MEQUON, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER). \u2014 The Lakeshore Chinooks appeared to be heading down a similar troubling path Sunday afternoon against the Kalamazoo Growlers.<\/p>\n
Leading 6-4 in the ninth inning, Chinooks\u2019 right-hander Nate Gray loaded the bases with just one out. After escaping a bases-loaded situation the previous inning, Gray had his work cut out for him.<\/p>\n
However, the righty could only walk the tightrope for so long, as Growers\u2019 second baseman Brodey Acres tied the game on a bloop opposite-field single, cementing a four-run comeback and another gut-punch moment for the Chinooks.<\/p>\n
Trailing 7-6 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Chinooks seemed destined to snatch defeat from the hands of victory yet again in the first half.<\/p>\n
That was until shortstop David Hogg II decided to rewrite the narrative.<\/p>\n
After a pair of walks to second baseman Collin Senior and third baseman Beckett Zavorek, center fielder Brody Rasmussen singled to load the bases with nobody out. Knowing any good contact out of the infield would score a run, Hogg attacked the first pitch he saw and grounded it into left field to walk off the Growlers 8-7.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I was] hunting for one pitch, and [I] got it on the first pitch,\u201d Hogg said.<\/p>\n
Hogg credited his teammates\u2019 effort to set up the eventual walk-off as to why he came through in the clutch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had some great at-bats before me, and put me in a spot to get the job done,\u201d Hogg said.<\/p>\n
Despite Sunday\u2019s heroics, the Chinooks\u2019 shortstop had been in a recent funk. Since June 27, Hogg had just one hit in his last nine at-bats, including a five-strikeout game back on June 27 vs. the Madison Mallards.<\/p>\n
Hogg said his ability to keep things simple led to Sunday\u2019s bounce-back performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not trying to do too much,\u201d Hogg said.<\/p>\n
Hogg said he trusts his teammates and knows they always have his back, and that was on display Sunday.<\/p>\n
Lost in the chaos of Sunday’s ninth inning came the performance of Chinooks\u2019 starter Arthur Liebau, as Mr. Chinook continued his recent success by tossing six innings of shutout baseball.<\/p>\n
With the right-hander limited traffic, Liebau struck out five and walked just three on the bases and provided a coveted quality start that lowered his team-leading ERA to 3.12.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just gets up there and competes,\u201d\u00a0 Chinooks\u2019 manager Mikel Moreno said of his right-hander’s value to the team.<\/p>\n
The right-hander said his goal was to make hitters get themselves out by throwing a lot of strikes and to let his defense do the work.<\/p>\n
Liebau said despite not making a start before Sunday, his role as a long reliever made Sunday\u2019s effort feel \u201calmost natural,\u201d as the righty had tossed a combined nine innings in his previous two appearances.<\/p>\n
Moreno said Liebau did his job by filling up the strike zone, and his defense and offense picked up their ends of the bargain as well on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In addition to Hogg\u2019s walk-off single, Lakeshore swung the bats well but didn\u2019t always have something to show for it.<\/p>\n
Both right fielder Owen Deshazo and left fielder Tyler Preece found themselves making good contact but for outs.<\/p>\n
Moreno said his outfielders\u2019 misfortune will eventually even out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just keep telling them to stay with it,\u201d Moreno said. \u201cIt\u2019s a long season, it\u2019s gonna even out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Preece, who had been struggling lately, redeemed himself Sunday with a pair of two-out two-RBI singles just as his mother arrived to watch him in person.<\/p>\n
Lakeshore closes out the first half on Monday vs. Kalamazoo at 6:35 p.m.<\/p>\n
Right-hander Brian Crooms will make his final start before departing for the second half.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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