Rosemont, Ill. — Coming from behind in the 8th inning, the Lake Country DockHounds secured the first-place position in the East Division going into the all-star break, 6-4, in the Hounds’ seventh straight victory – the longest in franchise history.
Leading early, the DockHounds fell behind after an error resulted in a two-run home run to jump the Chicago Dogs into their only lead of the series, 4-3 in the fifth inning. That advantage held until the eighth.
J.C. Keys stranded two base runners in the seventh inning to hold the lead and started the eighth. After retiring the lead off batter, Brian O’Keefe tied the game with a line drive over the left-center field wall, his second home run of his first week with Lake Country. An error paired with hustle from Brian Rey extended the frame for Luke Roskam, who walked on four pitches as the first batter against Keys the frame before. With a 3-0 count, Roskam drilled a go-ahead home run to put the DockHounds in front 6-4 – his first home run in exactly a month, which was also a go-ahead homer to make it 6-4.
Lake Country’s bullpen set down the last 11 batters it faced, allowing just a single in the sixth inning. Chris Jefferson, with two scoreless innings, recorded the win before Bryce Bonnin and Robert Gsellman set down all three batters they faced.
Brett Conine navigated four innings to conclude his first half. Rey and Roskam doubled and scored in the second inning to grab the early lead. Ryan Hernandez sent his eighth home run of the season over the scoreboard in left field. Aaron Hill and Freddy Rojas both added base hits while making tremendous plays in the field.
In first place regardless, Dominic Cancellieri gets the ball looking for eight straight Sunday afternoon.
