WILD THINGS GET WALK-OFF WIN, GRIZZLIES CONTINUE TO SURGE AS RACE FOR THE WEST HEATS UP - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
WILD THINGS STUN MINERS WITH FIVE-RUN NINTH
WASHINGTON, PA - The Washington Wild Things came all the way back in the ninth inning to walk off the Sussex County Miners at Wild Things Park during the series opener on Friday.
The Miners (25-44) were pitching a 4-0 shutout against the first-place Wild Things (46-22) through the first eight innings. However, Washington did not acquire the best record in the Frontier League without a semblance of clutch. After a solo home run put Sussex County up by four in the seventh, it looked as though the Wild Things were in for a stunning upset in their first game back from a Midwest road trip. Washington did not give in and got the first two men of the ninth on base and then cut the lead to one behind 1B Tyreque Reed's three-run bomb. Even after the tying run got into scoring position, the Wild Things had their backs against the wall, down one with two outs. Andrew Czech was given a chance to pinch hit: down to his final strike, the Washington slugger crushed a two-run homer to right field to complete the comeback and win the game 5-4. RHP Nick MacDonald earned the win in relief while RHP Robbie Hitt took the loss.
The series will continue in Washington on Saturday with a 7:05 PM EDT first pitch.
GRIZZLIES LIMIT BOOMERS TO FOUR HITS IN OPENER
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies scored three runs in the seventh to take the opener from the Schaumburg Boomers at Wintrust Field.
The Grizzlies (42-27) and Boomers (35-33) had combined for just three hits after three innings, leading over 8,000 spectators to believe they were in for a pitchers' duel. Gateway broke the scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI double from 1B Tyler Shelnut, but Schaumburg responded swiftly in the bottom of the inning to knot things up at 1-1. In the sixth, C Kevin Krause put the Grizzlies back on top with an RBI base hit to left field. 3B DJ Stewart immediately followed with a two-run double to push the Gateway advantage to 4-1. The Boomers struggled thereafter, accumulating only one hit across the final four frames, and slid away into the night with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. RHP Collin Sullivan took the win for Gateway while LHP Leoni De La Cruz collected his eighth save of the year. LHP Antonio Frias took the loss for Schaumburg.
The series between the two West division rivals will continue on Saturday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM CDT.
JACKALS ISSUE 14 WALKS IN LOSS TO OTTERS
EVANSVILLE, IN - The Evansville Otters posted 12 runs on only five hits in a 12-5 win over the New Jersey Jackals at Bosse Field on Friday night.
The Otters (28-41) belted two huge home runs while the Jackals (23-46) dealt a season-high 14 walks in an inter-divisional series opener to kick off the weekend. SS Pavin Parks and 3B David Mendham collected RBIs in the first inning to establish an early 2-0 Evansville lead. New Jersey lept out in front with three runs in the third but led off the defensive sixth with four straight walks to gift a run back to the Otters. 1B Logan Brown then gave Evansville back with one swing, clobbering a grand slam to make it 7-3. The Jackals cut into the deficit in the seventh, trimming the lead to two. In the bottom of the inning, the Otters scored on a wild pitch walk and got a two-run homer from C Dakota Phillips to push the lead out to five. Two more runs in the eighth added insult to injury and sealed the 12-5 final for Evansville. LHP Braden Scott struck out nine across six innings for the win while RHP Danny Vasquez took the loss.
The Otters and Jackals will play game two of their series on Saturday at 6:35 PM CDT.
SLAMMERS SNAP LOSING STREAK WITH EXTRA-INNING WALK-OFF
JOLIET, IL - The Joliet Slammers scored three runs in the 10th to walk off the Florence Y'alls 9-8 on Friday night at Duly Health & Care Field.
The Slammers (29-41) put an end to their four-game skid while halting Florence's (33-36) brief two-game winning streak. Joliet got off to a fast start, with 1B Matthew Warkentin putting his side on top in the first inning with a two-run homer. CF Andrew Pottiger made it 3-0 in the second on a sacrifice fly. The Y'alls responded with six straight runs, taking a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh. The Slammers were able to knot things up at six apiece as the game drifted into extra innings with no change in the score. Florence scored twice in the top of the 10th, putting all of the pressure back on Joliet. The Slammers responded, tying the game on Pottinger's two-run single. The Y'alls then gifted the Slammers two straight walks, including one to drive in the game-winning run. RHP Dwayne Marshall earned the win out of the bullpen for Joliet while LHP Kent Klyman took the loss.
The Slammers will host the Y'alls for the second game of the series on Saturday. First pitch will be at 6:05 PM CDT.
CAPITALES TAKE FIRST MATCH AGAINST TITANS
QUÉBEC CITY - The Québec Capitales took down the Ottawa Titans 7-4 in the series opener at Stade Canac on Friday.
The Capitales (46-24) won the first matchup in a series between the top two teams in the Frontier League East division, homering twice in the process. Ottawa (40-29) snagged the lead in the top of the second inning on a fielder's choice. C Anthony Quirion evened the score in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer. Two batters later, 1B Mathieu Sirois went deep with a two-run blast to put Québec up 3-1. The Capitales added one more run in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to three, but the Titans caught up in the fifth, scoring three to match knot things up at 4-4. Québec did not slow down, scoring another two runs to retake the lead at 6-4. Sirois doubled home a run in the eighth to put his side up by three and then handed things over to RHP Frank Moscatiello, who set down the Titans 1-2-3 in the ninth to end the game and secure his 12th save. LHP Ryo Kohigashi took the win out of the bullpen while LHP Matt Voelker took the loss.
The Capitales will attempt to take the series on Saturday. The middle contest at Stade Canac will begin at 7:05 PM EDT.
KNOCKOUTS SQUEAK PAST AIGLES
TROIS-RIVIÈRES - The New England Knockouts took the Friday opener from the Trois-Rivières Aigles at Stade Quillorama by a final score of 9-8.
The New England (24-44) offense was on point, logging 12 hits against the Aigles (36-34) including four for extra bases. LF Victor Castillo doubled in two runs in the top of the first to put the Knockouts up 2-0. DH Tommy Kretzler led off the second with a solo homer to push the lead to three. The Aigles got on the board in the second and then exchanged runs with New England in the third. The Knockouts were able to create some separation in the fourth, taking a 6-2 lead on a fielder's choice by C John Crisitino. Trois-Rivières was able to get to within one after the sixth, but could not find a way to tie the game. Down 9-8 in the ninth, the Aigles managed to get the tying run on base but left him stranded to drop the first game of the series. Castillo ended up with three RBIs as RHP Mike McKenna picked up the win in relief. RHP Reeves Martin earned the save with RHP Jesen Therrien picking up the loss.
The series will continue on Saturday at 6:05 PM EDT.
TRI-CITY CLAMPS NEW YORK, INCHES CLOSER TO PLAYOFF SPOT
PONOMA, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats limited the New York Boulders to one run on four hits in a 5-1 series-opening victory at Clover Stadium on Friday night.
The ValleyCats (38-32) are now only a half-game behind the Boulders (38-31) for the final playoff spot in the East division. Tri-City broke through on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with a leadoff home run from C Chris Burgess. RF Dylan Broderick singled later in the inning to bring home another run, pushing the lead to 2-0. SS Elvis Peralta Jr. doubled the ValleyCat advantage in the sixth with a two-run homer to right-center. The Boulders brought one run around in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, but could not get a footing in the following innings. Tri-City limited New York to one hit in the final three innings while LF Javeyon Williams added an insurance run to put the game out of reach. RHP Wes Albert earned the win out of the Tri-City bullpen while RHP Blaine Traxel took the loss.
The ValleyCats will try to take the Boulders' playoff spot on Saturday. First pitch in the middle game is set for 6:30 PM EDT.
CRUSHERS TAKE OPENER OVER BOLTS, SNAP SIX-GAME SKID
AVON, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers ended their six-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts at Crusher Stadium on Friday night.
With their win and Schaumburg's loss, the Crushers (39-30) remain in the playoff picture in the Frontier League West division by 3.5 games. The ThunderBolts (31-40) took the game's first lead in the top of the first, carrying it into the fourth inning. Lake Erie was able to tie the game on an RBI single to center field by 1B Jake Guenther. Later in the inning, a wild pitch allowed a run to score, gifting the Crushers a 2-1 lead. DH Scout Knotts created some breathing room for Lake Erie in the sixth with a two-run homer and C John Tuccillo added on with an RBI single later in the inning to make it 5-1. The ThunderBolts then went down without much of a whimper in the top of the seventh before the game was called due to weather in the area. RHP Anthony Escobar pitched all seven innings for the Crushers in the win, striking out seven while allowing only one run. RHP Ruddy Gomez took the loss for Windy City.
The Crushers and ThunderBolts will play the middle game of their series on Saturday at 7:05 PM EDT.
