Bats Explode Late as Miners Top Freedom
June 19, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners were tied at 3-3 with the Florence Freedom heading to the eighth inning before plating six runs in their final two turns at bat, including two home runs, to pull away and win 9-3 at UC Health Stadium on Friday night in the series opener.
The Miners jumped on top early. In the second, when Jon Minucci singled with two outs, stole second, and was driven home on a single by Toby DeMello for a 1-0 Miners lead. In the next inning, Aaron Gates led off with a double and two batters later was singled home by Jerrud Sabourin. Sabourin himself then stole second and was driven home by Niko Vasquez as the Miners led 3-0.
Florence would come back to tie the game, getting two in the bottom of the third on a single by Collins Cuthrell and another in the sixth when Cuthrell homered off of starter Rick Teasley. Teasley ended up with a quality start of six innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out five, but the game was decided late.
Against reliever Seth Harvey (1-1) in the eighth, Frank Martinez led off with a walk and went to second on a groundout. Steve Marino then drove him in with the go-ahead run to make it 4-3 Miners on his single to right-center. On the very next pitch, Minucci cranked a two-run homer over the left-center field wall to extend the lead to 6-3. Harvey was able to get the first two outs in the ninth, but then the Miners mounted another rally. Sabourin singled to center and Martinez walked before Vasquez homered to left, his second three-run homer in as many nights, to blow the game open and account for the final margin.
The Miners got two hits apiece from Sabourin, Vasquez, Marino, Minucci and DeMello on the night, getting 13 hits as a team. Vasquez added four RBIs with Minucci getting two of his own, while Alan Oaks (1-1) got the win in relief. The victory improved the Miners to 10-3 on the road this season, and they will look to remain unbeaten in road series on Saturday night at 5:05 p.m. in game two of the series. The starters for both teams have yet to be announced.
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