BOOMERS SECURE WILD CARD HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
FLORENCE, Ky. — The Schaumburg Boomers ended a frustrating visit to Kentucky on a high note, scoring a 26th comeback win behind a four-run eighth in a back and forth affair to topple the Florence Y'Alls 7-4 and secure homefield advantage in the Frontier League's West Division Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
The Boomers struck first for the first time in the series, grabbing their first lead of the week in the top of the first. Chase Dawson led off with a double to right, his 20th of the year, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Kokko Figueiredo. Florence tied the game with a single run in the third. Blake Berry opened the fourth inning with a double and scored on the third consecutive hit of the frame, an RBI single from Alec Craig as the Boomers opened a 2-1 edge. Florence was finally able to break through in the sixth inning, scoring three times on three hits to take a 4-2 lead. The Y'Alls had managed just one hit to that point of the contest.
The Boomers consistently put runners on base but could not find a way to score until the top of the eighth, taking advantage of an error to score four times and grab a 6-4 lead. With runners at first and second and no one out a bunt was thrown into right to allow the first run to score. Pinch hitter Blake Grant-Parks tied the game with a groundout. Dawson doubled home the go-ahead run and Figueiredo dropped down a safety squeeze to cap the scoring in the frame. Craig tripled home an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Antonio Frias worked into the sixth for the Boomers and tallied double-digit strikeouts for the second time this year by striking out 10 while issuing three walks and allowing four runs on four hits in a no-decision. Jake Joyce earned the win with two scoreless frames. Kristian Scott earned his fourth save in as many chances since moving into the closer role, punctuating the victory with a strikeout, the 14th of the night for the Boomers. Schaumburg totaled 14 hits in the game. Dawson, Craig and Kyle Fitzgerald totaled three each.
The Boomers (53-39) have secured a playoff slot for the third consecutive year and will host either Evansville or Washington on Tuesday night. The team will begin the final series of the regular season at Wintrust Field on Friday night against the Evansville Otters in a preview of the Wild Card Game on Tuesday. LHP Juan Pichardo (2-0, 5.33). The contest will feature one of the final postgame fireworks displays of the year. Don't miss out on your chance to catch the Boomers before the year ends.
The Quebec Capitales rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull off a 4-2 comeback win and sweep the New York Boulders on Thursday.
Tucker Nathans hit a solo home run for the Boulders. Thomas Walraven went 2 for 5 with an RBI. Matt McDermott and Giovanni Garbella also had multiple hits in the loss. Boulders starting pitcher Garrett Cooper turned in a solid outing on the mound. The right-hander allowed one earned run and stuck out five over six innings of work.
Justin Gideon drove in two runs for Quebec. David Glaude also drove in a run for the Capitales. Austin Marozas earned the win in relief and Frank Moscatiello earned his league-leading 20th save of the season.
Despite the sweep, New York (52-40) did not lose any ground in its bid for a spot in the Frontier League playoffs. The Tri-City ValleyCats (53-39) were Sussex County Miners, keeping the Boulders one game back of the final playoff spot. Unfortunately for New York, the recent hot streak by Sussex (52-40) — which has now won five in a row — pulled it into a tie with the Boulders for fourth place.
Thursday's events create an interesting situation for this weekend's regular season finales. Both Tri-City and Sussex will play three-game series, while New York will host first-place New Jersey for a four-game series. New York could still qualify for the playoffs, but the road will be slightly more difficult after Sussex's recent resurgence.
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 31) – Washington earned its second sweep of the 2023 season and first since the first home series of the year, by swiping the series finale from Joliet, 3-2 at Wild Things Park Thursday night to round out August.
It came at a price elsewhere in the league, however, as Evansville defeated Gateway to salvage a game in their four-game series in Sauget. The Otters clinched third place in the West and a playoff berth, which officially eliminates Washington from playoff contention.
Joliet started the scoring in the third inning with an RBI single from Liam McArthur against Washington starter Zach Kirby. The Wild Things' righty worked five innings of one-run ball and allowed four hits with five strikeouts. He didn't get a decision, as he's now pitched 34.1 innings over his last six starts with just two runs of support from the bats.
The lack of support was flipped in the sixth when Anthony Brocato launched a two-run, opposite field homer to right, his 28th of the season. The homer made it 2-1 Washington after Justin Goossen-Brown had thrown a scoreless top of the sixth. The Wild Things added a run after Goose's second scoreless frame in the seventh on an RBI single by Caleb McNeely, which plated Carson Clowers after his double.
Christian James was charged with his second earned run since the start of July in the eighth inning of the contest. In the ninth, Lukas Young earned his 14th save with a 1-2-3 frame, ending the game.
The Wild Things will host Windy City this weekend in the final three games of the 2023 season. First pitch on Fireworks Friday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, September 1.
Sauget, Ill. – The Evansville Otters punched their ticket to the 2023 Frontier League postseason with a 6-0 win against the Gateway Grizzlies on Thursday night.
Tim Holdgrafer worked the Otters' first complete game of the season. He earned the win in the shutout effort, giving up no runs on six hits, striking out six and not allowing a walk all evening.
The Otters broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning as Bryan Rosario scored on an error. Evansville added another as Noah Myers singled home a run.
The lead was tripled in the seventh as George Callil and Kona Quiggle each hit two-run home runs, bringing the lead to 6-0.
Holdgrafer led the Otters the rest of the way, sitting down the Grizzlies' final seven batters.
Collin Sullivan received the loss for Gateway, allowing two runs on three hits across five innings of work.
In the win, Myers scored his 84th run of 2023, setting a new record for single season runs by an Otter, passing Josh Allen, who scored 83 in 2017.
The night not only clinched the Otters playoff spot, but also their final finish position. With Schaumburg's win against Florence, Evansville will be the three seed and play at Schaumburg Tuesday, September 5th in the Frontier League West Division Wild Card game.
Before postseason action can begin, Evansville begins their final series of the 2023 regular season on Friday at Schaumburg for a 6:30 PM CT first pitch from Grizzlies Ballpark.
Augusta, NJ—The Empire State Greys (18-74) have defeated the New Jersey Jackals 5-3 behind a brilliant Michael Barker start as well as Jordan Siket's timely hitting.
Empire State got on the board first with a 3-run 3rd inning. J.R. DiSarcina hammered a double off of John Baker (L, 6-8) to center field to drive in Eric Jenkins for the first run of the game and advanced Jordan Siket to third in the process. Siket came around to score on a Manny Garcia fielder's choice and Walner Espinal drove in DiSarcina with a single to center. The Jackals got one back in the latter half of the frame when Phillip Ervin took a Michael Barker (W, 4-11) pitch to center field for a sac fly making it 3-1.
Barker arguably had his best start of the season. The southpaw went 6 innings, spread out 5 hits, and allowed just the one run.
The Grey's offense kept going in the top of the 6th when Jordan Siket delivered the biggest hit of the night. Following Quentin Holmes and Jaylen Smith's double steal in the previous at-bat, Siket came to the plate with two outs and two runners in scoring position. The catcher laced a single to center field to drive in both and delivered what turned out to be the biggest hit of the night and gave Empire State a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom of the 9th, the Greys turned to Juan Mateo with a 4-run lead following Nick Trabacchi, who threw two scoreless innings in relief, to finish off the game. The flamethrowing righty got to two outs but gave up a two-run home run to Martin Figueroa. However, Mateo was able to settle back in, record the last out, and give the Greys a 5-3 victory.
Empire State will be staying in New Jersey as their next series is against the Sussex County Miners. Game one of the weekend series will be tomorrow night beginning at 7:05 EST.
CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts came back from a 2-0 deficit with two outs in the ninth inning and defeated the Lake Erie Crushers in sudden death Thursday night in the final game this season at Ozinga Field.
The ThunderBolts (41-51) were unable to generate any offense early on as the Crushers (36-58) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Sean Cheely singled and later came home on a Jack Harris single to start the scoring.
Lake Erie added another run the next inningon a Cheely sacrifice fly.
Those two runs accounted for all the Crushers could generate off of Javier Reynoso. The Windy City starter went nine innings, throwing 138 pitches and sgriking out a career-high ten as he kept the Bolts in the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, the ThunderBolts loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Then, with two outs and two strikes, Micah Yonamine looped a single into right field that scored two runs, tying the game.
Lake Erie scored two in the top of the tenth to reclaim the lead but the Bolts played comeback again. Junior Martina's two-run homer in the bottom of the frame sent the game to sudden death.
The ThunderBolts elected to pitch in the sudden death inning and, after the leadoff batter was retired, Tyler LaPorte got Josh Rego to line into a double play to end the ballgame with the score knotted at four. By sudden death rules, the ThunderBolts were decalred winners for keeping Lake Erie off the board.
LaPorte (1-0) pitch the scoreless inning to earn his first Windy City win.
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (53-39) scored more runs on Thursday (four) than they had in their previous three games (three), but ultimately fell 5-4 to the Sussex County Miners (52-40) at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The ValleyCats were swept for only the second time all year, which has both occurred against Sussex County. However, Tri-City's magic number to clinch its first playoff berth since 2018 is down to three after the Québec Capitales swept the New York Boulders on Thursday. The 'Cats hold a one-game lead in the standings for the second wild card spot in the Frontier League East Division over both the Boulders and the Miners.
Tri-City opened the scoring in the second. Jakob Goldfarb doubled off Tyler Thornton. Oscar Campos singled Goldfarb to third. Tanner Smith brought in Goldfarb with a single to give the ValleyCats a 1-0 lead.
Goldfarb picked up his second hit of the day in the sixth with a single. Aaron Altherr walked, and Campos had an infield single. Smith delivered an RBI knock to provide the ValleyCats with a 2-0 advantage.
Sussex County rallied in the seventh. Anthony Gomez reached on an error from Pavin Parks. Edwin Mateo then worked a walk off Jhon Vargas. Willie Escala singled in a run, and Vargas exited the game. Afterward, Juan Santana had an RBI single off Blake Workman to tie the game, 2-2.
Vargas received a no-decision. He hurled 6.1 innings, yielding two unearned runs on seven hits, walking one, and striking out seven on 106 pitches.
Thornton was also handed a no-decision. He tossed seven frames, giving up two runs on seven hits, walking one, and striking out five.
Tri-City flexed its muscles in the eighth. Altherr ripped a line drive home run over the right field fence against Tyler Luneke. It was his 17th long ball of the year, tying Carson McCusker for the team lead. Two batters later, Smith followed up with a solo shot of his own. Smith's second professional round-tripper pulled the ValleyCats ahead, 4-2.
Gomez led off the ninth with a double off Parks, and Mateo walked. Escala laid down a sac bunt, and both runners moved up 90 feet. Anu was intentionally walked, and Santana drove in a pair with a single. Gavin Stupienski was also intentionally walked, and Jason Agresti brought in Anu with a single to put Sussex County on top, 5-4. Johnny Hipsman flew out into an inning-ending double play, as Jaxon Hallmark found Campos at the plate for the second straight day with a perfect relay throw.
Robbie Hitt walked Cito Culver in the bottom of the ninth. Hallmark moved Culver to second with a bunt before Hitt retired the next two batters for his 13th save of the year.
Luneke (2-2) earned the win. He threw an inning, allowing two runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out two.
Parks (1-2) received the loss in his second blown save of the year. He went 0.2 innings, yielding three runs on three hits, and walked three.
Tri-City begins its final series of the 2023 regular season in Canada against the Trois-Rivières Aigles tomorrow, Friday, September 1. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
