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FL Joliet Slammers

Big Seventh Inning for Rippers Dooms Joliet

June 9, 2012 - Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


(London, Ontario) - The London Rippers (10-10) scored four runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Joliet Slammers (10-10) by a final score of 5-4 Saturday night.

Tommy Mendoza got the start for Joliet and battled through six plus innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out four. He would get a no-decision despite leaving with the lead.

London got the first run of the game in the second inning. David Christensen singled to start the frame and Mark Samuelson doubled off the top of the wall to put runners at second and third with nobody out. With one away Mendoza walked JC Paquin to load the bases. Jim Vahalik singled him the middle to score Christensen. On the play Samuelson was thrown out in a rundown between third and home. Mendoza would get out of the inning with no further damage.

London starter Jamie Richmond retired the first 12 batters he faced. But Erik Lis hit his second home of the season to tie the game in the fifth.

It looked like the seventh inning would be the difference in a good way for Joliet. Lis drew a walk to start the frame. David Fox bunted him to second and he advanced to third on a ground-out. With two away, Kyle Maunus came through with the go-ahead single. Sean Estand singled as well and Brad Netzel chased Richmond from the game with a RBI single to score Maunus.

But in the bottom of the seventh it all fell apart for Joliet as they gave up the 3-1 lead. Mendoza gave up two consecutive singles to start the inning. The Slammers brought in Jim Schult who walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. A Schult wild pitch handed London their second run of the game. With one away and men on second and third, the Slammers elected to pitch to Joash Brodin, the league leader in batting average. Brodin made them pay with a three-run blast to right field. The home run put London up 5-3.

Joliet got one run back in the eighth. With one out, Hector Pellot singled. Then Erik Lis hit a line shot to left-center field. Brodin almost made a nice catch but dropped the ball. Pellot advanced to third but Lis was gunned down at second base for the second out of the inning.

David Fox smacked a single to left to drive in Pellot and make it a one run game.

However that was as close as the Slammers would get as they dropped their third in a row. It was London's seventh consecutive victory.

Joliet looks to salvage the finale of the three-game series Sunday afternoon as Captain Jake Renshaw makes his return from the Disabled List. First pitch is at 12:00 p.m. Central Time and all the action can be heard on AM 1340 WJOL and on www.wjol.com.

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Frontier League Stories from June 9, 2012


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