FOUR TEAMS SWEEP AS WE OBSERVE PLAYOFF PUSH
Gateway vs Joliet
The Gateway Grizzlies got an amazing performance on the mound by ace right-hander Brendan Feldmann on Thursday night against the Joliet Slammers, as he tossed eight, two-hit, shutout innings with six strikeouts. But the offense continued to scuffle, as Gateway dropped a 1-0 decision in 10 innings at Duly Health and Care Field on a walk-off hit batter with the bases loaded, securing a series sweep.
Feldmann was locked in from the words "Play Ball," allowing just two baserunners in his first trip through the order, then retiring the next nine Slammers hitters in a row. He eventually pushed that streak to 16 out of 17, striking out six batters and walking none while also throwing 70 of 97 pitches for strikes to dominate Joliet's lineup and pitch at least eight innings without allowing a run for the third time this season.
But Joliet starter Cam Aufderheide was nearly as good, as he limited the Grizzlies to four hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings, departing with a runner on base and two outs in the eighth. Gateway then was able to load the bases against Caden O'Brien when the rookie left-hander hit Isaac Benardand walked Zach Racusin, putting the lead run 90 feet away. But O'Brien struck out Peter Zimmermann looking to keep the game 0-0.
Both sides got a runner on base in the ninth but could not break the tie. In the top of the tenth, with the International Tiebreaker in effect and an automatic runner at second base, Abdiel Diazlaid down a bunt single to advance Jay Prather to third base, again putting the lead run 90 feet away from scoring with no outs. But Tyler Jay (2-0) then struck out Andrew Penner, Benard, and Racusin in order to send the game to the bottom half.
In the frame against John Murphy (1-4), the Slammers would load the bases on a bunt single and a walk before Carson Maxwell was hit by a two-strike pitch to force in the only run of the game, sending the Grizzlies to only their second shutout loss of the season as well as a series sweep.
Empire State vs Sussex County
The Sussex County Miners swept a doubleheader against the Empire State Greys on Thursday night winning the first game 8-0 and the second game, 8-2.
In Game 1, The Miners started to score in the fourth inning. It got started with a Jawaun Harris single followed up with four more runs to make 5-0.
Sussex County would add another run in the fifth with a Yanio Perez single.
The final two runs of the game would come in the sixth when Alex Toral hit a homerun to right field and lead them to their 8-0 win.
Johsson Arias was charged with the loss while Michael Mediavilla got the win for Sussex County, pitching a complete game and a one-hitter.
In Game 2, Empire State got on the scoreboard first in the top of second with a single from Magglio Ordonez Jr to allow Willie Estrada to score.
In the top of the fourth, Trey Woosley hit a home run to right field to add another run for the Greys.
However, their lead wouldn't last long because the Miners would get ahead in the bottom of the fourth by scoring three runs in the inning to make it 2-3.
Sussex County would tack on five more runs between the fifth and sixth inning to lead them to their 8-2 win.
Andres Rodriguez would get the loss for the Greys, while John Baker got the win for the Miners pitching a complete game and allowing only one earned run.
Ottawa vs Tri-City
The Ottawa Titans and Tri-City ValleyCats faced off in a double header that featured the completion of the rain-shortened game from Wednesday evening at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
Following the 24 hour layover, Austin Faith would take the hill for the 'Cats. Reliever Gavin Sonnier took the ball for Ottawa.
With game one resuming with one out in the top half of the fourth inning, Faith would retire the first two batters he faced, inducing fly outs off the bat of Rodrigo Orozco and Kai Moody.
The Tri-City offense would get going in their first turn at bat of the twin bill. Brantley Bell would extend his hitting streak to 27 games with a single to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. Following a line out off the bat of Pavin Parks, Denis Phipps would club an opposite field, two-run blast to bring Tri-City within one run. Two pitches later, Brad Zunica would tie the game up with a solo home run to deep right field, knotting things up at three.
Faith would not allow a single hit through the entirety of his outing. In 3.2 innings of work, Faith struck out one and didn't walk a single Titans batsman. Allowing two total base runners, a hit by a pitch to AJ Wright, and a Tyrus Greene fielder's choice in the fifth inning.
Tri-City would add two more runs in the contest, a sacrifice fly from Denis Phipps in the home half of the fifth inning, plating Cito Culver. The sacrifice fly from Phipps was his third RBI of the game. An RBI single from catcher Austin Elder in the sixth inning gave Tri-City the 6-3 lead they would never surrender.
New Jersey vs New York
The New Jersey Jackals rallied with five runs in the seventh inning and salvaged the third and final game of their series with the host New York Boulders, winning 6-4 on Thursday at Clover Stadium in Pomona.
Trailing by three runs in the top of the seventh, the Jackals exploded for five runs to grab a 6-4 lead. A Josh Rehwaldt double brought New Jersey within 4-2, then a two-run single by Trevor Abrams leveled the scoreboard at 4-4. Successive singles by Dalton Combs and Alfredo Marte then put the Jackals on top, 6-4.
The Boulders had taken a 4-1 lead on the strength of two-run home runs by Max Smith and Chris Kwitzer.
Smith's two-run home run in the third inning had given the Boulders a 2-1 lead; while Kwitzer's two-run shot in the fourth increased the New York lead to 4-1.
The home run was Smith's 17th of the season - and it marked the fifth straight game that the outfielder had homered. Meanwhile, Kwitzer's homer was his 18th of the year.
New Jersey had scored first in the game, a second inning RBI single staking the Jackals to a 1-0 lead.
Jorge Tavarez got the win for the Boulders, going six innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out nine as he improved to 8-3 on the season. Jose Ramirez tossed the final two innings for New Jersey to record his sixth save of the year.
July Sosa was tagged with the loss after surrendering five runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Sosa walked three and struck out four as he fell to 5-2 on the year.
Quebec vs Trois-Rivières
The Quebec Capitales completed the sweep against the Trois-Rivières Aigles with a 7-2 win on Thursday night. The Aigles were celebrating the 100th anniversary of baseball in Trois-Rivières, hosting a pregame ceremony bringing back former players, coaches and more. However, when the game got started the Capitales got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first with a single from Kyle Crowl.
The Aigles would even it up in the bottom of the second with a home run from Ricardo Sanchez.
Quebec would unload in the top of the third scoring four runs making it 5-1.
The Capitales would tack on another with a single from Tristan Pompey.
The only other Aigles run would come in the bottom of the eighth from Connor Panas to make it 6-2.
Quebec would add one more run in the ninth with a home run from T.J. White and lead them to their 7-2 win.
Carlos Sano would get the win for Quebec while Sam Belisle-Springer would get the loss for Trois-Rivières.
Florence vs Washington
The Washington Wild Things barely made it out with a win against the Florence Y'alls 3-2 to win the series. It ultimately came down to an RBI single by Hector Roa in the eighth to get Washington the win. With it, Washington decreased its playoff magic number to five and its West title magic number to seven. A Schaumburg loss brought the Wild Things' division number to six to close the night.
The game had been tied since the second after Florence scored two against Rob Whalen and Cam Balego hit a two-run home run for Washington to make it 2-2. Five scoreless innings later, Jared Mang made it to third with one out in the eighth as Roa came up to the plate. Roa hit a grounder to centerfield to send Mang home and give Washington the lead.
Lukas Young came to the mound to close in the ninth. The first two batters grounded out to third and short. Young walked a batter and allowed a single but struck out the final Y'all to get the save, his 18th this season.
Whalen pitched for six innings as the starter. He allowed two runs, five hits, walked one and struck out three. Kobe Foster relieved Whalen and earned the win on the mound. Foster struck out five of the six batters he faced the game and allowed one walk.
Schaumburg vs Lake Erie
The Lake Erie Crushers used a seven run third inning and quality pitching to complete a sweep of the Schaumburg Boomers at Mercy Health Stadium on Thursday night, as they won the series finale, 8-3.
The sweep for the Crushers (41-40) was their fifth this season, and puts them over .500 for the first time since May 29, while the loss the Boomers (43-38) marks the third time they've been swept this season.
Schaumburg plated the game's first run after capitalizing on a pair of errors in the top of the third. Chase Dawson reached on a fielding error by second baseman Kemuel Thomas-Rivera to start the inning. Later in the inning, on Blake Berry's groundout to third, Dawson came around to score on a throwing error by first baseman Jackson Valera.
Lake Erie sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to take a 7-1 lead. Kokko Figueiredo was hit by a pitch to start the inning and he came around to score on Bryan DeLaRosa's two run homer to left, his second of the season. Najee Gaskins walked and Connor Owings followed with a base hit before Jumpei Akanuma (4-1) recorded the first out of the inning.
With two one and one out, Kenen Irizarry belted a two run single up the middle to score Gaskins and Owings. Thomas-Rivera followed with a single before Austin White walked. After the walk to White, Akanuma left the game with an undisclosed injury. DJ Stewart was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring Irizarry home and Figueiredo capped the big inning with a two run single to right.
Lake Erie added another run in the bottom of the seventh on White's two out RBI single to center to score Irizarry. The Boomers plated a run in the fourth when Brett Milazzo reached on a fielder's choice to score Clint Hardy and they scored their final run in the seventh on a solo homer from Mike Hart.
Matt Mulhearn (5-3) picked up the win for the Crushers, as he delivered seven strong innings and allowed three runs, two earned on six hits with six strikeouts. Trevor Kuncl and Gleyvin Pineda both tossed scoreless innings of relief. Akanuma took the loss after surrendering seven runs on four hits over two and a third innings of work.
The victory finishes a six game homestand for the Crushers where they went 5-1, scoring 27 runs on 48 hits including 14 for extra bases. The pitching was terrific during the homestand as well, as the staff posted a team ERA of 2.50. They allowed 16 runs, only 15 earned during that stretch on 35 hits while striking out 64 batters.
Irizarry led the way for Lake Erie offensively, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a RBI. He finished the series 5-for-12 and drove in five runs. Figueiredo reached twice and extended his on base streak to 15 games, while DeLaRosa's homer in the third extended his hitting streak to six games and his on base streak to seven.
Windy City vs Evansville
A 5 RBI performance from DH Bren Spillane wasn't enough for Windy City on Thursday Night, as the Evansville Otters (43-37) capitalized on three Bolts errors and secured a 9th inning victory in the series finale at Bosse Field.
Windy City (30-50) jumped on the board first in the fourth frame courtesy of a Brynn Martinez leadoff triple off the wall in right field. Bren Spillane quickly knocked a single to left to plate Martinez and the first run of the game. Then, in the ensuing inning, Greer, Klein and Martinez all singled with 1 out against Otters starter Justin Watland. With the bases loaded, Spillane strikes again, this time hitting an opposite field grand slam, giving the Thunderbolts a 5-2 lead.
In the home half of the fifth, Brody Tanksley walked, and George Callil was hit by a pitch before Miles Gordon singled with two outs. A bases-loaded walk to Bryan Rosario forced in a run, and a wild pitch scored another, making it a 5-4 game.
Behind 4.2 solid innings from starting pitcher Jack Alkire, and strong work by Dazon Cole and Daniel Kight out of the Bolts pen, the score remained the same until the 8th inning. In the bottom of the inning, Bolts reliever Brett Smith walked Jeffrey Baez who then stole second and came around to score on an Elijah MacNamee RBI single to tie the game.
In the bottom of the 9th, the Otters loaded the bases courtesy of a Miles Gordon single and two consecutive walks against Layne Schnitz-Paxton. Then, Jeffrey Baez hit an infield single that scored Miles Gordon from third, giving the Otters a walk-off victory and series win.
Bolts closer Layne Schnitz-Paxton (3-5) came on in the 8th and shut the door to send the game tied heading to the final frame. He couldn't seal the deal in the 9th, however, and suffers his 5th loss of the season. Otters' starter Justin Watland went seven innings for Evansville, giving up all 5 Bolts runs of the night. Their closer, Logan Sawyer (1-1), didn't add to his league leading 19 saves, however he picked up the victory on Thursday night.
