Late Offense Lifts Miners to Third Straight Win
Published on July 9, 2021 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners won their third straight game and fifth in their last six overall on Friday night at Rent One Park, as an RBI double from Nolan Earley put them ahead to stay in a 3-2 victory over the Joliet Slammers on Military Appreciation Night.
Both starting pitchers were sharp in the contest, and both surrendered the two runs they allowed in the fourth inning. Chase Cunningham faced the minimum nine batters with two strikeouts over the first three innings, but after a leadoff double by Dylan Hardy in the fourth inning, Braxton Davidson hit a two-run home run to give the Slammers a 2-0 lead. That would be the only runs Cunningham allowed in the game, striking out seven while walking none in six strong innings, and the Miners would answer back in the bottom half of the fourth.
Earley led off with a double to right-center field, and Gianfranco Wawoe singled him to third base before Luke Mangieri made it 2-1 with an RBI single of his own. With men at the corners and no outs, Jared Mang hit into a double play, scoring Wawoe with the tying run to make it 2-2. That was all Aufderheide surrendered in seven innings for Joliet, and the game went to the bullpens to be decided.
The Miners' bullpen did their part, as Blake Stelzer and Joey Pulido (2-2) combined for three strikeouts over two perfect innings in the seventh and eighth. In the bottom of the eighth against Joliet reliever Brad VanAsdlen (1-2), Southern Illinois pounced- Jarrod Watkins led off with a single to right field and was sacrificed to second base by Yeltsin Gudiño, bringing up Earley again. The Miners' veteran then hit his second double of the game down the left field line to score Watkins and give the Miners their first lead at 3-2.
In the top of the ninth, Joliet would get a two-out hit batter from Ryan Miller, but the Miners' reliever struck out the side to secure his second save of the year as the Miners won the series opener. Earley led the way with three hits, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and a run batted in.
The Miners will look to make it four straight wins when they host the Slammers in the middle game of the series on Saturday, July 10, at 6:05 p.m. Trent Johnson will pitch for the Miners in the contest against Joliet's Austin Shea at Rent One Park.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League's most-successful 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. In addition, they have sent 60 players to MLB organizations in their 14 years of operation. For ticket information, contact the box office at (618) 998-8499. For additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
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