Steelman’s complete game, Kindhart’s second homer highlight Doggy Paddlers’ second victory

ALTON, Ill. — The Quincy Doggy Paddlers ended a tough first week on a high note.

A complete-game effort from Hayden Steelman and a six-run fourth inning, highlighted by Brady Kindhart’s two-run home run, propelled the Doggy Paddlers to an 11-1, seven-inning victory over the Alton River Dragons in Prospect League play Sunday.

The Doggy Paddlers are 2-4 heading into Monday’s off day, but they’ve won two of their last three and Steelman’s solid outing gave a beleaguered bullpen a break.

Steelman, a right-handed pitcher who attends William Woods University, allowed four hits and one run over seven innings with four strikeouts and two walks. The Doggy Paddlers had used an average of four pitchers in each of the first five games, have allowed the most runs in the Prospect League in the first week and have the highest team ERA at 10.76.

The offense gave Steelman a cushion after the River Dragons had grabbed a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first.

Christopher Suchoski delivered a bases-clearing double to give the Doggy Paddlers a 3-1 lead. Jimmy Koza had an RBI single, and one batter later, Kindhart hit his second home run of the season — this one to right field — for a 6-1 lead. In the fifth, Brayden Roberts hit a two-run home run to left-center field.

Quincy made it a 10-run advantage with three runs in the sixth on a balk and two sacrifice flies.

Koza had two of the Doggy Paddlers’ eight hits, while Kindhart and Suchoski each scored twice. Quincy capitalized on five walks and two hit batters.