Belters Take Both Home Series and Chirino Ties for Second All-Time in Hits
May 27, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
Jacinto Garcia of the Normal CornBelters
(Normal CornBelters, Credit: Ryan Eucker)
NORMAL, Ill - The Normal CornBelters (6-9) entered the six-game home-stand after a tough road trip but put it together and defeated the Thunderbolts 8-0 on Sunday to conclude the series finale.
"It gives our guys that confidence and a little bit of that swagger that we talk about, that I think we lost on the road trip," said Billy Horn. "A great ball club in Windy City and they are leading the league in every pitching category and for our guys to come out and swing the bats the way we did, it's got to be a big confidence boost."
The weather at first pitch, 94, described Jacinto Garcia's (1-1) start perfectly. Windy City only salvaged two hits against the righty in five innings of work. He also added two strikeouts and now has an ERA of 1.05 in three starts.
The CornBelters got the first hit of the game after Derek Bauer led off with his first double of the season, but he would be left stranded. After recording three hits in yesterday's split doubleheader, Tyler Beckwith started the third with a ground-rule double down the left field line. An out later, Santiago Chirino singled up the middle to become second all-time in hits in the Frontier League with 612.
"It's pretty awesome and it's really nice to see the fans get into it and the city. I am hoping he (Chirino) breaks the record on the road because that means he is hitting and that means we are going and winning ball games. He is a special guy and individual, very unselfish young man and all he cares about is his team and winning ball games."
The single was his 24 hit on the season and 496 as a Belter. Tanner Lubach drew a two-out walk and was followed by a Derrick Loveless singled to center field to continue his on-base streak (15) and bring in Chirino to put Normal up 2-0.
The Belters scored in the next three innings. The bases were loaded with one out in the fourth after Cody Erickson reached on a hit by pitch, Tyler Beckwith walked and Derek Bauer knocked his second hit of the game. Chirino looked to keep climbing the chase for hit 636 but walked to bring in a run. Nick Cain brought in the fourth run on a sac fly that scored Beckwith and moved Bauer to third. The Normal backstop, Tanner Lubach continued to stay hot up at the plate and doubled to score Bauer and conclude the three-run fourth.
Erickson doubled to start a two-out rally in the fifth then scampered another 90 feet on a wild pitch. Beckwith followed with a double to increase the lead by six.
The Belters caped off their eight-run outburst in the sixth. Chris Iriart hit an infield singled to bring in Cain who reached on a walk. After being activated for the second game of the doubleheader yesterday, Justin Fletcher singled to center and brought in Lubach to push the lead to 8-0.
At times it seemed like the offense or the bullpen weren't on the same page throughout the season, but it finally came to together. Nick Bozman (6th), Jonathan de Marte (7th), Jose Savinon (8th), and Kuehl McEachern (9th) all came in and kept the Bolts batters quite.
The CornBelters now embark on a nine-game road trip starting with the Southern Illinois Miners (May 29-31), then heading to Gateway (June 1-3) and finally concluding with first place River City (June 5-7).
Images from this story
 Jacinto Garcia of the Normal CornBelters (Ryan Eucker) |
Frontier League Stories from May 27, 2018
- Belters Take Both Home Series and Chirino Ties for Second All-Time in Hits - Normal CornBelters
- Losing Streak Reaches Four Games As Florence Falls Again - Florence Y'alls
- ThunderBolts Drop Rubber Match 8-0 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Wild Things Sweep Florence with Comeback Win - Washington Wild Things
- Evansville Drops Heartbreaker in Extras 2-1 against Traverse City - Evansville Otters
- Benard Provides 12th Inning Magic as Beach Bums Take Series vs Evansville - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Miners Storm Back to Top Slammers in Extras - Southern Illinois Miners
- Slammers Slip in Extra Innings to Southern Illinois - Joliet Slammers
- Smith's Gem Propels Gateway to Win - Gateway Grizzlies
- Fowler Turns in Solid Outing in 2-1 Loss to Gateway - Schaumburg Boomers
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