By Jack Ankony Mystical forces may have been listening to the dugout conversations at Impact Field. As Grant Kay sprinted to third base in the fourth inning of the Chicago Dogs’ 11-7 win over the Kane County Cougars on July 29, manager Butch Hobson tossed his palms to the sky. Kay had to settle [...]
By Jack Ankony A 10-3 home loss to the North division’s fifth-place team may bring initial disappointment, but Wednesday night’s contest with the Kane County Cougars introduced the return of a season-altering figure on the Dogs’ roster. Former Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox pitcher Michael Bowden made his return to the mound for the [...]
By Jack Ankony Like all younger brothers, Connor Grey always wanted to be like his older brother. So when Grey’s brother started throwing curveballs when he was 11, the 9-year-old Connor followed suit. And ever since, it has been the pitch he has used to devastate opposing hitters. “It’s the only pitch that my grip [...]
By Jack Ankony Cosimo Cannella has recently been the odd man out of the Dogs lineup. But as the Dogs faced off with Milwaukee on Sunday in a rubber match with serious North Division implications, Butch Hobson gave Cannella the nod at third base. In Cannella’s first start since June 7, he took Ryan Zimmerman [...]
By Jack Ankony Michael Bowden knows how to pitch. That is the simple, yet meaningful explanation Dogs manager Butch Hobson has given after each of Bowden’s two most recent starts. After six efficient innings of shutout baseball, Bowden proved yet again on Tuesday against the Sioux City Explorers that he frankly knows what he is [...]
By Jack Ankony The Dogs showed no mercy at the plate on June 7, cranking six home runs en route to a 12-6 win at Mercy Field against the Sioux City Explorers. K.C. Hobson was the winner of Monday’s home run derby, as he extended his hit streak to 10 games. Hobson hit two towering [...]
By Jack Ankony After a seventh comeback win on Wednesday, the Dogs began their rally in the ninth inning on Thursday. Dogs leadoff hitter Brennan Metzger stepped up to the plate with one out and the bases loaded, and cut the deficit to two runs with a sacrifice fly. The Dogs last hope at another [...]
By Jack Ankony It was three pitches and three strikes for Dogs starter Michael Bowden in game one of an Opening Day doubleheader. A veteran of the game, Bowden was locked in from the second he took the mound, which made him an easy choice for Dogs manager Butch Hobson. “He’s a strike-thrower,” Hobson said. [...]
By Jack Ankony Johnny Adams hit a chopper towards the Kane County shortstop, and one could assume the inning would be over. Galli Cribbs Jr. mishandled the ball, and Adams was safe at first base to give the Dogs life. As the ball deflected off Cribbs Jr.’s glove, Danny Mars of the Dogs used heads-up [...]