Freedom Rally to Beat Miners
September 6, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
Isaac Wenrich of the Florence Freedom
(Florence Y'alls, Credit: Toni Hanson)
(Marion, IL) - The Florence Freedom (49-46), presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, rallied from two runs down to stun the Southern Illinois Miners (62-33) by a final score of 5-2 Saturday night.
With the win the Freedom reduce their magic number to one with one game remaining in the regular season. If the Freedom win Sunday night in the regular season finale, they will make the playoffs. Regardless of the outcome for Florence Sunday against the Miners, the Freedom will also make the playoffs if either the Evansville Otters or the Rockford Aviators lose their games.
Isaac Wenrich tripled home two runs in the seventh to tie the game and scored the eventual winning run for Florence on a wild pitch.
But for long time it was a classic pitchers' duel as Southern Illinois' Rick Teasley (9-4) and Florence's Zach Wendorf traded blows as they dominated the opposing offenses.
Southern Illinois finally got to Wendorf in the fifth inning. Niko Vasquez walked to start the frame. One out later Steve Marino doubled to put runners at second and third. Brian Portelli stepped to the plate and hit a deep drive to right-center that Zac Mitchell tracked down on the run for out number two. On the play Vasquez scored to make it 1-0 in favor of the Miners. Toby DeMello singled home a second run to put the Miners up 2-0.
Wendorf got a no-decision as he went five and a third innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Teasley tallied seven strike outs in the game and was virtually untouchable until the seventh. Austin Newell got things started in the seventh with a single. One out later Andrew Godbold singled as well. That's when Wenrich tripled down the right field line to score both runners and tie the game at two. That was it for Teasley. With two away, new pitcher Shane Street uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Wenrich and putting Florence up 3-2.
Florence added another run in the eighth against Ryan Brockett. Daniel Fraga and Zac Mitchell hit back-to-back singles to start the frame. That's when Sam Eberle came up huge with a single to left to score Fraga and extend the lead to 4-2.
Florence would pad the lead again in the ninth as Josh Henderson doubled with one out. With two away Daniel Fraga doubled him home to make the score 5-2.
A combination of Pete Levitt, Seth Harvey (4-4), Ethan Gibbons and Ed Kohout shut down the Miners out of the bullpen. Kohout picked up his 19th save of the year.
Florence will send Cody Gray (4-2, 3.60 ERA) to the mound Sunday night in the regular season finale. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Eastern Time.
Images from this story
 Isaac Wenrich of the Florence Freedom (Toni Hanson) |
Frontier League Stories from September 6, 2015
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- Freedom Rally to Beat Miners - Florence Y'alls
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