RedHawks explode for 15 runs

The numbers popped off the box score Monday night at Newman Outdoor Field.

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks cracked 22 hits, every player in the lineup had at least two hits, eight different players drove in runs, eight different players scored runs and F-M produced four multiple-run innings.

The flood of offensive output equaled a 15-5 Northern League victory against the Sioux City Explorers.

The RedHawks (30-12) won their sixth consecutive game and raised their league-leading team batting average to .302.

"I think the reason we can do it continually is because we don't take anything for granted from what we did the day before," said RedHawks second baseman Brian Ward, who had three hits and an RBI. "Every day is a different day and we want to perform for that day.

"If you get hung up on what you've done or what's ahead, you start to think too much."

The RedHawks batted .500 (22-for-44) on the evening, falling two hits short of the team record for hits in a game.

F-M third baseman Ruben Salazar tied a team record with three doubles.

He ended 4-for-5, including a three-run home run. Salazar scored four runs and drove in four more.

"I just tried to make good contact," Salazar said. "The ball is going to do the rest. It's nothing special you're going to do."

The Explorers challenged

F-M in the fourth inning, scoring all five of their runs to knot the score at 5-5.

Sioux City plated all the runs, four of which were earned, off RedHawks left-handed starter Jodie Kennedy, who threw 43 pitches in the fourth.

Kennedy (6-2) lasted five innings, his shortest outing this season, but still earned the victory.

"I hated to see Jodie give up five runs," RedHawks manager Doug Simunic said. "He wasn't putting anyone away and we made a mistake in the field."

The RedHawks, however, responded with two runs in the fifth, four runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to put the Explorers away. F-M cracked 11 hits in that three-inning span.

Sioux City starter Ralph McCasland allowed 17 hits in five innings, setting a league record for hits surrendered by a pitcher in a game.

The RedHawks' offensive explosion came with left fielder Jon Weber -- the league leader with 37 RBI and reigning player of the week -- on the bench with a knee injury.

"Around the clubhouse you sense there is something special going on," Ward said. "But we have to pick it up a little bit more, especially if Weber has to miss some games."

With three games to play in the first half, F-M is on pace to win 64 games.

The RedHawks are the only team reach 60 victories in the regular season. F-M went 64-21 in 1998 and capped that season with a league championship.

"The thing is to win," Salazar said. "We know we're in the playoffs, but we have to keep working."

SIOUX CITY REDHAWKS

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Ruiz cf 3 0 2 1 Mathis cf 6 0 2 1

Wdcock ss 4 0 1 1 Sprout ss 5 1 2 2

Balet ph 1 0 0 0 Ward 2b 6 2 3 1

Cotton dh 5 0 0 0 Rmfield 1b 4 3 2 0

Figga c 3 1 1 0 Salazar 3b 5 4 4 4

Santore c 1 0 0 0 Gerald lf 4 1 2 1

Luther 3b 3 1 0 0 Foley rf 4 2 3 2

Baker lf 4 1 2 0 Goldbach c 5 1 2 1

Carroll 1b 4 1 2 1 Mazer dh 5 1 2 3

Nicholas rf 4 1 1 1 Kennedy p 0 0 0 0

Sullivan 2b 4 0 0 0 Sansom p 0 0 0 0

McCslnd p 0 0 0 0 Hooker p 0 0 0 0

Duffy p 0 0 0 0

Totals 36 5 9 4 44 15 22 15

Sioux City 000 500 000-- 5 9 1

RedHawks 041 124 30x--15 22 1

E--Figga (1), Sprout (16). DP--Sioux City 2. LOB--Sioux City 8, RedHawks 9. 2B--Carroll (4), Sprout (14), Ward (12), Rumfield (12), Salazar 3 (10), HR--Salazar (5). SB--Ruiz, Sprout (9), Gerald (5), Foley (4). CS--Ruiz (1).

IP H R ER BB SO

Sioux City

McCasland L,1-5 5 17 10 9 0 2

Duffy 3 5 5 5 3 1

RedHawks

Kennedy W,6-2 5 8 5 4 4 4

Sansom 2 0 0 0 0 3

Hooker 2 1 0 0 0 2

HPB--by Duffy (Foley, 9). BK--Kennedy.

Umpires--Home:Arthur. 1st: Franson. 3rd:Roles. T--2:47. A--2,940.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Eric Peterson at (701) 241-5513