Franklin, Wisc. — Trailing by two multiple times, the Lake Country DockHounds pulled out an extra-innings victory in ten innings, 4-3, over the Milwaukee Milkmen. A game and a half now separates the DockHounds and the Milkmen for the final playoff spot in the East standings.
Sacrifice flies scored the first two runs of the game for Lake Country, each pulling the DockHounds within a run. Bases loaded in the top of the tenth inning, a third sacrifice fly gave the DockHounds its only lead of the night, plating Josh Altmann as the inherited runner at second base off the bat of Deivy Grullon.
Alan Carter blew a one-run lead in the tenth inning for the DockHounds two and a half weeks ago in Kansas City as his now teammate Chavez Young caused havoc for the Monarchs.
Starting with a runner at second leaves any reliever with no room for error.
“I focused on my breathing and controlling what I can control,” Carter said. “The results are uncontrollable, but my breathing allows me to be at my best.”
Carter diced through Milwaukee’s lineup Wednesday in Franklin, striking out the side for his fifth save of 2024.
At this junction of the season last year, the DockHounds were swept at Franklin Field by the Milkmen which started a downward spiral, leading to Lake Country missing the Miles Wolff Cup Playoffs. Roy Morales, who hit .360 last year with the Milkmen and led the team with 15 RBI against the DockHounds in 2023, was the final of Carter’s three punchouts.
The high heat prompted three gigantic fist pumps and audible exclamations from Carter directed at the DockHounds’ first base dugout punctuated his celebration with a hug that nearly knocked over the catcher Grullon.
“These games and their importance brought out the emotion,” Carter said. “They’re our rival, and we want to put ourselves in the best position possible to make the postseason and relish some playoff baseball.”
Extending the game would not have been possible without the bullpen putting up four zeros.
Matt Mullenbach entered in the sixth inning with Lake Country trailing 3-1 and retired all six Milkmen he faced to depart in a 3-3 tie. Mitchell Mueller struck out the side in the eighth inning and Jake Cantleberry sent it to extras with a scoreless ninth inning. Three of Lake Country’s five wins this season over Milwaukee have come in extra innings.
Demetrius Sims brought home Blake Tiberi and Altmann plated Sims with sacrifice flies before
Ray Zuberer III tucked a game-tying home run inside the right field foul pole with two outs in the seventh inning for his cowhide joyride in the last 15 days.
Carter was not aware that his save closed the DockHounds’ first ever series win in Franklin. His response: “This team is different.”
John Swanda, the winningest pitcher in DockHounds history, gets the ball Thursday as Lake Country eyes its first ever road sweep.
