The RailCats’ playoffs fate will come down to the last day of the American Association regular season.
Their 2-1 win over Lincoln on a walk-off error Sunday night at the Steel Yard kept their hopes afloat.
The RailCats (56-43) have one path to their first postseason appearance since they won the championship in 2013: Win Monday and have Fargo-Moorhead (57-42) lose.
“There are a half-dozen other teams who would like to be playing on the final day in a meaningful game,” RailCats manager Greg Tagert said. “You’d love to be able to control it, but at least we have a chance.
“We’ll try to take care of our ballgame and not do too much scoreboard-watching.”
The RailCats play the Saltdogs (58-40) at 1:10 p.m., with Alex Gunn (8-5, 3.47 ERA) making his league-high 25th start. The left-hander has turned in eight straight quality starts, emerging as the ace after the team traded Charle Rosario to Winnipeg.
“What he’s put on himself, he probably deserves this start,” Tagert said.
Fargo plays Winnipeg (61-38) at 1 p.m.
The RailCats are a game behind the RedHawks for the wild card, but hold the tiebreaker by virtue of their 10-3 edge in the season series. They entered Sunday tied with Kansas City, but hold a 7-6 advantage in that season series.
Fargo topped Winnipeg 10-1 on Sunday afternoon, putting the RailCats in a must-win situation Sunday night.
They delivered, with outfielder Chase Harris scoring the decisive run.
“We feel like we’ve been in the playoffs the last couple weeks because we’ve been a game ahead, a game behind, tied with Kansas City and Fargo,” Harris said. “It’s been a fun couple weeks. (Monday) is going to be another fun day. It’s win or go home. All we can control is playing our game and hope for the best.”
After stranding a runner on second with one out in the ninth, the RailCats won the game in the 10th.
Harris singled to lead off and Alex Crosby, squaring to bunt, walked on four pitches. After being unable to bunt, Reggie Wilson grounded to second and the throw back to first on the double-play attempt sailed wide. Harris raced home, getting mobbed by teammates.
Jorge De Leon (9-2) gutted out two shutout innings for the win.
Earlier on Sunday, the league announced RailCats outfielder Colin Willis as its Rookie of the Year. The 25-year-old from Sheboygan, Wis., persevered to win the award, having bounced around various leagues after a Hall of Fame career at Purdue North Central.
“He’s a perfect example of what is great about independent baseball,” Tagert said. “This opportunity was presented to him and he has taken it full force.”
Willis was hitting a team-high .316, ninth in the league and first among rookies. He also was leading the RailCats in homers (8), runs (54), triples (5), on-base percentage (.405) and slugging percentage (.483). He was second in RBIs (49), doubles (15) and stolen bases (15).
Willis also has diligently worked to improve his defense.
Willis is the first RailCats player to win Rookie of the Year since Mike Rohde in 2008 in the Northern League.
“That was a great way to start the day,” Willis said. “I was pretty surprised.
“There’s great competition in this league and I just wanted to get my work in day in, day out and try to prove myself as best I could.”
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff
