From staff reports
Jerry Sands (Catawba) hit a game-deciding homer for the Great Lakes Loons in a 6-5 victory against the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Friday.
Sands broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth with his first homer in the Midwest League. He also hit his second triple.
Sands dominated pitchers in the Pioneer League with 14 homers, 39 RBIs and a .350 batting average in 41 games before being promoted by the L.A. Dodgers organization to the Loons.
The Great Lakes franchise is located in Midland, Mich. Midland’s American Legion team is in the World Series.
n Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus) had one of only three hits for Clinton in a 2-0 Midwest League loss to Beloit on Friday.
n Zach Ward (A.L. Brown) had another rough outing for the Carolina Mudcats on Friday. Ward walked six batters in 21/3 innings and allowed six runs to Birmingham, the Double-A team for the White Sox.
Ward is 0-3 with an ERA of 23.14 since joining the Mudcats.
n Binghamton’s Bradley Holt (Albemarle) was hit hard by Reading, Philadelphia’s Double-A team, but he won a 7-5 decision against the Phils’ top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek.
Holt is 3-6 with a 6.21 ERA since the New York Mets promoted him to Double-A.
n New Britain’s Spencer Steedley (East Rowan) closed out a 7-0 win against Akron with a scoreless ninth Friday.
n Intimidators lose
The Asheville Tourists scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth and beat the Kannapolis Intimidators 8-4 on Friday.
Leroy Hunt (2-3) took the loss, giving up three runs without recording an out. David Christensen smacked a three-run homer against Hunt.
Kannapolis had rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take the lead for the first time in the top of the eighth. Drew Garcia’s 50th RBI of the season came on a fielder’s choice and gave the Intimidators a 4-3 advantage.
n Friday’s local golf
Will Collins (Salisbury, Virginia) shot 74 in the first round of the Cardinal Tournament in Greensboro and tied for 36th.
n Hurley Y programs
Register for a fall coed soccer program through Aug. 31. Leagues for ages 3-14. There’s a new division for ages 3-4.
n Register for a fall flag football program through Aug. 31. Leagues are for ages 4-14.
Games are played at the Hurley complex on Majolica Road. Practices and games take place Sept. 8-Nov. 7.
The season ends with a party at the YMCA, featuring inflatables, wall climbing and pool. Contact John Peterson at 704-636-0111 or by e-mail at jpeterson@rowanymca.com.
n Landis Rec leagues
The Landis Recreation Department will hold fall league baseball and softball registration for ages 4-14 until Thursday, Aug. 20. Call 704-857-4114 for additional information.