FL Joliet Slammers

Garza's Five Hits Leads Slammers to Win

Published on July 4, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


Washington, PA- Behind a five-hit game from 3B Mike Garza, the Joliet Slammers (19-24) win game one against the Washington Wild Things (18-25) 11-4.

The Wild Things scored first against lefty Hunter Ackerman. With two outs, 1B Sam Mended cranked a homer over the right field fence to put Washington up 1-0. The Wild Things would load the bases before Ackerman escaped the frame.

The Slammers scored a pair of runs in the second inning against lefty Tim Flight. LF Phil Bates walked, 3B Mike Garza singled and C Jack Cleary walked. That's when the rains came, postponing the rest of the game until Saturday and knocking Flight out of the ballgame.

The Slammers broke the game open in the third against reliever Richie Mirowsi. CF Charlie White and 1B Nate Roberts both walked to put a pair on and nobody out. SS Alfredo Rodriguez dribbled an RBI double up the left field line, scoring one putting two in scoring position. Bates was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Garza hit a sharp single to center scoring two and making it a 4-2 gmae. Against the new pitcher Tyler Ferguson, Cleary drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and with two outs 2B Max Casper cracked an RBI single scoring DH Russell Moldenhauer, who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning. The Slammers led 7-1.

The Wild Things got three of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Mende singled and moved to third on a RF Scott Kalamar base-knock. With a pair aboard, 3B Carter Bell singled to drive in one. SS Matt Peters drove in Kalamar with a single before Bell scored on double steal, cutting the Slammers lead to 7-3 after the third.

The bullpen took over for the next four innings. Tyler Ferguson for Washington and the Slammers David Kubiak shut down the opposing hitters, pitch four straight scoreless frames The Slammers would strike in the eighth against reliever Joe Orio. Bates tripled and was later driven home by Garza's fourth hit of the game. The Slammers scored a couple runs in the bottom of the ninth. Garza tripled to drive in Robets and Bates. The Slammers led 11-4.

That would ultimately be the final score as David Kubiak (4-3) earned the win and Tim Flight (2-4) was tagged with the loss. Garza's five hits are the most by any Frontier League in a single game this season. The Slammers take on the Wild Things at 6:40pmCT in game two of the series.

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