Written By: Noah Douglas
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — Chavez Young got the fans’ attention. Demetrius Sims had them clapping. Ray Zuberer III sent them home.
With the game tied at 6-6, Young led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a blistering line drive to left field. Showing off his personality, he galloped into second base, shooting finger guns at the Lake Country DockHounds’ dugout while simultaneously jumping in the air. Sims followed with a critical sacrifice bunt, just pitches before Zuberer III completed his Saturday night story arc.
Ryan Hernandez, the heart and soul of the DockHounds, went down with an injury early in the game. Lake Country held a 6-2 lead entering the fourth, the inning before Hernandez was seen walking off gingerly with a trainer. With the stadium feeling the gut punch of his departure, the Winnipeg Goldeyes capitalized on the morale blow and tied the game.
“When Ryan goes out, it’s like a shot in the heart, not just to me but to all of us,” Zuberer III said. “Stepping in for him isn’t easy; it wasn’t planned, but it worked.”
Zuberer III started the game on the bench due to a matchup decision. With Winnipeg throwing a lefty, keeping him on the bench seemed ideal, regardless of how impressive his offensive numbers have been. Yet, keeping him available proved pivotal.
Hernandez went down, and Zuberer III stepped up.
“The fact that I could step into his spot, and him being my boy on the team, the first thing that popped into my mind was that we did it for Ryan,” Zuberer III said.
For a team that had been playing seemingly uninspired, the new faces in the clubhouse have sent shockwaves throughout the organization. Most notably, Young.
“He is a spark plug, period,” DockHounds closer Alan Carter said. “He is the energy that we needed, and he plays the game so hard; it’s revitalizing.”
Young’s impact wasn’t just felt offensively, where he went 3-for-5 and scored the winning run. He also made a crucial double play from deep center field. With the Goldeyes threatening, Young launched his put-out attempt and celebrated with more finger guns, this time directed at the runner on third.
“He is valuable on the field, but what he brings to this clubhouse—he’s been the missing piece,” Zuberer III said.
As the DockHounds continue their playoff push, the motto is cliché: take it one game at a time. For Saturday night, they won the day and are ready to win tomorrow.
“We can’t get too high, and we won’t get too low. Tomorrow is another day and another game, and we’ll be ready,” Zuberer III said.
The DockHounds will conclude the series with Winnipeg at 1:05 p.m. Sunday in Wisconsin Brewing Company Park.
