Miners Break out Bats, Pound Otters to Even Series
August 8, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
MARION, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners got seven runs on seven hits in the first three innings on Saturday night against the Evansville Otters as well as a solid start on the mound from MIGUEL RAMIREZ to pounce on the Otters and win 7-2 at Bosse Field to even up their weekend series at one game apiece and put the Miners back into a tie for first place with their opposition.
The offensive outburst began right away against former Miner Hunter Ackerman (1-4). AARON GATES and FRANK MARTINEZ led off with a single and double, respectively, before an RBI groundout by NIKO VASQUEZ made it 1-0. Later in the inning, two wild pitches by Ackerman scored Martinez to make it 2-0.
In the second, the Miners took advantage of two Evansville errors to plate four runs. Martinez had an RBI on a groundout and MICHAEL EARLEY extended his hitting streak to seven in a row with an RBI double with two outs as the score was 6-0 after two. STEVE MARINO led off the third inning with a deep solo home run to left-center and the rout was on for Southern Illinois, leading 7-0 after three innings.
Ramirez (2-5) was outstanding on the bump to make the Miners' offensive night stand up. The right-hander, making his first start since July 4th, fired six innings of one-run ball, allowing just six hits in the game while striking out four to earn the victory. BRANDON COWAN finished off the ballgame with three innings of relief for his first save of the season.
All of the Miners starters had at least one hit in the contest, with six of the starting nine scoring at least one run and five driving in at least one run in the team effort that pulled the Miners back into a tie for first place with Evansville. The two teams will decide the weekend series in a rubber match on Sunday night at 5:05 p.m. Reigning pitcher of the year MATT BYWATER will take the ball for the Miners against Evansville ace Trevor Walch, with the winner of the game taking over first place in the standings.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2014 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. 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 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at 618-998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
• Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board...
Frontier League Stories from August 8, 2015
- Freedom Rally Late, Slammers Fall in Ten - Joliet Slammers
- Big Second Inning Dooms ThunderBolts in 8-5 Loss - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Miners Break out Bats, Pound Otters to Even Series - Southern Illinois Miners
- Belters Take Second Game of Series in Normal - Rockford Aviators
- CornBelters Bats Support Schweiss Complete-Game 3-Hitter - Normal CornBelters
- Phillips Tallies Two Hits, Schultz Homers in Otters Defeat - Evansville Otters
- Washington Defeats Schaumburg 5-2 - Washington Wild Things
- First Inning Drops Boomers - Schaumburg Boomers
- Crushers rally in the eighth to beat Greys, 4-2 - Lake Erie Crushers
- August 8 Florence Freedom Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Rascals Blow out ThunderBolts - River City Rascals
- Normal CornBelters Game Tonight - Normal CornBelters
- Slammers' Fifth Costly - Joliet Slammers
- Fifth inning costly - Joliet Slammers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
