July 31 Joliet Slammers Game Notes
July 31, 2012 - Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release
JOLIET SLAMMERS (27-39) @ EVANSVILLE OTTERS (29-37)
Tuesday, July 31- - 6:35 p.m. CT
Bosse Field - Evansville, IN
Game #67 - Road Game #31 (27-39), (14-16)
RHP #39 Tommy Mendoza (3-5, 4.71 ERA) vs. RHP #35 Wynn Pelzer (0-2, 5.63 ERA)
Last time out...
Joliet lost 8-5 last night to Windy City. Joliet pounced for three runs in the first inning for the early lead. Erik Lis bashed his fifth home run of the season for a two-run advantage, and Eric McGee slapped a run-scoring double. They added another in the second when Abel Nieves brought home a run on a fielder's choice. The ThunderBolts would go on to score eight uncontested runs. They started their assault in the fourth on an RBI single by Ryan Cuneo, and cut the lead in half in the fifth on a solo home run by Brandon Decker . C.J. Gilman tied the game on a two-run single in the sixth, and Windy City took the lead later in the inning when Decker punched a single to bring home Gilman. They would go on to add another three runs in the seventh to make it 8-4. Abel Nieves brought one around to make it 8-5 in the ninth. But a double play and a strike out ended the ballgame.
For Starters...
Tommy "The Barber" Mendoza is coming off a strong outing on July 26 against the Schaumburg Boomers. He went seven innings, giving up only two runs on six hits. He struck out five batters and only issued one walk. But he suffered the hard-luck loss as Joliet fell 2-0. He is known as "The Barber" because he's actually a barber. Mendoza will often give his teammates haircuts in the clubhouse. Mendoza is looking for his first win since June 14. Joliet is 1-6 in his starts since then. Mendoza made his first start for the Slammers on June 27, 2011 and went on to post a 6-2 record during the regular season. He won both his starts in the playoffs while posting a 1.50 ERA. Mendoza was a 5th round draft pick of the Angels in 2005. He has a career ERA of 3.97 over six seasons in affiliated baseball. The right-handed pitcher rose to the Triple-A level at the age of 21 in 2009. He was 7-7 with a 3.36 ERA for Double-A Arkansas and was named a Texas League All Star before earning the promotion to Salt Lake. With the Bees he went 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Mendoza suffered from multiple injuries in 2010 which only allowed him to pitch in 10 games.
Against Evansville...
The Slammers are 2-1 against the Evansville Otters this season as they took two of three back in late May in Joliet. Joliet went 5-1 against Evansville in 2011, including a 2-1 record at Bosse Field.
To open...
Joliet has struggled in series openers, going 9-14 on the season to start a series.
Trying to better June...
Joliet must win today to finish with a better record than their month of June. Joliet went 10-17 in June and currently sits at 10-16 in July. June was the worst month in franchise history.
Leading after six...
Despite their struggles in 2012, Joliet is still 17-3 when leading after six innings.
Abel is able...
Abel Nieves leads the Slammers in all three Triple Crown categories with a.364 batting average, six home runs and 37 RBI. David Christensen has nine home runs on the season but all nine came with the now defunct London Rippers.
Save me...
Last season Joliet native Ryan Quigley set the Frontier League's single-season record with 28 saves. Quigley is now in the Padres organization but former Angels farmhand Amalio Diaz has picked up right where Quigley left off. Diaz is second in the league with 16 saves in 17 attempts.
Error indicator...
The Slammers are 9-28 in games when they make an error. They are 18-11 in games when they do not.
Transaction Wire...
Joliet placed INF Hector Pellot on the Suspended List today. Pellot is returning to Puerto Rico to get his college education and is not expected to return to Joliet.
Frontier League Stories from July 31, 2012
- Rascals Lose Game One to Washington - River City Rascals
- Evansville Five Run Rally Sparks 7-3 Win - Evansville Otters
- Wild Things Get by Rascals - Washington Wild Things
- Miners Fall Short against Normal - Southern Illinois Miners
- ThunderBolts Thwarted in 11 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Otters Explode in Eighth for 7-3 Victory over Slammers - Joliet Slammers
- Heere Homer Gives Beach Bums Walkoff Win - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Grizzlies Finish off Record-Tying Month with Win - Gateway Grizzlies
- Crushers hold Riverhawks to three hits in 2-1 victory - Lake Erie Crushers
- CornBelters Hit Road, Southern Illinois 5-2 - Normal CornBelters
- Hawks Lose Walkoff - Rockford RiverHawks
- Lewis Gem Leads Freedom to Victory - Florence Y'alls
- Boomers Downed in Opener at Florence - Schaumburg Boomers
- July 31 Joliet Slammers Game Notes - Joliet Slammers
- Vladimir Frias Has Contract Purchased by Chicago Cubs - Gateway Grizzlies
- Fireworks, Giveaways and More Fun with Schaumburg Boomers August 3-5 - Schaumburg Boomers
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