The Chanhasssen Red Birds got their 2nd win in the Hamburg Tournament tonight, beating the Fairmont Martins, 3 - 0.  Justin Kurth got the complete game (7 inn.) shutout for the win to move his season record to 3 wins with no losses in 5 starts with 2 complete games. 

Kyle Kemble got two hits, as did Justin Thompson and Nate Swenson.  JT and Nate each got an RBI and each scored a run. T.J. Gulden was 1-4 with a single in the 1st inning and scored on JT's single to right field.

Aaron Seifken started on the mound for the Martins, was charged with the loss even though he struck out 13 Red Birds, and stranded 9 Red Bird runners.

Red Birds opened the scoring in the top of the 1st with a T.J. Gulden single to right. Zach Swenson then walked and Justin Thompson delivered a single to right to score T.J. from second. 

In the 2nd inning, Nate Swenson laced a lead off single through the middle of the infield.  After stealing second, Nate advanced to 3rd on Kyle Kemble's looping single to right field.  With 1 out, Tom Bergner then hit a grounder to 3rd to force Kyle at second, but the throw to first failed to complete the double play and Nate crossed home plate with the second Red Bird run.

In the 3rd inning, Justin Thompson reached first base on a hit-by-pitch.  Reid Teigland entered the game as pinch-runner and promptly stole 2nd base.  With 2 outs, Nate Swenson blasted a liner to right center for a double that scored Reid easily from 2nd base for the third and final Red Bird run.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Martins got two opening singles.   A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position.  Justin Kurth then got the first out on a grounder to John Gulden at 3rd, but his quick glance kept the man on third.  Kurth then got the 2nd baseman, Tanner Nawrocki on a swinging third strike, and then played a soft grounder on his own, throwing to 1st baseman Zach Swenson for the third out to snuff the threat for the Martins.

In the bottom of the 6th, Fairmont threatened again.  With one out, Pitcher Aaron Seifken laced a single to right field. Kurth then walked SS Shaun McGuire.  A fly ball sacrifice to deep center field by 3B and Manager Adam Schmidt moved Seifken to 3rd.  Kurth then plunked DH Logan Peyman to load the bases for Fairmont with 2 outs.  LF Ian Bents then hit a soft grounder to T.J. Gulden at 2nd base and an easy throw to 1st ended the inning and the scoring threat for the Martins. 

Manager Derek Nelson sent Kurth out to finish the game in the 7th inning while standing in the dugout with one foot on the top step.  Kurth had been a little shaky in the 5th and 6th, but he was unflappable in the last inning.  1st baseman, Taylor Nawrocki, hit the first pitch high to left for an easy out.  CF Marcus Teachout hit a high hopper that Kurth handled himself and the throw to Zack Swenson just beat the runner for the second out.  C Scott Chirpich lined a single to left center to put a hush on the Red Bird faithful in the stands.  But 2nd baseman Tanner Nawrocki popped out to Justin Thompson behind the plate to end the game with a win, and a second straight shut out for the Red Birds.

Next Game for the Red Birds is tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, June 24th with a 1:15 PM start at hambuirg against the Blue Earth Pirates.  The Pirates are rated in the top three of teams in Minnesota Class "C" rankings.  this is the Semi-final game. and if Chan wins, they play for the championship at Hamburg at 6:30 PM tomorrow night.