Sermo homers again in RedHawks win over RailCats
Kaedan Fischer
FARGO — The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (28-27) held off the Gary SouthShore RailCats (24-33) for a 7-6 victory in the series opener on Monday night at Newman Outdoor Field.
Jose Sermo clobbered a home run once again, his seventh in the last four games. He is up to 165 in his AAPB career, two short of Sioux Falls first baseman Jabari Henry.
Jose Sermo smacked his 24th home run of the season in the fifth inning, sending the ball 385 feet over the wall in right-center field. He finished the day going 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI, a walk and a double.
Patrick Wicklander made his 11th start of the year, going five innings and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out four RailCats.
Jon Beymer struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning, and Tyler Jeans earned his 11th save of the year, the most in the AAPB.
Jesus Lujano had a two-hit day, while every RedHawks batter reached base safely at least once.
Gary SouthShore got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Colin Summerhill sacrifice fly.
F-M started a run of scoring in five straight innings in the bottom of the third when Aidan Byrne ripped a fly ball to right field that snuck over the wall for his first home run at Newman Outdoor Field.
The RedHawks opened their first lead of the game when Matt Kroon scored on a wild pitch in the fourth. Andy Nelson drove in a run with a fielder’s choice, and the lead extended to three when Jesus Lujano reached on an error, allowing Brian Fuentes to score.
Juan Fernandez ripped an RBI single in the sixth inning, but a two-run top of the seventh by Gary tied the game at six apiece.
Jose Sermo ripped a double down the right field line to lead off the bottom of the seventh, then Dillon Thomas moved him over to third on a groundout. A wild pitch by RailCats reliever Erasmo Ramirez allowed Sermo to score from third, giving the RedHawks a 7-6 lead they would not relinquish.
Jon Beymer had a 1-2-3 eighth inning, before Tyler Jeans locked down the game in the ninth inning with three strikeouts.
The RedHawks return to Newman Outdoor Field on Tuesday night for a doubleheader against Gary SouthShore. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. with Game 2 to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
