McNamee, RailCats Walk Off With 12-Inning Win at Steel Yard
Published on June 12, 2009 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
GARY, Ind. - Eric McNamee singled Steve Haake home from second to score the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Gary SouthShore RailCats beat the Schaumburg Flyers 5-4 in front of 4,305 fans at U. S. Steel Yard to snap a five-game losing streak.
Haake led off the last inning with a ringing double to left field fence against Flyers closer Craig James (0-1). After a failed bunt attempt, Mike Rohde was walked intentionally to get to McNamee, who fouled off three straight pitches while behind 1-2 in the count before lining a base hit into center.
The RailCats had the game in hand, leading 4-3 into the ninth inning but the Flyers tied the score thanks to a pair of RailCats errors. Felix Jose reached on a Jeff Beachum error to start the frame and was replaced by pinch-runner Julius Thames, who stole second and went to third when an errant throw sailed into center. After Andy Shipman walked the next two hitters and struck out Richard Mercado, Jeff Dunbar pushed a seeing-eye single to second that scored Thames, but Victor Ferrante was gunned out at home trying to score from second.
Both teams had multiple chances to win the game after that, with the RailCats wasting leadoff hits in the ninth and 11th, and Schaumburg failing to convert on a Ferrante leadoff double in the 11th when he was thrown out trying to score from third on a ground ball to Beachum at third base.
Tom Thornton (3-3), who had been scheduled to start Saturday's game for the RailCats, pitched a 1-2-3 12th inning to earn his third win in his first relief appearance of the season. With Chris Pfalzgraf - signed earlier in the day - limited to four innings in his first professional outing since 2000, RailCats relievers combined to allow only four hits and an unearned run in the final 8.0 innings, striking out 11.
Pfalzgraf gave up three first inning runs - the fourth game in a row the RailCats have allowed three in the first - but settled in to get through the next three frames unscathed. Eddie De la Cruz (2.0 IP), Edwin Walker (1.2 IP), Shipman (1.1 IP), Aaron Cook (2.0 IP) and Thornton (1.0 IP) followed to finish the game out.
Haake and Beachum each had three hit days for the RailCats, who matched a season-high with 14 base hits. Two of Beachum's three hits drove in runs - a double in the fourth and single in the sixth - and Haake added a pair of stolen bases. The RailCats also scored twice in the third on a Jay Pecci two-run single against Flyers starter Carmen Pignatiello.
The RailCats (11-16) and Flyers (15-10) will get right back at it Saturday at 6 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard on Fleece Blanket Giveaway Night, presented by Geminus Prevention Services. The first 1,500 fans through the gates - which open at 5 p.m. - will receive a free fleece blanket. Tickets are still available by calling 219.882.2255 or visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com.
Neither team has announced a starter for Saturday's game, with Thornton now unavailable after pitching Friday night. The game will, however, be broadcast live on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.
Notes: The 12-inning game was the longest the RailCats have played this season ... McNamee went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt in his final four plate appearances after striking out his first two times at bat ... the RailCats executed three sacrifice bunts in the game, all in the first eight innings ... Haake's 3-for-5 day broke the âCats cleanup hitter out of a 2-for-18 slump ... four of the RailCats 11 wins this season have come in their last at bat ... De la Cruz has thrown 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings to start the season ... Pfalzgraf pitched for the GCL Rangers in 2000 out of Division III Aurora University but had not pitched since that season before Friday. The right-hander was first discovered by the RailCats at the team's annual Open Tryout in late April.
Northern League Stories from June 12, 2009
- McNamee, RailCats Walk Off With 12-Inning Win at Steel Yard - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Flyers Outlasted in Extras - Schaumburg Flyers
- T-Bones Fall to 'Hawks - Kansas City Monarchs
- 'Hawks Score Early and Hold On - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Celebrate The Start Of Summer At Silver Cross Field - Joliet JackHammers
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