GRIZZLIES SHUT OUT WILD THINGS IN PITCHERS DUEL - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
HILL, GATEWAY SHUT OUT WILD THINGS
SAUGET, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies took the series-opening victory against the Washington Wild Things by a final score of 1-0.
The Grizzlies (17-10) have taken the first game in a big series against the Wild Things (18-9) that could alter the early landscape of the Frontier League West division. An RBI double in the bottom of the third inning from SS Abdiel Diaz was the only scoring play of the game, as most of the focus was on LHP Kaleb Hill against Washington's RHP Zach Kirby. Hill earned his first win behind six shutout innings, only allowing five hits. Despite taking the loss, Kirby was solid in his seven innings, allowing only one run on four hits. The Wild Things were able to get the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth inning, but RHP Lukas Veinbergs was able to secure his sixth save by working out of a bases-loaded jam.
The Grizzlies and Wild Things will play the middle game of their series on Wednesday, with the first pitch at Grizzlies Ballpark scheduled for 11:45 AM EDT.
CAPITALES UNLOAD AGAINST JACKALS
QUEBEC CITY, CAN. - The Québec Capitales' offense put on a show in their 13-1 victory over the New Jersey Jackals at Stade Canac on Tuesday.
The Capitales (15-13) scored 13 straight runs before the Jackals (11-17) could get their first. SS Kyle Crowl opened the home half of the first with an RBI single in the infield, giving Québec a 1-0 lead. The Capitales broke the game wide open in the second, beginning with a fielder's choice that brought in two as the result of an error. 2B Jesmuel Valentin extended the Québec lead further with a two-run double before DH Jake MacKenzie launched a three-run bomb to left to make it 7-0. Crowl homered in the fifth to make it 8-0 and the Capitales cruised to a double-digit victory. Five different Québec hitters had multiple RBI nights. RHP Sam Ryan picked up his second win of the season behind six shutout innings and seven strikeouts. LHP Wilfredo Valenzuela got the loss for the Jackals.
The Capitales and Jackals will continue their series on Wednesday in Québec. First pitch for game two is scheduled for 7:05 PM EDT.
THUNDERBOLTS ROCK Y'ALLS IN SERIES OPENER
FLORENCE, KY - The Windy City ThunderBolts handed the Florence Y'alls a 12-2 loss on Tuesday night at Thomas More Stadium.
The ThunderBolts (13-16) buried the Y'alls (8-18) with a grand slam in the sixth inning to extend their winning streak to three. CF Kingston Liniak got the ThunderBolts on the board with an RBI single in the top of the first. Windy City extended their lead to 3-0 in the opening frame with a two-run homer from SS Henry Kusiak. The Bolts put the Y'alls in the rearview in the fifth with a five-run inning, including another RBI on a double from Kusiak. In the sixth, 1B Joe Johnson put the finishing touches on the T-Bolts' offensive night with a grand slam that made it 12-0. The Y'alls would plate two runs late to avoid the shutout, but Windy City walked away with the win. RHP John Mikolaicyk earned the win for the Bolts while LHP Joe Kemlage took the loss for Florence.
The ThunderBolts will look to take the series in Florence on Wednesday, as the middle game kicks off at 6:41 PM EDT.
OTTAWA TAKES OPENER AGAINST NEW YORK
OTTAWA, CAN. - The Ottawa Titans defeated the New York Boulders 4-3 on Tuesday night at Clover Stadium.
The Titans (13-14) have now won three in a row after taking the opener against the Boulders (18-8). New York began the game with a home run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Ottawa scored twice in the fourth to make it 2-1, thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from 2B Michael Fuhrman and DH Jamey Smart. After the Boulders retook the lead in the fifth, Fuhrman tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom half with another RBI single. LF Jake Guenther put the Titans back on top in the sixth inning with a go-ahead solo homer that proved to be the winner. LHP Bryan Pena earned the win in relief for Ottawa while RHP Erasmo Pinales picked up his seventh save with three strikeouts in the ninth. RHP Peter Allegro got tagged with the loss for New York.
The Titans and Boulders will play the second game of their series on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.
AIGLES EARLY SCORING LEADS THEM TO VICTORY OVER MINERS
TROIS-RIVIERES, CAN. - The Trois-Rivières Aigles took down the Sussex County Miners 8-1 in their series opener on Tuesday at Stade Quillorama.
The Aigles (13-14) scored seven of their eight runs in the first three innings to put the Miners (10-17) in trouble early. RF Steve Brown gave the Aigles the lead in the first with an RBI single, tallying his 15th RBI of the season. After scoring another run on a bases-loaded walk in the second, 3B Luis Curbelo made it 3-0 with an RBI single. Trois-Rivières was gifted two more runs in the third on two errors in the same play to put them up 5-0 with one out. LF LP Pelletier made it 6-0 with an RBI single of his own while Curbelo notched another RBI on a sacrifice fly that put the Aigles in front by seven. The Miners would finally score in the sixth, but Brown's solo home run in the bottom half gave Trois-Rivières the run back and put Sussex County to bed. RHP Jesen Therrien only allowed one run in his seven innings pitched, picking up the win to go along with his seven strikeouts. LHP Mike Reagan took the loss.
The Aigles and Miners will play the second game of their series on Tuesday at 7:05 PM EDT.
VALLEYCATS STIFLE OTTERS
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats allowed only four hits as they beat the Evansville Otters 9-2 on Tuesday.
RHP Easton Klein picked up his second win of the season after allowing no runs on only two hits in his seven innings pitched against the Otters (9-19). Tri-City (15-13) RF Alec Olund got things started with a single that scored a run, thanks to an Evansville error. Olund would actually be credited with an RBI in his second trip to the plate, hitting another single to make it 2-0 in the third. The scoring would stay stagnant until the seventh when 2B Elvis Peralta gave the ValleyCats a jolt with a three-run blast to make it 5-0. The Otters would score two in the eighth to cut their deficit to 5-2, but Tri-City responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory. Klein's second victory lowered his ERA to 3.09 while RHP Parker Brahams picked up the loss.
The ValleyCats will look to take the series on Wednesday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Their middle game against the Otters is set to start at 10:00 AM EDT.
CRUSHERS DEFEAT BOOMERS IN EXTRAS
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Lake Erie Crushers won 4-3 against the Schaumburg Boomers in 10 innings on Tuesday.
After the win and Washington's loss, the Crushers (19-9) now sit atop the Frontier League West division by half a game. After exchanging three scoreless frames with each other, the Crushers took the lead over the Boomers (18-9) on an RBI double from RF Jack Harris. Lake Erie made it 2-0 on a wild-pitch walk in the fifth. 3B Logan Thomason boosted the Crusher lead to 3-0 in the sixth with with second big fly of the season. Schaumburg came roaring back in the eighth, scoring three straight runs on reliever Sammy Tavarez to tie the game. The game would remain tied through the ninth, pushing it into extra innings. LF Ron Washington Jr. was able to give the Crushers the lead on a sacrifice fly, allowing RHP Trevor Kuncl to close things out in the bottom of the inning for his eighth save of the year. RHP Christian Scafidi earned the win in relief while RHP Jake Joyce took the loss.
The Crushers and Boomers will continue their battle for the top of the West division on Wednesday at Wintrust Field. First pitch is at 7:30 PM EDT.
SLAMMERS SHUT DOWN KNOCKOUTS BEHIND WESTCOTT'S STRONG START
BROCKTON, MA - The Joliet Slammers took down the New England Knockouts 5-3 at Campanelli Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Slammers (12-16) only allowed four hits through the first seven innings against the Knockouts (10-17). CF Chris Davis led the game off with a home run for Joliet, with 1B Jonathan Sierra making it 2-0 later in the inning on a sacrifice fly. LF Liam McArthur knocked in a run with a single in the fourth, later adding another RBI to extend the Joliet lead to 5-1. RHP Zac Westcott picked up his third win of the season, allowing only one run through seven innings while racking up six strikeouts. RHP Casey Bargo was tagged with the loss for the Knockouts.
The Slammers and Knockouts will play the middle game of their series on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM EDT.
