ALTON - Brady Mutz followed up on his Saturday performance, where he had two home runs, three hits and seven RBIs, with a two-hit, three-RBI game on Sunday as the Alton River Dragons swept a two-game Fourth of July weekend series with an 8-5 win over the Cape Catfish of Cape Girardeau, Mo., in a Prospect League baseball game Sunday evening at Lloyd Hopkins Field at Gordon Moore Park.
The River Dragons had defeated the Catfish the evening before 20-1 in going on to the weekend sweep.
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On Sunday evening, Alton scored four runs in the home half of the second to take an early 4-0 lead, but Cape countered with four runs of their own in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 4-4. The River Dragons scored a single run in the bottom of the inning, then added on two more in the fifth to retake the lead at 7-4, then got a single run in the seventh to extend their lead. The Catfish got the run back in the top of the eighth inning, but could come no further as Alton brought home the 8-5 win.
Harry Padden led the way for Alton with three hits, while Mutz had his two hits and three RBIs on the night, Edwardsville's Blake Burris and Boston Merila both had two hits and a RBI each, Andrew Nigut and Jake Rivers each had a hit and drove home a run and Alton's Mike Hampton and Nick Neibauer both had a hit apiece.
Alex Redman started on the mound for the River Dragons, and pitched four-and-a-third innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out three, while Drew Patterson tossed three-and-two-thirds innings, conceding a run on four hits while fanning one and Tyler Bell pitched the ninth, walking one and striking out two to get the save for Patterson.
Alton is now 14-18 on the season, and is off until Wednesday, when they'll play at the Normal CornBelters in a 5:35 p.m. start, then host the Springfield Sliders Thursday at Lloyd Hopkins Field in a 6:35 p.m. start, host the Burlington, Ia., Bees on Friday night at 7:35 p.m., then play a weekend series at the Clinton, Ia. LumberKings, with a 6:30 p.m. start on Saturday and a 2 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Mutx Hits Two Homers, Drives In Seven, River Dragons Score 11 Runs In Fourth, Six In Sixth In 20-1 Win Over Catfish, Both Teams Play Again For Holiday
ALTON - The Alton Riverfront Fourth of July fireworks display may have been held downtown on Saturday night, but the Alton River Dragons provided a preview at Lloyd Hopkins Field at Gordon Moore Park in the late afternoon and early evening.
The River Dragons got two homers and seven RBIs from Brady Mutz and scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and six more in the sixth in going on to a 20-1 win over the Cape Catfish of Cape Girardeau, Mo. in a Prospect League baseball game, which was called after six-and-a-half innings because of the 10-run rule.
Mutz hit a three-run shot as part of the 11-run outburst in the fourth, then hit a grand slam in the sixth in helping the River Dragons in their 15-hit attack in their biggest win of their inaugural season thus far.
Alton scored twice in the first, then once in the second to take a 3-0 lead before exploding for their 11 runs in the fourth and six runs in the sixth to go ahead 20-0. The Catfish scored their only run of the game in the top of the seventh to break the shutout, but the Dragons went on to the win.
Mutz's two homers were part of a three-hit, seven RBI day at the plate for Alton, while Jake Rivers also had three hits and drove in a run, Harry Padden also had a three-hit day, David Harris had two hits, including a homer, and two RBIs, Troy Johnson had a hit and drove home two runs, Edwardsville's Blake Burris, Boston Merila and Josh Johnson all had a hit and RBI each and Civic Memorial's Bryce Zupan also drove in a run on the day.
Alton's Adam Stilts started on the mound and threw five innings, allowing no runs on two hits, walking one and striking out four, while Aren Alvarez pitched the final two innings, giving up a run on two hits while fanning one.
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