-0) induced a pop up to the shortstop and a game-ending double play to seal the victory and earn his third save of the 2020 season.
Milwaukee starter Ryan Kussmaul (0-1) earned the loss after giving up five earned runs on six hits in 3.1 innings pitched.
Fargo-Moorhead moves to 4-6 for the year while Milwaukee drops to 5-4. The RedHawks and Milkmen will continue their three-game series on Wednesday night in Fargo. LHP Matt Tomshaw (0-0) is the probable starter for the RedHawks against Milwaukee RHP Angel Ventura (1-1).
