Freedom Split Doubleheader in Wild Walk-Off Win
August 19, 2011 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
The Freedom rallied for four runs in the seventh inning and won 8-7 on a walk-off wild pitch in game two to split their doubleheader with Southern Illinois on Friday night. It was the Freedom's first win over Southern Illinois this season in ten tries and just the second time they had rallied to win a game when trailing entering their final at-bat.
David Harden pitched a complete game and held the Freedom to one run as the Miners took game one.
Southern Illinois loaded the bases with nobody out in the third. Gordie Gronkowski hit an RBI single to left to give the Miners a 1-0 lead. Matt Fields popped out to Freedom shortstop Junior Arrojo, who threw out Boomer Blanchard at home after he tried to tag up and score. However, Ernie Banks followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Florence got a run back in the fourth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Jeff Dunbar hit a sac fly to left to cut the lead to 2-1. However, Harden retired the next two hitters to escape the jam.
Sam Wiley hit a leadoff homer in the seventh to add an insurance run.
Harden (7-5) held the Freedom to a run on three hits in his second complete game of the season.
Clark (9-4) suffered the loss despite allowing just three runs in six frames. Brandon Mathes pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Braden Tullis struggled in the first inning of game two. He walked three, threw a wild pitch and there were two passed balls as the Miners scored on a passed ball and sac fly. They took a 2-0 lead without a hit.
Chris Curley hit a solo shot in the bottom of the first to cut the lead in half. It was his first home run since July 26, a span of 22 games without a home run.
Jon Smith tied the game in the second inning with a two-out RBI single to right.
The Miners seized control on a two-out, three-run homer by Gordie Gronkowski in the fourth that gave them a 5-2 lead. Ernie Banks hit a solo homer in the fifth to make it a four-run lead.
Florence pulled back two runs in the fifth inning on Drew Rundle's RBI single and another run scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 6-4. Matt Fields hit an RBI double in the sixth to put the Freedom down by three before their seventh inning rally.
Miles started the inning with a base hit before Clayton Dill walked Valdes and Curley. Former Freedom pitcher Corey Martin, traded to the Miners on Monday, gave up a two-run single to Jeff Dunbar. Dunbar scored the tying run on a passed ball and Rundle scored the winning run on a wild pitch. It was their fourth walk-off win of the season.
The series continues on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. Kevin Asselin will make his first start for the Freedom.
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