FARGO, N.D. — The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (21-9) completed a three-game sweep against the Cleburne Railroaders (6-24) with a 10-1 win in front of 3,022 fans at Newman Outdoor Field on Thursday afternoon. RedHawks starter Kevin McGovern allowed just one run on four hits in seven innings pitched and tied Ben Moore for the all-time American Association wins record with his 55th career win.
Fargo-Moorhead opened the game up early, as they scored three runs in the first inning and one in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Manuel Boscan, Drew Ward, and Rymer Liriano all hit a double in the bottom of the first inning. Leo Piña drove in a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single. Piña hit 4-for-5 in the game and 10-for-15 in the three-game series.
The RedHawks scored four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase their lead to eight runs. Manuel Boscan hit a two-run homer and Evan Alexander drew a walk with the bases loaded to drive in the runs in the inning. Fargo-Moorhead made it 8-0 when they scored on a wild pitch by RHP Brendan Bell.
Cleburne starter Austen Seidel (0-1) allowed six of those eight runs on nine hits and two walks in three innings pitched. Despite earning the loss Seidel had four strikeouts. Bell allowed the other two runs on two hits and two walks in 0.1 innings pitched. Austin Fairchild, Danny Zardon, and Jalen Evans also pitched for Cleburne in the game.
Cleburne scored their only run of the game in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single from first baseman Joe Johnson. Four of the Railroaders five hits were for extra bases, including two from second baseman Edwin Arroyo.
McGovern (3-1) struck out eight batters and gave up one walk and allowed just the one run in seven innings pitched. LHP Brady Stover pitched the final two innings of the game and allowed one hit while striking out one Cleburne batter.
Fargo-Moorhead scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning off of RHP Jalen Evans on RBI singles from Sam Dexter and Drew Ward. Evans allowed five hits in two total innings pitched. The RedHawks combined for 21 total baserunners (17 hits, four walks) in the game.
The win concluded a nine-game homestand for Fargo-Moorhead, their longest of the season. The RedHawks went 7-2 during that stretch and are now 10-2 at Newman Outdoor Field this year and now head on the road for seven days for a three-game series starting in Gary, Ind., and then a four-game series with the Lake Country DockHounds. Fargo-Moorhead will return home on June 24th to take on the Kane County Cougars for a three-game home stand.
