On Thursday, we saw the RailCats win their first series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes. On Friday, we got to see the RailCats earn their first winning streak of the season as they beat the Cleburne Railroaders 4–3 with high-intensity 8th and 9th innings! Here are the nine things I saw in Friday night’s win.

1st Inning – As a huge Blackhawks fan, getting to hear Jim Cornelison sing the National Anthem got me locked into the game. He made the SteelYard feel like the Madhouse on Madison Street. You could tell which fans were Blackhawks fans because as he started singing, the cowbells and cheering began. It created a buzz for the game and got fans locked in early.

On a side note, at the game they had Jim Cornelison’s bobblehead for sale. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get one, but my lovely wife took Logan and bought me one. When they got back, I was surprised and jealous at the same time because Jim took time out of his day to hold my son and take a picture with him. Life works in funny circles. For Valentine’s Day in 2018, my wife took me to a Blackhawks game for a VIP experience, and while we were at the practice area, we met Jim and took a picture with him. If I had gone, we all could have taken a picture with him. Enough about my life.

2nd Inning – Coming into the game, the RailCats had scored in the first inning in the previous two games, and they made that happen again. Korry Howell singled and stole second. Cooper Weiss bunted the ball back to Leam Mendez, the pitcher, and Mendez threw to third to try to get Howell, but Korry had enough speed to avoid the tag and was safe. Elvis Peralta then flew out to right field for a sacrifice fly, allowing Howell to score. Getting on the board first can be a big boost for the team.

3rd Inning – In the third inning, the Railroaders ended up scoring three runs after an Elvis Peralta error. JC Flowers also balked in the inning, allowing a run to score. Even though Cleburne scored three runs, Flowers and the defense limited the damage and didn’t allow things to get out of hand.

4th Inning – Much of the game after the third inning was all pitching and defense. The RailCats struck out eight times, and in both the third and fifth innings, Cleburne’s pitching staff struck the RailCats out in order. The RailCats felt lifeless—you could feel it in the air. The stadium was full of fans, probably the most this year, and with such early energy for the team, it ended up feeling bare.

5th Inning – The sixth inning sparked the comeback, as Korry Howell hit a leadoff triple and Cooper Weiss followed with a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Howell to score. Peralta then hit a dribbler down the first-base line. As Mendez tried to field it, he slipped on the turf and made an errant throw to first, allowing Peralta to reach second. The momentum stopped there, though, as Podkul grounded to short and Peralta was out at second, and Scout Knotts went down looking.

6th Inning – The sixth inning may have sparked the comeback, but the seventh inning is where the RailCats completed it. Joe Suozzi walked, followed by two quick outs as Kevin Watson Jr. struck out looking and Colin Summerhill popped out to second. Cooper Edwards then came in clutch with a hard-hit single to left field. Korry Howell stepped up to the plate and hit a high blooper that landed between center fielder Delino DeShields and second baseman Brantley Bell. With two outs, Suozzi and Edwards were both running on contact, and the ball stayed in the air just long enough to drop as Edwards was rounding third. The RailCats took a 4–3 lead going into the eighth.

7th Inning – I do want to note that the diving catch Kevin Watson Jr. made in left field on Caleb McNeely turned out to be a significant play. If he had dropped or misplayed that ball, McNeely would have been at second or third and likely would have scored when DeShields singled. But that never happened, and Dawson Lane struck out the next two batters.

8th Inning – This is where the game started to intensify. Dawson Lane struck out Carter Aldrete looking, then gave up a single to Frankie Tostado. Oscar Hernandez grounded the ball to Cooper Weiss, who made a really nice play at second to get Tostado out. It was going to be a tough turn for Peralta, and Hernandez just beat the throw.

Lane walked Brantley Bell, and in came Jacob Coats. The first batter Coats faced was Christian Almanza, who loaded the bases with two outs. After a lengthy battle with Caleb McNeely, Coats struck him out to end the inning.

9th Inning – Coats came in for another 1.1-inning save, and this time he faced the 1-2-3 hitters for the Railroaders. Delino DeShields grounded the ball down the third-base line and then stole second and third. Something to note about the steals: it is very rare for Cooper Edwards to lose the handle on the ball when attempting to throw a runner out, and it happened both times DeShields stole.

With the tying run on third and no outs, the field was tilted toward Cleburne. All one of the Railroaders had to do was get a hit or a ball deep enough to score DeShields. Well, Jacob Coats had a different plan. Cody Thomas gave Coats a fit, fouling off two really good pitches on a 2–2 count, but Coats eventually got him to strike out swinging. Next up was Cole Foster, who also fouled off some tough pitches, but Coats threw a 95 mph heater up and in to strike him out.

With two outs and a runner on third, the last person you would want stepping onto the mound was Carter Aldrete. Well, Jacob Coats put down Aldrete in just four pitches, as Aldrete took strike three looking on the outside corner, leaving the SteelYard to erupt. It was the most intense eighth and ninth innings the RailCats have played this season.

I unfortunately had to leave the game in the top of the seventh as Logan had had enough baseball for the night. Luckily, I was able to watch the game on AATV, and I could feel the moment through the phone.

Extra Innings – During this winning streak—Game 2 of the Winnipeg series and Game 1 of the Cleburne series—the RailCats may have shown what the offense can do, but the pitching held up and kept the games close so the offense could get just one more run than the other team. Winning games where you simply need to find a way to win is something the team has struggled with in the past, but maybe they have turned the page and can find ways to win more games like they did tonight. These kinds of games are what can get you into the playoffs.

219 ‘Cat Player of the Game – Korry Howell went 3-for-4, scoring two runs, hitting a triple, stealing two bases, and recording two RBIs, which were the tying and winning runs. I normally don’t like naming two Players of the Game, but Jacob Coats deserves to be recognized as well. He went 1.1 innings, gave up one hit and one walk, and struck out four. Basically, every batter he faced was in a high-leverage situation, and although he bent a couple of times, he did not break, earning his third save of the year.