SLAMMERS RALLY LATE TO TAKE DOWN BOOMERS - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
SLAMMERS STACK FOUR RUNS LATE TO BEAT BOOMERS
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Joliet Slammers came to life in the last three innings to take down the Schaumburg Boomers 5-2 on Friday night.
The Slammers (20-23) handed the Boomers (25-18) their third straight loss after scoring four runs across the final three innings. Schaumburg was on the board early thanks to a solo home run in the second inning. Joliet responded in the top of the third with an RBI single from RF Chris Davis. The Boomers retook the lead in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single of their own, but the Slammers were able to throw out the runner trying to advance to second. Both offenses went quiet in the middle innings, with the Slammers finally breaking through in the seventh. With the bases loaded, 1B Matthew Warkentin was able to tie the game by drawing a walk. 3B Victor Nova was able to scratch across the go-ahead run on a botched play from the Schaumburg defense in the following at-bat. The Slammers were able to add on another run in each of the final two innings, securing their lead and ultimately the win. RHP Jake Armstrong earned the victory after a strong six-inning start while RHP Cole Wesneski earned his third save of the season. RHP Hambelton Oliver took the loss for Schaumburg.
The Slammers will look to take the series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6:30 PM EDT.
THUNDERBOLTS WALK OFF OTTERS ON ALBERT'S FIRST PRO HIT
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Windy City ThunderBolts walked off the Evansville Otters on Friday night, with a final score of 2-1 at Ozinga Field.
2B Armando Albert celebrated his first professional hit in style, walking off the Otters (17-27) with a line-drive RBI single to right-center. The ThunderBolts (18-26) came out on the winning end of a pitchers' duel, as LHP Buddie Pindel came out of the gates with five consecutive strikeouts while his opposition did not allow a base hit until the fourth inning. Windy City managed to break the scoreless tie in the sixth with an RBI triple from SS Henry Kusiak. The Otters came back to tie the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Without a score in the home half of the eighth or ninth, the game went into extra innings. Albert came up with a runner on third and one out; with the infield shifted in, the lefty-hitter drove a liner over the second baseman's head to bring home the winning run for the Bolts. RHP Tyler LaPorte got the win out of the bullpen for Windy City while two-way player Pavin Parks took the loss after giving up the winning hit in the 10th.
The Bolts and Otters will face off for game two on Saturday. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM EDT.
BOULDERS TAKE FIRST GAME IN QUEBEC
QUEBEC CITY, CAN. - The New York Boulders earned a big 6-2 victory over the Québec Capitales at Stade Canac on Friday night.
In a series that could potentially shift the top two spots in the Frontier League East, the Boulders (28-12) took the first match against the Capitales (28-15) to push their divisional lead to 1.5 games. CF Isaac Bellony got things started with a solo bomb in the second inning to put New York on top 1-0. In the third, LF David Vincky and 1B Payton Isaacson hit back-to-back RBI singles to make it 3-0 Boulders. Bellony then picked up another RBI in the sixth to kick off a three-run inning for New York, still managing to keep their hosts off the scoreboard. The Capitales finally broke through in the eighth, but they could not generate enough offense to overcome the deficit. RHP Brandon Blackman was outstanding for the Boulders, striking out 12 hitters and not allowing a walk across seven shutout innings for the win. RHP Sam Ryan took the loss for Québec.
The Boulders will look to take the series in Canada on Saturday. First pitch for the middle game of the series is set to begin at 7:05 PM EDT.
CRUSHERS WITHIN A HALF-GAME OF FIRST AFTER WIN OVER WASHINGTON
AVON, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers came up victorious in a 2-1 pitchers' duel over the Washington Wild Things on Friday.
Washington (27-15) was outhit by the Crushers (27-16) 10-5 but kept Lake Erie close due to some solid pitching. Down 1-0 in the third inning, the Crushers were finally able to get through against the stingy LHP Kobe Foster with an RBI triple from 3B Logan Thomason. C Alfredo Gonzalez followed up with an RBI single to give Lake Erie a slim 2-1 lead. The offense came to a halt after that both, with neither side able to get a runner past second base for the rest of the game. RHP Matt Mulhearn allowed only one run in his six innings pitched, picking up the win for Lake Erie. RHP Trevor Kuncl earned his 12th save in the effort. Foster took the loss, despite striking out 10 across seven innings.
The Crushers are now within a half-game of first place and could take the division lead with a win on Saturday. First pitch for the middle game at Crushers Stadium is set to begin at 7:05 PM EDT.
Y'ALLS PUSH WINNING STREAK TO THREE WITH VICTORY OVER GRIZZLIES
FLORENCE, KY - The Florence Y'alls picked up their third consecutive win with an 11-7 victory over the Gateway Grizzlies on Friday night.
The Y'alls' (19-23) offense continued to build from their series win against Schaumburg and carried it into the opener against the Grizzlies (23-19). Florence lept out to a 2-0 lead in the second, thanks to RF TJ Reeves' third home run in as many days. The Y'alls then turned up the heat in the sixth inning, registering six runs on a two-run double from Reeves and a grand slam from C Sergio Gutierrez. The offense continued to rack up runs, posting another two in the fourth to push the Florence lead to 10-0. The Grizzlies were finally able to plate a couple of runs in the sixth and seventh, but the Y'alls would not let up and scored another run in the eighth to put the game out of reach. RHP Reed Smith picked up the win for Florence while LHP Kaleb Hill took the loss.
The Y'alls will attempt to take the series at Thomas More Stadium on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6:36 PM EDT.
AIGLES BLANK KNOCKOUTS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
BROCKTON, MA - The Trois-Rivières Aigles shut out the New England Knockouts 4-0 at Campanelli Stadium on Friday night.
The Aigles (23-18) have now won three in a row, while the Knockouts (12-30) have lost four straight. An error and a bases-loaded walk gifted Trois-Rivières with their first two runs in the third inning. After going three up, three down in the fourth, the Aigles doubled their lead to 4-0 with a two-run blast from 3B Luis Curbelo in the fifth. On the other side, the Knockouts were able to muster just two hits all game. RHP Braeden Allemann struck out nine across six shutout innings for his second win of the year. RHP Hernando Mejia struck out three across three perfect innings in relief to pick up his first save of the season. RHP Casey Bargo lasted just 2.2 innings for New England, suffering his fourth loss of the year.
The Aigles and Knockouts will match up for the second game of their series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6:30 PM EDT.
TRI-CITY SCORES IN BUNCHES TO TAKE DOWN MINERS
AUGUSTA, NJ - The Tri-City ValleyCats took down the Sussex County Miners 9-5 on Friday night at Skylands Stadium.
The 'Cats (20-23) used four multi-run innings to overcome the Miners (14-28) for a series-opening victory. Tri-City was able to post three runs in the opening frame, starting off with an RBI single from DH Oscar Campos. The Miners responded in the fourth by taking a 4-3 lead with two two-run doubles. In the top of the fifth, LF Javeyon Williams tied the game with an RBI triple and then scored on CF Demias Jimerson's RBI single in the next at-bat. Campos picked up another RBI in the eighth inning on a double that pushed the Tri-City lead to two. Campos posted his third RBI of the game in the ninth inning on another RBI base hit that put the ValleyCats up by four. RHP Jhon Vargas earned his fifth win of the season while RHP Arlo Marynczak picked up his first save. RHP Tyler Thornton took the loss for the Miners.
The ValleyCats and Miners will play the second game of their series on Saturday at 6:35 PM EDT.
TITANS DOUBLE UP JACKALS FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
OTTAWA, CAN. - The Ottawa Titans defeated the New Jersey Jackals 10-5 at Titan Stadium on Friday night.
The Titans (24-17) currently sit in third place in the East and have now won four straight contests. Ottawa came out of the gates firing, posting three runs in the opening frame, including a three-run homer from 1B Jason Dicochea. The Jackals (13-29) were able to even things up in the second inning, but the Titans retook a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning. After some back and forth led to a 5-5 tie in the fifth, Ottawa took the lead on an RBI single from DH Jamey Smart and then added another on a foul ball sacrifice fly. The Titans posted three more runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach and take the series opener. RHP Scott Prins got the win for the Titans while RHP Jalon Tyson-Long took the loss for the Jackals.
The second game of the series will be played on Saturday at 6:00 PM EDT.
