Heyer Dominates as Miners Win Sixth Straight Game
Published on July 3, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Traverse City, MI - The Southern Illinois Miners got an outstanding pitching performance on the mound from Kurt Heyer on Tuesday night in their series opener against the Traverse City Beach Bums, as the right-hander set a career-best with eight innings pitched and tied a career-high eight strikeouts in a 3-1 victory at Wuerfel Park to elevate the Miners to their sixth win in a row.
Southern Illinois took the lead for good in the first inning. With two outs against Beach Bums ace Jordan Desguin (5-2), Nolan Earley reached base with a single, setting up Chance Shepard, who hit a two-run homer to the opposite field in right-center, his team-high 14th of the season, to put the Miners up 2-0.
Heyer (4-3) took it from there as a pitcher's duel ensued, retiring the first seven batters he faced and eight of the first nine before Orlando Rivera's two-out, third-inning single put the Beach Bums on the board at 2-1. Neither team scored from there until the top of the eighth inning, with Desguin and Heyer keeping the opposition off balance. But in the frame, Austin Homan singled and Romeo Cortina walked to set up Earley, whose single into right field plated Homan with an insurance run and made the score 3-1.
After Heyer completed his eighth inning of work, finishing with one run allowed on six hits, no walks and eight strikeouts, Kyle Tinius finished off the Beach Bums with a flawless ninth inning, including a pair of strikeouts, for his fourth save of the season as Southern Illinois took the series opener and won their season-best sixth consecutive game.
The Miners will look to make it seven wins in a row and take the series over the Beach Bums on Wednesday, July 4th, at 7:05 p.m. Geno Encina will pitch for the Miners while Traverse City will counter with John Havird in the Independence Day contest.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League's winningest franchise since debuting in 2007, winning the 2012 Frontier League Championship as well as division titles in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the box office at (618) 998-8499. For additional information, visit our website at www.siminers.com.
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