Pitching, Mercurio Lead Florence to Victory
May 27, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
Andre Mercurio of the Florence Freedom Slides into Third
(Florence Y'alls)
Sauget, Ill. - Solid pitching and a two-RBI performance from Andre Mercurio led the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, to a 4-3 win over the Gateway Grizzlies.
The Freedom (5-7) once again found themselves in an early hole, as the Grizzlies (7-6) scored three runs on five hits in the first inning. However, Florence starter Patrick McGrath only allowed three hits in his final five frames, striking out eight in six total innings. Zach Wendorf, Matt Pobereyko, and Ethan Gibbons combined to fan six, while not allowing a base runner in three innings.
Trailing 3-0, Florence tied the game in the fifth. Isaac Wenrich beat out an infield single to lead off the inning. In his first game back since suffering a heart attack in late March, Wenrich went 2-for-2, including a single to the wall in his first at bat, with a run scored and a walk.
Josh Henderson followed Wenrich's second single with a double to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the fifth. One batter later, Mercurio lined a single up the middle that deflected off the shortstop's glove and out into centerfield. The deflection slowed the ball down just enough for Henderson to score from second and cut the Gateway lead to 3-2.
With Mercurio on second, Daniel Fraga grounded a ball to shortstop. Mercurio was running on the pitch and, after taking a slight hesitation at third, darted for the plate after the throw went towards first. When the relay came late, Mercurio dove headfirst to safely to score the tying run.
Florence took the lead for good in the sixth. Henderson provided the key RBI as he singled with the bases loaded to score newcomer, and former Gateway player, Richard Seigel.
McGrath got better as the game went on. After allowing three runs and six hits in his first two innings, the Florence starter struck out seven in his final four innings, including two in the sixth with a runner in scoring position.
Offensively, Mercurio had a hand in three of the Freedom's four runs, while Henderson knocked in the go-ahead run and crossed the plate once as well. Two Freedom players, Wenrich and Seigel, recorded two hits in their first game of the season. Henderson joined them with a double and a single.
The Freedom will go for their fifth win in six games tomorrow in game two of the series. Florence will send Zach Isler to the hill (1-0, 1.50 ERA) to face Gateway's Sasha Kuebel (0-2, 17.18 ERA) in a 7:05 p.m. local time first pitch.
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 Andre Mercurio of the Florence Freedom Slides into Third |
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Frontier League Stories from May 27, 2016
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