Kenosha, Wis. – Following the NWL All-Star break, the Kenosha Kingfish look to win their third straight contest as they host Wisconsin Rapids Thursday. In doing so, they send NWL All-Star Rico Garcia to the hill. The 7:05pm start time will also see the team celebrate Duffy Dyer Bobblehead Night at historic Simmons Field.
Garcia has established himself as one of the elite pitchers in summer collegiate baseball. In the NWL’s showcase on Tuesday, the right-hander yielded no hits and notched a strikeout in his only inning of work. Garcia currently finds himself ranked eighth in the league in ERA at a stellar 2.45. Moreover, he has allowed opponents to hit just .208 on the year, the fourth best mark in the NWL. The junior to-be at Hawaii-Pacific has drawn success from his ability to paint corners and get ahead in the count early. He will look to hold down a Wisconsin Rapids offense that ranks in the league’s bottom half in runs, hits, and home runs.
Despite seeing reliable output from the pitching staff, Kenosha’s current hot streak would not be possible without its performance at the plate. In the last three games combined, King Elvis’ crew has smashed seven home runs and 44 hits on its way to 41 total runs. The key in each contest has been a big inning, as they have posted at least six runs in a frame during each game. The recent outburst has propelled the Kingfish the league lead in runs per game. Credit is due throughout the entire lineup for the NWL’s top offense, but a handful of performers have stood out above the rest. 2B Chris Godinez has notched seven hits in his three last games, belting two home runs and scoring a staggering nine times in the process. Outfielders Pat Porter and Buddy Reed have also been doing their part, recording six RBI each during the stretch.
In addition to what promises to be an entertaining ballgame, Thursday also brings the aforementioned Duffy Dyer Bobblehead Night. Dyer, the current Kenosha Kingfish manager, was a mainstay behind the plate for 14 years in the MLB. Having played for the Mets, Pirates, Tigers, and Expos over the course of his career, Dyer’s career highlights include catching a no-hitter from Pirate starter John Candelaria in 1976 and winning the 1969 World Series with the Mets.
Following his playing career Dyer was named the Cubs’ bullpen coach in 1983 before becoming the first manager of the Kenosha Twins, a single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. He led the squad to a 1985 Midwest League Championship prior to becoming the Third Base Coach for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1989. After a six year stint with the Brew Crew, Dyer traveled west to serve as the Oakland A’s Bench Coach under Art Howe for three seasons. He later served as a catching coordinator for Padres. The Kingfish honor Duffy Dyer’s success and commitment to Kenosha baseball with a bobblehead for fans, though a limited quantity is available.
