CAPITALES TAKE SERIES, CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
CAPITALES TAKE SERIES OVER TITANS
QUÉBEC CITY - The Québec Capitales came out on top of a 2-1 contest against the Ottawa Titans on Sunday to claim the series at Stade Canac.
The Capitales (57-27) had the same score from Saturday but flipped the result to take the series against their Canadian rivals. LF Tommy Seidl got Québec on the board with a two-out RBI single in the first inning. In the second, 2B David Glaude made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. The Titans were silent until the seventh inning when they cut the lead in half with a solo homer. The Capitales kept their composure, however, and turned the game over to their bullpen who in turn shut Ottawa out for the remainder of the game. RHP Ryan Sandberg earned the win for the Capitales as RHP Nick Trabacchi earned the save. RHP Shane Gray took the loss for the Titans.
The Capitales will host the Trois-Rivières Aigles for their next series. First pitch for Tuesday's series opener will be at 7:05 PM EDT. The Titans will head back home to begin a series with the Sussex County Miners on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM EDT.
VALLEYCATS CLAIM CRUCIAL SERIES OVER BOULDERS
PONOMA, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats took down the New York Boulders 12-9 to win the four-game series at Clover Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The ValleyCats (45-37) came back from a six-run deficit behind 16 hits to take an important series from the Boulders (44-40) and keep themselves in playoff contention. RF Dylan Broderick put Tri-City up 1-0 in the first inning with a sacrifice fly. New York responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. The Boulders then got an RBI groundout in the second and then three more runs in the fourth to add to their lead. CF Jaxon Hallmark stopped the bleeding with an RBI single in the fifth, followed two batters later by Broderick's three-run triple to cut the deficit down to two. DH Oscar Campos then singled home Broderick to make it a one-run game. Tri-City then grabbed the lead on a wild pitch after C Chris Burgess tied things up with an RBI single in the seventh. 2B Ryan Cash then created some breathing room with a two-run homer, putting the ValleyCats up 10-7. The two sides exchanged runs in the last 2.5 innings, but the ValleyCats remained in control and registered two strikeouts before the game was called with two outs in the ninth due to weather. RHP Nick DeCarlo earned the win in relief while RHP Austin Dill picked up the save, his fifth of the season. RHP Peter Allegro took the loss for New York.
The ValleyCats will take on the New Jersey Jackals for their next series beginning on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT. The Boulders will face the New England Knockouts on Tuesday.
EVANSVILLE WOUNDS FLORENCE'S PLAYOFF HOPES
EVANSVILLE, IN - The Evansville Otters doubled up the Florence Y'alls 4-2 on Sunday afternoon to claim the series at Bosse Field.
The Otters (37-48) came away with a series win that may have sunk the Y'alls (41-42) and their potential playoff hopes. Florence took a 1-0 in the third inning, but C Justin Felix's two-run homer in the fifth turned the tides in favor of Evansville. The Y'alls tied the game in the seventh, but two more runs in the eighth put the Otters in front for good. Two-way player Pavin Parks came in to close the game in the ninth and never allowed the tying run to get on base. RHP Alex Valdez earned the win in relief while Parks picked up his sixth save of the season. RHP Hunter Mink took the loss for Florence.
The Otters will continue their homestand when the Windy City ThunderBolts come to town on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:35 PM CDT. The Y'alls will visit the Gateway Grizzlies on Tuesday at 6:30 PM CDT and try to keep their playoff hopes alive.
GRIZZLIES SWEEP BOLTS
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies completed their series sweep of the Windy City ThunderBolts with an 11-5 victory on Sunday afternoon at Ozinga Field.
The Grizzlies (51-32) got their first run of the game on a double steal in the third inning. 1B Dale Thomas then doubled the Grizzlies' lead with an RBI single through the left side in the fifth. LF Victor Castillo and 1B Peter Zimmermann came in behind Thomas with RBIs to boost Gateway's lead up to 4-0. The Grizzlies blew the game open in the eighth, sending a dozen men to the plate and scoring seven runs to run the score up to 11-0. The ThunderBolts (34-51) made an admirable comeback effort in the ninth scoring five runs, but could not surmount Gateway's huge lead. Zimmermann ended the game with four RBIs to help RHP Teague Conrad pick up his second straight victory. RHP Buddie Pindel took the loss for Windy City.
The Grizzlies will head back home to host the Florence Y'alls for a three-game set, beginning on Tuesday at 6:30 PM CDT. The ThunderBolts will travel to Evansville to face the Otters on Tuesday at 6:35 PM CDT.
AIGLES TAKE SERIES DESPITE MEHLBAUER'S THREE-HOMER DAY
TROIS-RIVIÈRES - The Trois-Rivières Aigles walked off the New Jersey Jackals 7-6 on Sunday afternoon to claim the series at Stade Quillorama.
The Aigles (40-42) are still five games outside the playoff picture in the Frontier League East Division, but could potentially change their fortunes with a strong series next week against Québec. The bright spot for New Jersey (29-54) was 3B Clayton Mehlbauer, who got the scoring started with a solo homer in the first. 2B Thomas Green responded in the second with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. The Jackals once again established a one-run lead in the third, but the Aigles responded with three runs in the fourth, including a solo homer from SS James Smibert. Mehlbauer tied the game with a two-run shot in the fifth. New Jersey then collected one more run in the sixth while Mehlbauer homered again in the seventh to put the Jackals up 6-4. 3B Yassel Pino cut the deficit in half with a solo homer in the eighth; the Aigles were then gifted the tying run thanks to an error by the New Jersey pitcher. In the ninth, Trois-Rivières loaded the bases for Smibert, who was then hit by a pitch to drive in the game-winning run. LHP Harry Rutkowski earned the win in relief for the Aigles while RHP Dazon Cole took the loss.
The Aigles will begin a crucial series with the Québec Capitales on Tuesday at 7:05 PM EDT. The Jackals will head to New York for a series with the Tri-City ValleyCats, which begins on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT.
CRUSHERS SWIPE FINALE VS. WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, PA - The Lake Erie Crushers salvaged the finale against the Washington Wild Things on Sunday afternoon, coming away with a 3-1 victory.
The Crushers (46-37) maintain their playoff standing in the Frontier League West Division for now, but could potentially see their fortunes change in their upcoming series against Schaumburg. The game was scoreless through the first four innings with 1B Scout Knotts eventually breaking the silence with a solo homer in the fifth. 3B Logan Thomason and SS Jarrod Watkins both drove in runs in the seventh to put Lake Erie up 3-0. Washington (57-26) avoided the shutout by scoring a run in the eighth but left the tying run stranded on second base. RHP Trevor Kuncl then sat the Wild Things down 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn the save and secure the win for the Crushers. RHP Pedro Echemendia got the win for Lake Erie while Kuncl earned his 20th save of the season. RHP Dariel Fregio got tagged with the loss for Washington.
The Crushers will host the Schaumburg Boomers for a key series, beginning on Tuesday at 6:35 PM EDT. The Wild Things will welcome the Joliet Slammers to town on Tuesday as they continue their homestand. First pitch for the series opener will be at 7:05 PM EDT.
SCHAUMBURG RECOVERS TO TAKE SERIES FROM SLAMMERS
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Schaumburg Boomers took down the Joliet Slammers 5-3 in the series finale at Wintrust Field to take the series and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Boomers (43-41) remain on the outside of the West playoff picture, looking in as they sit 3.5 games behind Lake Erie for the final spot. The Slammers (35-48) scored the game's first run on an RBI double in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. 3B Chase Dawson then knotted things up in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly. CF Brett Milazzo put Schaumburg up by one in the fourth after driving in a run on a fielder's choice. The Boomers got another run in the fifth on a wild pitch, which was then followed by Dawson's RBI single to right. C Jake Meyer then added another run in the sixth for Schaumburg with another RBI single. Joliet scored twice in the eighth to come within two, but the Boomers were able to close the door in the ninth behind RHP Jake Joyce's 12th save of the year. RHP Cole Stallings earned the win out of the Schaumburg bullpen while RHP Landon Smiddy took the loss for Joliet.
The Boomers will play what could be their most important series of the season against the Lake Erie Crushers in Ohio. First pitch for the series opener on Tuesday will be at 6:35 PM EDT. The Slammers will travel to Washington to face off with the Wild Things on Tuesday, beginning at 7:05 PM EDT.
KNOCKOUTS WALLOP MINERS FOR SERIES WIN
AUGUSTA, NJ - The New England Knockouts crushed the Sussex County Miners in the first game of a doubleheader before the second game was rained out in the second inning.
The Knockouts (31-50) claimed the series, despite having one game suspended due to rain. 3B Luis Atiles put New England in front 1-0 in the first inning with an RBI groundout. DH Jalen Garcia then cracked a solo homer to left that doubled the Knockouts' lead in the second. After New England was gifted another run with an error, C John Cristino blasted a solo home run in the third to put the Knockouts up 4-0. RF Noah Lucier then singled home another run later in the inning to put New England up by five. The Miners (29-54) scored twice in the third to widdle the deficit down to three, but the Knockouts scorched the Sussex County bullpen in the ninth, collecting five more runs to put the game out of reach at 10-2. RHP Sam Ryan collected the win after going for the full seven innings for the Knockouts while RHP Tyler Thornton took the loss.
The Knockouts will host the New York Boulders for their next series, beginning on Tuesday. The Miners will head up to Ottawa to begin a series with the Titans on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT.
