Freedom Fall in Finale with Rascals
Published on June 24, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
O'FALLON, Mo - Looking for their fourth consecutive series victory, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, fell victim to one bad inning in a, 5-2, loss to the River City Rascals on Sunday night at CarShield Field.
For the second time in as many nights, the Freedom (19-20) jumped in front of River City (21-17) in their first at-bat of the ballgame. With two outs in the top of the first, Jordan Brower sent a double down the line in left field and came around to score on an ensuing Xavier Turner RBI-single as Florence took the, 1-0, edge. The RBI was the eighteenth of the season for Turner and the fourth Freedom run to score with two outs in the series.
Jordan Kraus (3-3) was masterful on the mound most of the night, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth frame. However, despite being hitless in the home-half of the third, the Rascals were able to manufacture a run when Kevin Suarez walked and scampered all the way to third on an errant pick-off attempt from Kraus. Mike Jurgella then knotted the game at one with a run-scoring groundout to second.
River City starter, Lucas Laster injured his triceps with one out in the top of third and was forced to leave the game early as the Rascals took on a whole-staff approach from the third inning forward. Southpaw, Jonny Ortiz (2-1) was the third man to toe the slab for the Rascals, tossing an inning and two thirds on the way to his second win of the season. Ortiz final line included one earned run on three hits with one punch-out.
The score stayed deadlocked at one until the bottom of the seventh when Zach Lavy, who broke up the no-hitter with a single the inning before, pushed the Rascals in front with a bases loaded fielder's choice that was nearly an inning ending double play. Base umpire Mike Weinstein ruled Lavy beat the throw to the bag, prompting Freedom manager Dennis Pelfrey to come out of the dugout and request home plate umpire Drew Ashcraft and Weinstein confer. The umpires obliged, but the call stood and the Rascals took a, 2-1, lead. River City would strike three more times in the frame, getting a single and a double from J.D. Hearn and Suarez back to back as the score moved to, 5-1. Kraus would not return for the eighth, ending his night having allowed five runs, four earned on six hits with three walks and one strikeout over seven innings of work.
Florence would answer in their next at-bat to make it a three-run game at, 5-2, courtesy an Andre Mercurio RBI-groundout that scored Ricky Ramirez Jr. from third. River City closer, Cody Mincy took the hill in the top of the ninth and retired the Freedom side in order to convert his tenth save of the season.
The Freedom will enjoy a day-off on Monday before the second leg of their ten-day roadtrip continues on Tuesday with a clash against the Southern Illinois Miners at Rent One Park. The Rascals will host a make-up game with the Gateway Grizzlies at CarShield Field on Monday before opening a mid-week set with the Normal CornBelters.
Frontier League Stories from June 24, 2018
- Freedom Fall in Finale with Rascals - Florence Y'alls
- Rascals Defeat Freedom in Finale - River City Rascals
- Six Run Second Leads Otters to Sweep of Miners - Evansville Otters
- Comeback Falls Short as Otters Sweep Miners - Southern Illinois Miners
- Crushers Continue Winning Ways On Road - Lake Erie Crushers
- Wild Things Snap Four-Game Skid Sunday at Schaumburg - Washington Wild Things
- ThunderBolts' Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Ninth Inning Comeback Seals Series Win in Joliet - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Boomers Unable to Catch Washington - Schaumburg Boomers
- Slammers Lose First Series in over Two Weeks - Joliet Slammers
- Chirino Crowned All-Time Hit Leader - Normal CornBelters
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