FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (July 20, 2017)
Contact: Jared Shlensky
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Box Score

GARY, Ind. — After finishing Wednesday’s suspended game earlier on Thursday afternoon, the Gary SouthShore RailCats fell to the Cleburne Railroaders, 12-9, in the series finale at U.S. Steel Yard on Youth & Senior Day. The loss snapped Gary’s season-high five-game winning streak, however, the RailCats have now won eight of their last nine series after John Holland gave the RailCats a 7-6 walk-off win earlier on the day in the resumption of Wednesday’s suspended game.

Cleburne (26-34) struck first with four runs in the top of the first. Derrick Pyles brought in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right before Oscar Mesa made it 2-0 in favor of the Railroaders with an RBI fielder’s choice. Hunter Courson doubled Cleburne’s lead with a two-out, two-run double to center.

Gary (34-25) quickly answered with four runs in the bottom of the first to even the game. Colin Willis got the RailCats on the scoreboard with a two-run triple to right before Frank Martinez cut the Railroaders lead to one with a sacrifice fly. Randy Santiesteban tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI groundout.

Pyles quickly put the Railroaders back in front with a three-run home run to left field in the second. The home run was Pyles’ first of the season and the first of four on the afternoon. Cleburne took their biggest lead of the afternoon at 9-4 on back-to-back home runs from KC Huth and Alex Polston in the top of the third.

Wilfredo Gimenez cut the deficit to four with a solo home run to left to leadoff the bottom of the third.  The homer was Gimenez’s second of the season and his first at the Steel Yard. Martinez made it 9-6 with an RBI single through the left side of the infield in the fourth.

The Railroaders regained their five-run lead with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Pyles drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI single to right before Picci Balet increased the Cleburne lead to 11-6 with a sacrifice fly to right.

Ryan Fitzgerald delivered a two-run single to right in the home half of the sixth to make it 11-8 before Santiesteban brought in the RailCats final run of the series with another RBI groundout. Pyles drove in the final run of the game and his season-high sixth of the contest with an RBI single in the eighth.

Andrew Rohrbach (0-1) was charged with the loss in his Independent Professional Baseball debut. The former Rockies draft choice allowed seven runs on six hits and walked two in 1.1 innings. Reggie Wilson reached base four times and recorded three hits to lead the offense. 

Onas Farfan (3-2) recorded the win in the series finale after being tagged with the loss in the middle game of the three-game set. The southpaw allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings of relief.

Gary continues their six-game homestand on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. against the Sioux City Explorers. Right-hander John Richy (0-0, 0.00) makes his Independent Professional Baseball debut for Sioux City while Gary has yet to announce their starter for the series opener.

Friday’s game is Princess Night and another Fireworks Friday from the Steel Yard. Put on your favorite princess dress and have a fun night out, plus we’ll have your favorite princesses here for you to take photos with. Remember to stick around after the game for an explosive Fifth Third Bank Fireworks Extravaganza.

Jared Shlensky and Austin Anderson bring you all 100 RailCats games this season on WEFM (95.9FM) and online at railcatsbaseball.com. Fans can purchase tickets for RailCats home games by calling (219) 882-BALL or online at railcatsbaseball.com. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.