MILKMEN TOP DOGS, CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY WITH FIVE GAMES LEFT.

By Chife Jaeger

FRANKLIN, Wis. - The Milwaukee Milkmen defeated the Chicago Dogs in game two of their final home series of the season, and now control their own destiny with five games left in the regular season.

The game remained scoreless for the first four and a half innings of the game as Milkmen starting pitcher Ryan Zimmerman turned in one of his best performances of the season going six innings while handing out just one hit and six strikeouts with no runs given up.

Milwaukee finally broke through and took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Keon Barnum reached third base and scored off of a single from Carl Chester.

The Dogs then scored in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly to make the game 1-1.

Bryan Torres then hustled for a double in the eighth inning and advanced to third on a balk to put the Milkmen in great scoring position. Logan Trowbrige then singled to score Torres and gave Milwaukee a one run lead going into the top of the ninth.

Rodrigo Benoit then allowed only one hit in the ninth but did not allow that runner to advance before he closed out the game for the Milkmen 2-1.

“There’s still five games left in the regular season and obviously they’re all big but tomorrow is a really big game,” manager Anthony Barone said of tomorrow's game. “We’re going against their ace and we’ve got our ace on the mound in Myles Smith, it’s gonna be the little things that win us the game tomorrow.”

The Milkmen now own the season series lead over the Dogs and can take over the lead for the East Division with a win over their rivals in Milwaukee’s last regular season home game tomorrow at 6:35pm.

Tickets are available at MilwaukeeMilkmen.com or at the Franklin Field Box Office prior to the game.