The Chicago Hounds are now 6-5 after a spectacular 2-1 win over the Electrons tonight at Winnemac Park. The play was outstanding on both sides, but the Hounds came out with the victory.

Tim “Cy Young” Riggenbach (#8, P) threw 5 solid innings, giving up only 1 unearned run (the error was on a stolen base). Tim’s nickname of Cy Young was created by the Electrons, who definitely do not like facing him on the mound. Riggenbach gave up only 5 hits and 1 walk in his 5 innings pitched. Garrett Eddy (#23 today, RF/P) got the 2-inning win, giving up no runs and striking out 4 in his 2 innings pitched. A truly dominant performance by both lefty Hound hurlers.

The Hounds defense was solid today, with the only error on the stolen base. Arron Kruse (#11, 2B) specifically asked to be called out for that error, as he failed to secure the ball thrown by Tony Correa (#2, C). Why did Kruse wish to be called out? Perhaps because of his 7th-inning heroic actions later in the game.

The Hounds offense was held mostly in check by the 20-year old hurler for the Trons. He struck out 11 Hounds and held the Hounds to 10 scattered hits and no free passes. The Hounds scored their first run in the 5th when Nick Schmidt (#23 normally and today, but his jersey actually had his name on it as opposed to Eddy, EH) singled and stole second base. With two outs, Brian Lehman (#2, LF) singled and drove in Schmidt to tie the game. In the sixth inning the Hounds looked poised to take the lead as Eddy singled and stole second. But the Hounds’ 4, 5, and 6 batters all struck out consecutively, stranding Eddy, and the score remained tied at 1-1.

In the seventh and final frame, Kruse led off and hit a towering smash to the right-center gap for his second hit on the day. Manager Matthew Steffens (#5, SS) was screaming “hold at two, hold at two, hold at two, oh [expletive]!!!” but Kruse ran with wild abandon through to third base. The throw was high and Kruse slid in safely, turning a double to a triple. Then Mike DiCola (#28, RF), who showed up for the 5:50 pm game somewhere around 6:45 or 7:00 pm, and was the third Hound batter in the 9th spot in the batting order, stepped into the batter’s box. DiCola hit a soft liner over the infield and just short of the outfield to drive in Kruse for the go-ahead-and-eventual-game-winning run.

Going into the final frame, I complimented Kruse saying it was the best hit the Charlie’s have had all year and Kruse said (paraphrasing): “well, don’t get used to that, it was the literally the farthest I have ever hit a baseball in my life.” So, the score was 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh with Eddy on the mound. Eddy struck out the first two, and then DiCola tracked down a high fly foul ball in right field, managing to avoid the football (and other) metal equipment on the side of the field which could have killed him (it was at neck height), to finally secure the win for the Hounds.

The Hounds then went to K’s Dugout for open mic night, and were regaled with songs by Nick Ingram (#36, DH) and Tony Correa (#13, C). Tony’s song was epic and definitely NSFW. There were more Hounds and fans at K’s than any other game prior, no doubt. See the photos on Instagram.

The Hounds next play the Orioles on Sunday at Walther Christian (formerly Walther Lutheran) for a double header. See you there!