Extra Innings Unkind To Flyers On Thursday
Published on August 15, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release
Schaumburg, IL - Just like they have in so many games this season, the Schaumburg Flyers and Gary SouthShore RailCats went toe-to-toe in a tight affair. A game that went tied through the final three innings needed extra frames to decide it, and that's when Gary (45-35) struck it big. The RailCats snapped a 4-4 deadlock with five runs in the top of the tenth inning to make it 9-4. Although Schaumburg (29-51) fought back with two runs of its own in the bottom half, it wasn't enough to force more play, and Gary took the game and the series by a 9-6 final score in 10 innings.
The visitors scored early, hanging up two runs on Flyers starter David Moraga in the first inning. RBI singles by SS Jay Pecci (3-for-6, 3 RBI, 3 R) and 1B Mike Rohde (4-for-4, RBI, 2 R) made it a 2-0 lead for the RailCats.
Schaumburg had an answer for that in the bottom of the second inning. After SS Mark Haske (1-for-3, Run) tripled with one out, C Hank Lanto (2-for-5, RBI) singled to drive in Haske and halve the lead. Gary starter Travis Kerber struck a man out to put two away, but 3B Vince Harrison (2-for-4, RBI, 3 R) singled to keep the frame alive. DH Calvin Pickering (3-for-5, 4 RBI) made sure that hit paid dividends, as he rocketed a single past Rohde at first to drive in two men and give the Flyers a 3-2 advantage.
Gary tied it up in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from LF Mike Reese (1-for-4, RBI), but the first batter of the bottom half of the inning untied it. Vince Harrison hit a leadoff home run for the third time in his last six games to nudge Schaumburg to a 4-3 lead. Although that blast might have discouraged the visitors, it did not dishearten them. Jay Pecci led off the top of the seventh with a solo shot of his own to tie the game back up at four runs apiece.
With the game tied in the late frames, it became a battle of the bullpens. The Flyers came closest to scoring a go-ahead tally, getting men to second base with two outs in the seventh and eighth innings but stranding them both times. A tie game then carried over into the top of the tenth, when Gary took over the ballgame.
Reliever Mark Goodman (1-2) was called into the fray to begin the tenth for Schaumburg, and quickly surrendered the leading run. A double by Mike Rohde to left field led things off, and a pinch-hit RBI double by Eric Blakeley (1-for-1, RBI) made it a 5-4 Gary lead. Flyers manager Steve Maddock then called to the pen for closer John Smith, but Smith suffered his second rough outing in as many nights against the RailCats. Smith threw a wild pitch that allowed Blakeley to score from third with one out, and later another RBI single by Jay Pecci that made it 7-4. With two outs and runners on second and third, Gary RF Cristian Guerrero (2-for-6, 2 RBI) hit a single up the middle that scored them both to make it a 9-4 game.
The home team certainly didn't check out of the game after the rough half-inning. Instead, the Flyers got to work against Gary closer Koichi Misawa (6-1), with Harrison singling with one out to bring up Pickering. Although it could not tie the game, the slugger did what he does best. Pickering sent a home run over the left-center field fence to cut the RailCat lead to 9-6 with one out. It was Pickering's third home run in two games and his eighth in 21 played this season. The blast must have been a wake-up call to Misawa, however, as he retired two of the last three men he faced with strikeouts to end the game and ensure yet another series win for Gary against Schaumburg this season. The loss took the Flyers down to a 5-2 record in extra innings overall in 2008, and a 3-14 mark against the RailCats.
With one series complete in a three-series homestand, Schaumburg will now play host to the Winnipeg Goldeyes this weekend. The Flyers will send RHP Alex Rollin (2-4) to the hill, while Winnipeg asks RHP Ace Walker (7-4) to do the honors on the hill. Game time is 7:05 p.m. from Alexian Field, and you can catch it all on flyersbaseball.com.
The Schaumburg Flyers are a member of the Northern League, a 6-team Independent Professional Baseball League established in 1993. Opening Day is May 15th, 2008. For ticket information call (847) 891-BALL (2255) or visit www.flyersbaseball.com
Northern League Stories from August 15, 2008
- JackHammers falter in extras - Joliet JackHammers
- T-Bones Lose Ninth Straight Against RailCats - Kansas City Monarchs
- RailCats Erupt for Big Early Innings, Rout Kansas City - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Rob Fischer drives in two for the Flyers in defeat. - Schaumburg Flyers
- Extra Innings Unkind To Flyers On Thursday - Schaumburg Flyers
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