FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (August 28, 2017)
Contact: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A career-high 12 strikeouts from Daniel Minor wasn’t enough on Monday night in the series opener against Sioux Falls as Blake Schmit delivered a walk-off homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on an 0-2 pitch off Jorge De Leon to give the Canaries a 2-1 victory. Minor was perfect through five innings and struck out nine of his career-high 12 in his last four innings, including five to the last six batters he faced on the evening.

Sioux Falls (41-52) ended the scoreless drought and Minor’s perfect game with a run on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Wolfe ended the perfect game with leadoff single center to begin the frame. After Minor struck out the next two hitters, Brett Marr kept the inning alive with a two-out single to center, giving the Canaries runners on the corners. Burt Reynolds followed with an RBI opposite-field single into right field, scoring Wolfe.

Gary (52-41) quickly tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh. Ryan Fitzgerald led off the inning with a double down the right field line, extending his personal-best hitting streak 10 games. Andy De Jesus followed with a bunt single, however, a throwing error from pitcher Joe Bircher bounced off the side wall down the first base line, allowing Fitzgerald to score on the play.

De Leon (7-2) was charged with the loss and had his consecutive scoreless innings streak snapped at 12.1 innings on Schmit’s walk-off home run. James Jones (3-2) recorded the win with a perfect top of the ninth. Cameron Newell extended his personal-best on-base streak to 16 games with a two-out walk in the first while Bircher allowed just one run on six hits, three walks, a hit batsmen and three strikeouts in eight innings.

Gary continues their four-game road against Sioux Falls on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Jake Matthys (0-0, 3.00) makes his second start of the year against left-hander Bo Hellquist (2-2, 4.71). 

Gary returns home for a four-game homestand against the Lincoln Saltdogs starting on Friday to conclude the regular season. Friday’s game is “Breakfast” Club Night and a Fireworks Friday. We’ll have breakfast for dinner and play 80s music. Wear your pajamas to the ballpark and stick around after the game for an explosive Fifth Third Bank Fireworks Show!

Jared Shlensky and Austin Anderson bring you all 100 RailCats games this season on WEFM (95.9 FM) 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.