Freedom Belts Normal in Series Finale
July 2, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
NORMAL, Il - Looking for their first series win in the finale of a ten-day road-trip, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, left no doubt in a, 13-2, dismantling of the Normal CornBelters on Sunday night at the Corn Crib.
The Freedom (21-23) raced out to an early, 3-0, lead in the top of the first, as Normal (19-23) starter, David Perez (0-1) struggled with his command in a short-lived second start of the season. It all started when Caleb Lopes worked a walk and Skylar Ewing was hit by a pitch with one out. An ensuing wild pitch allowed both base-runners to move up ninety feet before Andre Mercurio put Florence up a pair with a two-run single. After Mercurio stole second base, Ricky Ramirez Jr. registered his first of five runs batted in with a two-out single to score Mercurio as the Freedom lead moved to three.
Florence hurler, Zach Kirby (1-4) began the bottom of the first by striking out Jose Canseco, who finished his weekend 0-3 with a trio of whiffs off Freedom starting pitching. Only Justin Fletcher would reach base in the frame, shooting a single into right field before the Normal side was retired. Kirby would sit the CornBelters down in order over his next two innings.
The game got out of hand in the top of the second, as Freedom sent thirteen men to the plate in a seven-run half inning. Austin Wobrock worked a walk as the onslaught began, and took third base when David Perez fielded a Jordan Brower come-backer and threw errantly to second, sending the ball bouncing into center field. Lopes would plate Wobrock with a double next, as Florence set-up runners at second and third. Up, 4-0, Skylar Ewing stepped to the plate and sent a broken bat flare to left, scoring Brower and Lopes as the lead reached six. Perez then walked Andre Mercurio before getting pulled in favor of Trevor Simms. Simms proceeded to walk the first man he faced, Xavier Turner, loading the bases for Ramirez Jr. The McNeese State alum delivered again, sending a sacrifice fly to center as Ewing crossed home-plate to make the score, 7-0. Keivan Berges tallied the next RBI, tapping an infield single to plate Mercurio. After Turner stole third base for his team leading eleventh swiped bag of the season, Jacob Wark joined the run-scoring hit parade, scorching a double down the line in right as it became a nine-run game. After a Wobrock single loaded the bases again, Lopes worked a walk to force in another run, giving the Freedom a, 10-0 advantage after one and half innings.
Perez finished with a final line of one inning pitched, allowing eight runs, seven earned on four hits with three walks, no punch-outs and a hit batter en route to his first loss.
Kirby would conclude his night after five scoreless frames, keeping the Belters off the board on just two hits with one walk and four strikeouts while notching the first victory of his Freedom career.
With Sam Martin on in relief in the bottom of the seventh and the Freedom still in front by ten, Normal would squash the shut-out thanks to an Andrew Godbold solo-homer. After Berges dropped a fly ball in left allowing Tony Holton to reach second base one-batter later, Cody Erickson pulled the Belters within eight with an RBI-single, as the score moved to, 10-2.
Florence responded by taking their largest lead of the game in the top of the eighth. Ryan Rinsky who replaced Ewing behind the plate in the bottom of the sixth, led-off the frame with a sharp single to left off reliever, Kuehl McEachern. Two batters later, Turner did the same, putting runners at first and second with one out. Ramirez Jr. collected the third hit of the inning, launching a big-fly to right to give the Freedom the, 13-2, edge they would not relinquish.
Brian McKenna, Jake Haberer, and Johnathon Tripp all tallied scoreless frames in relief for Florence over the seventh through ninth innings, compiling four strikeouts in the process of slamming the door.
The Freedom will enjoy an off-day on Monday before returning home to the comfy confines of UC Health Stadium on Tuesday for a three-game set with the Washington Wild Things.
Frontier League Stories from July 2, 2018
- Gateway Falls to Windy City in Opener - Gateway Grizzlies
- Bolts Capture Game One in Gateway - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Four Boomers Chosen to Frontier League All-Star Game - Schaumburg Boomers
- Eight Otters Voted as Frontier League All-Stars - Evansville Otters
- Freedom Deal Zach Kirby to Normal - Florence Y'alls
- Six CornBelters Selected to All-Star Game - Normal CornBelters
- Freedom Will Send Four to Mid-Summer Classic - Florence Y'alls
- Kadkhodaian, MacNabb Named All-Stars - Gateway Grizzlies
- Romeo Cortina Named 2018 All-Star - Southern Illinois Miners
- Five Rascals Named to All-Star Game - River City Rascals
- Five Wild Things Named 2018 Frontier League All Stars - Washington Wild Things
- Five Beach Bums Selected for 2018 All Star Game - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Landwehr Named League Pitcher of the Week - Normal CornBelters
- Freedom Belts Normal in Series Finale - Florence Y'alls
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