GINDER POWERS Y'ALLS OVER WINDY CITY - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
GINDER HAS BIG DAY TO PROPEL Y'ALLS OVER T-BOLTS
FLORENCE, KY - The Florence Y'alls evened their series with the Windy City ThunderBolts after a 6-3 victory at Thomas More Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Y'alls (9-18) rode a big day from 2B Langton Ginder to a victory over the ThunderBolts (13-17), setting themselves up to win their first series since mid-May. The ThunderBolts used a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead in the second, but Ginder responded in the bottom half with a two-run bomb to give Florence the lead. The score stayed at 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, where the Y'alls offense would continue to work over RHP Willie Armbruester. 1B Hank Zeisler drove in a run on a double to expand the lead to 3-1. LF Stephen Hrustich singled later in the inning to drive in two runs and make it 5-1. Ginder capped the sixth with his RBI double to extend the lead even further, bringing his RBI total for the day up to three. LHP Kent Klyman would have some struggles closing things out in the ninth, but the Y'alls would ultimately walk out with the win. Armbruester took the loss after letting in all six runs while RHP Reed Smith earned his first win for Florence.
The Y'alls and ThunderBolts will wrap up their series on Thursday, playing their finale at 6:44 PM EDT.
OTTERS HOMER TWICE TO TAKE DOWN VALLEYCATS
TROY, NY - The Evansville Otters evened their series with the Tri-City ValleyCats at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
After being able to only scrounge together two runs on Tuesday, the Otters (10-19) took an early lead and piled on in the ninth to take down the ValleyCats (15-14). Two-way player Pavin Parks gave Evansville a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with his first home run since signing with the team. The ValleyCats responded with what would be their only run of the game, leading to RHP Tristan Harvin's exit from the game. The Otters' bullpen then put together a combined shut-down performance, with three relievers combining for eight strikeouts in just 3.2 innings. In the ninth, the Otters continued to drive the ball well; 1B David Menham made it a 4-1 ballgame with his two-run blast, followed shortly thereafter by a two-run double from 2B Glenn Miller to put the game out of reach. The talk of the game was Parks having a home run as well as a strikeout, as he worked a scoreless eighth inning for Evansville. Harvin picked up the win while RHP Rolando Heredia-Bustos took the loss for Tri-City.
The Otters and ValleyCats will battle for the series on Thursday. First pitch for the finale is scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.
MCNEELY PLAYS HERO FOR WASHINGTON
Sauget, IL - The Washington Wild Things defeated the Gateway Grizzlies 5-4 at Grizzlies Ballpark on Saturday night.
The Wild Things (19-9) evened their series with the Grizzlies (17-11) behind a big two-RBI night from CF Caleb McNeely. Gateway took a 1-0 in the first inning and maintained the shutout until McNeely finally broke through with an RBI single in the fifth to tie the game. After the Grizzlies responded in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly, Washington got back-to-back RBI singles in the seventh to score three runs and take a 4-2 lead. The Grizzlies inched closer in the bottom of the seventh with a run scoring on a wild pitch, later tying the game in the eighth with a solo home run. With things all knotted up at 4-4, McNeely came through in the clutch for Washington as he led off the top of the ninth with a go-ahead solo homer to give his squad a 5-4 lead. RHP Gyeongju Kim closed things out for the Wild Things, earning his eighth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. RHP Alex Carillo earned the win in relief while RHP Nathanial Tate took the loss.
The Grizzlies and Wild Things will play their finale on Tuesday at 7:30 PM EDT to determine the winner of the series.
JOLIET'S OFFENSE PUTS UP NINE ON NEW ENGLAND
BROCKTON, MA - The Joliet Slammers stayed hot with a 9-1 triumph over the New England Knockouts at Campanelli Stadium on Wednesday.
The Slammers (13-16) earned the series victory with their win against the Knockouts (10-17), with six different players registering an RBI in the win. The Slammers greeted RHP Liam O'Sullivan rudely, as 1B Matthew Warkentin crushed a two-run homer in the top of the first. The Knockouts would take a run back in the second inning to make it 2-1, where the score would stay until the seventh. The Slammers' offense came alive in the seventh, pushing across six runs while batting around the order. CF Chris Davis capped the game with an infield single in the eighth that made it 9-1. RHP Dwayne Marshall got the win for Joliet while O'Sullivan took the loss for the Knockouts.
The Slammers will look to complete the series sweep on Thursday, as they face the Knockouts at 6:30 PM EDT.
TITANS ROLL OVER BOULDERS
OTTAWA, CAN. - The Ottawa Titans won 13-3 against the New York Boulders on Wednesday to take the series.
Ottawa (14-14) has now won four games in a row and has given New York (18-9) only their second series loss of the season. It was all about the Titans to start, with 3B AJ Wright getting things started with a two-run single in the first inning. In the fourth, Ottawa posted seven runs after sending 11 hitters to the plate; the inning was highlighted by SS Christian Ibarra's two-run shot down the line to increase the lead to 7-0. The Boulders were able to post their first run in the seventh, but the Titans quickly made up for it, adding two runs in the bottom half. 2B Jason Dicochea extended the Ottawa lead to 13-1 with a homer down the right-field line. LHP Tyler Jandron earned the win for the Titans, after allowing only one run in seven innings. RHP Garrett Cooper was tagged with the loss for New York.
The Titans will look for the sweep when they host the Boulders for the finale at Titan Stadium on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.
CRUSHERS EXTEND WINNING STREAK WITH STATEMENT VICTORY OVER BOOMERS
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Lake Erie Crushers dominated the Schaumburg Boomers in their 10-1 win at Wintrust Field on Wednesday night.
The win for the Crushers (20-9) gives them their seventh in a row and a Frontier League-best 20 wins. Lake Erie set the tone early against Schaumburg, posting three runs in the first inning against RHP Brendan Knoll. CF Burle Dixon notched RBI singles in the first two innings before the Boomers could tally their first run. The Crushers would push the lead to 6-1 by the end of the third, while RHP Anthony Escobar shut Schaumburg down, allowing only five hits in his six-inning start. Lake Erie would pad their lead in the ninth, scoring four more in the ninth to secure the win. Dixon was one of six players with an RBI while Escobar picked up his third win of the season. Knoll was tagged with the loss for Schaumburg.
The Crushers will look to complete the sweep of the Boomers on Thursday at 1:00 PM EDT.
AIGLES TOPPLE MINERS WITH EARLY OFFENSE
TROIS-RIVIERES, CAN. - The Trois-Rivières Aigles took down the Sussex County Miners 6-3 at Stade Quillorama on Wednesday night.
The Aigles (14-14) have secured their first series win after losing the previous three, dating back to last month. The Miners (10-18) struck first on an RBI double, but the Aigles quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from RF Dalton Combs. LF LP Pelletier put Trois-Rivières in front 4-1 the following inning with a three-run home run, which proved to be the difference in the game ultimately. The Miners would come within two after homering twice in the sixth inning, but a solo shot from 3B Luis Curbelo in the bottom half gave the Aigles all the insurance they needed. RHP Osman Gutierrez picked up his third win of the season while RHP Kosei Naito earned his first save. RHP Jimmy Boyce took the loss for Sussex County.
The Aigles will look to complete their sweep of the Miners in Canada on Thursday at 7:05 PM EDT.
CAPITALES SCORE FIVE STRAIGHT TO TAKE SERIES FROM JACKALS
QUEBEC CITY, CAN. - The Québec Capitales earned the series victory over the New Jersey Jackals at Stade Canac on Wednesday with a 5-2 win.
The Capitales (16-13) have now won four games in a row and are only three games behind first in the Frontier League East division. RF Justin Gideon put the Jackals (11-18) on the defensive after he gave Québec a 1-0 lead in the first with his sacrifice fly. 2B Jesmuel Valentin added on in the second with his RBI single up the middle. Valentin would add another RBI in the sixth, tying him with a team-high two for the game. The Jackals could not produce any offense until the eighth inning, plating two runs to cut their deficit to 5-2 but the Capitales handed the ball over to RHP Frank Moscatiello who closed the door on any hope of a comeback. RHP Abdiel Saldana was spectacular for Québec, going for 6.1 scoreless innings while striking out eight and only allowing six hits. Moscatiello earned his third save of the year while LHP Joe Testa took the loss for New Jersey.
The Capitales and Jackals will play a series finale on Thursday at 7:05 PM EDT.
