Ludwig Solid, Bullpen Falters Late to Snap 11 Game Win

August 31, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
River City Rascals News Release

For the past eleven games, the River City Rascals have greeted each other on the field in celebration of a victory. However, the saying "All good things must come to an end," became true earlier than the Rascals hoped as they snapped their eleven game losing streak in the series opener to the Florence Freedom, 6-2, Tuesday night at UC Health Stadium. The Rascals (48-43), needing three wins to clinch a playoff berth, held a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning due to a Kyle Gaedele RBI single. However, the bottom of the eighth inning was a nightmare for the Rascals and it took three pitchers to get out of the inning and by the time it was over the Freedom held a 6-2 lead.

On the mound to begin the frame was the Rascals starter Dan Ludwig who had allowed just one run on five hits and struck out five through the first seven frames. The Freedom had top of the order due up and Daniel Fraga tallied his third hit of the night to begin the bottom of the eighth and that chased him from the mound.

Manager Steve Brook went to his veteran in Nick Kennedy to face a pair of right handed bats but he was unable to record an out and allowed an earned run for just the fourth time since June 23rd. The fifth year Rascal issued a walk to Taylor Oldham and then on a weak grounder back to the mound, Kennedy fired the ball to first but it deflected off of Godbold and caused everybody to advance an extra base, meaning Fraga scored and the game was tied at two.

With no outs and two in scoring position, Zgardowski replaced Kennedy and the Freedom took a 4-2 lead with a two RBI single through the middle infield off the bat of Austin Newell. Jordan Brower drove him in with a RBI single and then combined on a double steal with Collins Cuthrell that scored the final run of the night making it 6-2.

Ethan Gibbons tossed a hitless ninth and earned the save, his 14th of the year while reliever Tony Vocca got the win despite allowing the RBI single to Gaedele in the eighth.

Each starter took a no decision with Ludwig giving up one run in the eighth and a sacrifice fly that put the Freedom on top 1-0 in the third.

Florence's starter was Jordan Kraus and he lasted six 1/3 giving up an unearned run on seven hits and struck out seven.

The unearned run came in the sixth inning where Josh Silver singled, got to second on an error, third on a passed ball and tied the game at one via a sacrifice fly from Mike Jurgella.

In total, the Rascals had nine hits which were all singles and Alexi Colon led the way with three hits.

"When you get no-extra base hits you have to do the little things to move guys, I thought we did a decent job with that such as bunting and hit and runs but we lacked that huge two out hit to put us over the top," manager Steve Brook said. "Their staff has done a good job against us recently and we need to figure it out really quickly because we got another stud we are facing on the mound tomorrow."

Ludwig Solid, Bullpen Falters Late to Snap 11 Game Win Streak

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