Bolts drop game one heartbreaker
September 8, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release
The Windy City ThunderBolts presented by the Vee Pak Hawks took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th, but were unable to hold the lead as the River City Rascals took Game One of the West Division Series 7-6 in 12 innings.
River City got on the board in the second inning as Josh Banda lifted a three run homerun to right-centerfield for a 3-0 Rascals lead. Later in the inning, with Jo-Jo Batten on first, Chad Maddox drove a double into the left-center gap to bring home Batten and make it 4-0.
The ThunderBolts scored a run in the third inning as with two outs, Robert Perry singled home Gilberto Mejia, slicing the Rascals edge to 4-1. Another two out rally came through in the fourth as with runners on first and second, Dan Jordan went the other way, homering to right-center, tying the game at 4-4.
Robert Perry continued his hot hitting from the end of the regular season into the playoffs as leading off the fifth inning, Perry hit a towering homer to right to give Windy City their first lead of the playoffs at 5-4. The Rascals would get the run back an inning later as with two outs in the sixth, Scott Houin tripled home Jorge Gutierrez, tying the game at 5-5.
The game would remain tied into the 12th when with two outs and Bryan Cook on first base, Vinnie Scarduzio hit a ball high off the rightfield wall, scoring Cook for a 6-5 lead.
However, a win was not in the cards as the Rascals loaded up the bases before Jorge Gutierrez singled home a run to knot the game. Two batters later, Scott Houin drove a single to the warning track in center, to bring home the winning run for the Rascals win.
Jason Lowey (1-0) picked up the win while Dustin Pease (0-1) took the loss for Windy City.
Game Two of the series comes up on Wednesday at 6 p.m. with Ross Stout (13-5, 2.94) starting for Windy City against Jake Laber (9-4, 4.48) for River City. The ThunderBolts first home playoff game will be on Friday at 7:05 p.m. where it will be Patriot Day at the Standard Bank Stadium. All local heroes (fire, police, active and retired military, Boy/Girl/Eagle/Cub Scouts) will be granted free admission to the game. For game times, information or tickets, call 708-489-BALL or visit the team's website at www.wcthunderbolts.com.
Frontier League Stories from September 8, 2009
- Rascals Earn First Playoff Win In Franchise History - River City Rascals
- Bolts drop game one heartbreaker - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Kings Lose 8-7 In Playoff Opener - Kalamazoo Kings
- Crushers Take Game One Of Divisional Series In Kalamazoo - Lake Erie Crushers
- James all-league for third time - Rockford RiverHawks
- RiverHawks trade Cohen, McCoy to Otters - Rockford RiverHawks
- Kings Begin Playoffs Tonight - Kalamazoo Kings
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