Errors Cost Florence Series against Otters
Published on August 18, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
FLORENCE, Ky - Searching for a series evening victory in the weekend middle-game, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, fell victim to their own mistakes, and suffered their twentieth defeat in a one-run game this season, as the Evansville Otters grabbed an, 8-7, win on Saturday night at UC Health Stadium.
Defensive miscues allowed Evansville (42-41) to jump in front of the Freedom (41-42), 8-6, in the top of the eighth inning. Austin Bush started the frame by connecting on a single off Cody Gray (4-4), and advanced into scoring position on an ensuing single from Taylor Lane. After Gould recorded a third straight one-bagger with one-out, Ricky Ramirez Jr. saw the ball bounce away in right field, allowing pinch-runner, Hunter Cullen, plenty of time to score from second. With both runners moving up an extra base on the error, Evansville had men at second and third. Gray would record a strikeout of David Cronin, but was pulled in favor of Ryan Colegate with one-out to spare in the eighth. One more run would score on a Colegate wild pitch before Long struck-out looking to end the inning with the Otters ahead 8-7.
With the score, 8-6, in the bottom of the eighth, Caleb Lopes stayed hot, singling off Matt Chavarria (4-0) to get things started. Ramirez Jr. followed with a single of his own, and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Skyler Ewing then grounded out to third forcing Lopes to hold, but the Otters decided to intentionally walk Keivan Berges to load the bases. With the bases juiced and only one out, Jordan Brower singled to right to drive in Lopes, but Ramirez Jr. was cut down at home by right fielder, Jeff Gardner, in an attempt to tie the game. With two outs and two men in scoring position, Taylor Bryant lined out to second to quell the threat and move the game to the ninth.
Jeff Thompson worked a perfect ninth inning, as Austin Wobrock narrowly missed a game-tying homer to left for the final out of the game. The save is the first of the season for Thompson.
The Freedom took advantage of wild pitching from Evansville starter Ty Hensley to score the game's first run in the bottom of the first. Hensley allowed two singles to start the game, but after Wobrock was thrown out attempting to steal third, Hensley walked three batters to force in a run.
It was a quick response from the visitors, as they faced Freedom starter Chuck Weaver. In the top of the second, Brant Whiting took the first pitch of the inning into the right field corner for a stand-up double, and, after getting to third on a ground-out, Whiting came in to score on an RBI grounder off the bat of Austin Bush.
Evansville made use of two defensive miscues to regain the lead at, 2-1, in the third inning. David Cronin reached on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second after a pick-off attempt from Weaver deflected off the base-runner, Cronin and found it's way to the wall in foul ground. Then, as Ryan Long grounded out to short, Cronin took off for third. Jacob Wark would attempt to throw him out, but air mailed the throw in to the seats in left, pushing Cronin across the plate, and Evansville ahead by one.
In the bottom of the fourth, Wark reached on a fielder's choice before John Price Jr. capitalized on a Long error at third to put two men on. A couple batters later, Caleb Lopes delivered a sacrifice-fly, scoring Wark as the game stalemated at two apiece. Hensley proceeded to load the bases, and was pulled in favor of Garrett Harris after issuing another walk to Ramirez Jr. Ewing greeted Harris with a two-RBI double off the wall in left, scoring Price Jr. and Wobrock to give Florence a, 4-2, lead.
In total, Hensley threw 3.2 innings and was charged with four runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits to go along with six walks.
Evansville was able to knot the game at four in the fifth, making use of another Freedom error. Lane singled to begin the frame, and went to second on a Cronin single two batters later. Long then doubled home Lane to bring the visitors within a run at, 4-3. With two outs and runners on second and third, Weaver induced a ground ball to third off the bat of Gardner, but Wark was not able to squeeze the throw from Taylor Bryant, allowing Cronin to score and tie the game at four. Weaver was able to get out of the bases-loaded jam, getting a fly-out from Mike Rizzitello.
With two outs in the sixth, Evansville manufactured two runs to take yet another lead. J.J. Gould started the rally with a double to left, before Cronin turned on his second home run of the season, a two-run shot that sailed over the Freedom bullpen to make the score, 6-4, Otters.
John Price Jr. would muscle up on a long-ball of his own in the Freedom side of the sixth, his third big-fly of the year made it a one-run game.
Cody Gray relieved Weaver to begin the seventh inning, ending Weaver's night having spanned six complete innings while surrendering six runs, four earned, on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Florence would fight back to tie the game again in the bottom of the seventh. climbed back to tie the game. With Mitchell Aker on the bump, Ewing was hit by a pitch and found himself standing on third after a walk and a groud-ball double play. Bryant made him count, smashing a gapper to right center that one-hopped that wall, tying the affair at, 6-6. Aker issued another walk and hit-by-pitch to load the bases, requiring Chavarria to toe the slab for the second time in as many nights. The righty was able to get Wobrock to ground-out to short to end the threat.
The Freedom and Otters will battle for the final time in the regular season on Sunday afternoon. Florence will turn to right-hander, Christian DeLeon, opposite righty Tyler Beardsley for Evansville. First pitch is scheduled for 2:35 PM at UC Health Stadium.
The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Wayin Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.
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