NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

Another walk-off win, RailCats beat Schaumburg 9-8 on homer

Published on June 9, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


GARY, Ind. - Tanner Townsend blasted a two-run home run to the deepest park of U. S. Steel Yard - straight to the corner where left and center fields meet - in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the RailCats a 9-8 comeback win over the Schaumburg Flyers Monday night, their fifth last at bat win of 2008.

Townsend's blast came off Schaumburg closer Jim Popp (1-2) and followed Mike Reese's leadoff single. Townsend had another four RBI game and leads the RailCats with 21 RBIs and four home runs. In seven home wins this season, the RailCats have scored in the bottom of the last inning five times. Townsend's walk-off hit was his second of the homestand; he beat the Joliet JackHammers Friday with a ninth inning double.

The Flyers had taken the lead in the top of the ninth inning, jumping ahead for the first time since the fifth when Mark Haske - who had doubled earlier in the frame - came in to score on Vince Harrison's swinging bunt that went no more than 50 feet down the first base line.

The RailCats took a 7-4 lead after a five-run fifth inning Monday, but Schaumburg climbed back late. The Flyers scored two runs in the sixth against starter Kai Tuomi, added another in the seventh against Matt Brinkmann - Haske tripled and came home on a sacrifice fly - before getting their unearned run in the ninth.

Townsend had the big blow in the five run RailCats fifth, scoring two with a single through the middle to put the RailCats in front 6-4 and chase starter Steve Shippey from the game. Mike Rohde plated Townsend with a double to cap the inning, which began with RBI hits from Eric McNamee and Eric Blakeley. Blakeley went 2-for-5 in his first game this season, playing at shortstop. The veteran infielder was placed on the roster from the inactive list earlier in the day.

The RailCats jumped in front in the second inning off Shippey, scoring a pair of runs. Reese doubled with two outs and was on third for Rohde, who notched a two-out single to left to score one. After Brett Wallace singled, Rob Marconi ripped a hit through the infield to knock in Rohde from third.

Schaumburg (9-15) took the lead briefly in the fourth, scoring four runs, three with two outs. Hakse finished the night 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and Kurt Crowell had a couple doubles. The Flyers notched 11 hits in the game and got 3.2 scoreless innings of relief from Chris Saenz and David Byard leading into the ninth.

Townsend's four RBI game was his third of the year with at least that many runs driven in. The fourth-year RailCat missed four games earlier this season with a groin injury, so his 21 RBIs have come in only 19 games. McNamee, Blakeley, Reese, Rohde and Marconi all had two hits as part of a 15-hit RailCats attack. Nate Hoelscher (1-0) pitched the eighth and ninth innings and allowed only an unearned run to win for the first time.

The RailCats (11-12) will get another crack at .500 Tuesday when they close out a four-game homestand at 7 p.m. against the Flyers. Jeremy Plexico (2-2, 4.50 ERA) will start for the RailCats, with Matt Varner (0-3, 9.35) countering for Schaumburg.

NOTES: Before Monday's game, the RailCats moved infielder Eric Blakeley from the inactive list and traded pitcher P.J. Bevis to Calgary of the Golden League for cash considerations. Bevis went 2-0 with three saves in nine games for the RailCats, posting a 6.00 ERA and allowing 10 hits and eight walks in 12.0 innings.

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Northern League Stories from June 9, 2008


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