Flyers Blow Lead, Lose 7-6

July 9, 2009 - Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release


JOLIET, IL - Brad Correll hammered two home runs off Flyers starter Carmen Pignatiello, and the JackHammers scored three runs in both the fifth and sixth to come from behind to beat the Flyers 7-6 Thursday at Silver Cross Field.

After Correll smashed his first home run of the night in the first, a solo shot with two outs, Pignatiello would hold Joliet to just two hits over the next three innings. Felix Jose tied the game at one with a solo homer of his own in the fourth inning. It was first hit recorded for the Flyers against Joliet start Rory Shortell.

The Flyers finally got to Shortell in the fifth. Craig Maddox led off the inning with a single, extending his hit-streak to nine games in his nine games with the Flyers. After Jeff Dunbar reached on an error, Travis Brown tried to sacrifice the runners over, but bunted right back to the mound. Shortell threw to third for the force, but Andrew Pinckney sailed a throw to first trying to retire Brown, putting Flyers at second and third with one out.

Richard Mercado then reached on an infield single to load the bases and Travis Ezi struck out in front of Jose Valdez. With a full count and two outs, Valdez launched a grand slam to right to give the Flyers a 5-1 advantage.

But Joliet answered right back in the bottom of the fifth, again with a Correll long-ball. After back-to-back walks to Adam Klein and Kevin Rios, Correll knocked a three-run shot to left center to cut the Flyers lead to 5-4.

The Flyers had a chance to add insurance in the sixth when Felix Jose and Vince Harrison started the inning off with singles. Maddox then drilled a double to left center. Harrison was off on contact, but Jose waited to make sure the ball dropped. As the throw came from left, Jose rounded third with Harrison on his heels. Both runners headed home, and the throw beat both of them; catcher Phil Avlas applied the tag to Jose for the first out, and tagged Harrison a split second later. Travis Brown would strike out looking to completely end the threat.

Jim Popp relieved Pignatiello with two outs and runners on second and third in the sixth. Kevin Rios lined the first Popp offering to left to score Freddie Thon and Issac Omura, giving Joliet a 6-5 lead. Correll notched his fifth RBI of the night, following with a single.

Schaumburg got their final run off a Valdez groundout in the seventh, scoring Richard Mercado who had led off the inning with a double.

Chad Blackwell, Ryan Paul, and Drew Shetrone combined for three innings of relief with Shetrone picking up his third save.



Northern League Stories from July 9, 2009


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