Miners Can't Hold Late Lead in Loss at Florence
May 27, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners held a 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but could not hold the advantage, surrendering three runs in the eighth and four more in the ninth en route to an 8-7 loss to the Florence Freedom at UC Health Stadium on Thursday night, dropping their record to 7-4 and breaking a four-game winning streak.
The Miners led from the outset as Craig Massey led off the game with an opposite-field solo home run off Florence starter Brandon Bargas. Two batters later, Nolan Earley cranked his first homer of the season over the right field fence to make it 2-0. In the second, Southern Illinois would double their lead to 4-0 as with runners on first and second, Massey drove home another with an RBI single and a passed ball later in the frame allowed Toby DeMello to come home and score.
Miners starter Dyllon Nuernberg was masterful on the hill for the Miners as well, allowing Florence just one baserunner in the first five innings of the contest, retiring 15 batters in a row between the first and sixth innings. In the meantime, Alex De Leon padded the Miners' lead with a solo home run that hit off the right field foul pole, making the score 5-0.
Florence was able to chase Nuernberg with a run in the sixth, and loaded the bases that same inning but were limited to the lone run by Jake Cose out of the bullpen. The Miners then got that run back on a fielder's choice by Aaron Gates in the seventh. With the score now 6-1, however, things began to unravel for the club the next inning in the eighth, as Joe Iorio surrendered three hits and three runs in the bottom of the frame to make the score 6-4.
Southern Illinois would add a run in the top of the ninth thanks to a leadoff walk, a passed ball and an error followed by a sacrifice fly by Earley. Now a 7-4 ballgame, Zach Cooper came on for the bottom of the ninth, and after a flyout, single and walk struck out Daniel Fraga for the second out. Taylor Oldham then lifted a fly ball into the outfield that the Miners let drop, scoring both runners and making it 7-6. Another walk and an infield single loaded the bases, and Collins Cuthrell won the game with a two-run single, dealing the Miners a bitter defeat.
After the 4-1 road trip, Southern Illinois returns to Rent One Park on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. to take on the Evansville Otters. Jarett Miller will take the mound for Southern Illinois against former Miner Hunter Ackerman.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the back-to-back 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.
Frontier League Stories from May 27, 2016
- Offense Rolls as Rascals Defeat CornBelters - River City Rascals
- Pitching, Mercurio Lead Florence to Victory - Florence Y'alls
- Miners' Bullpen Stumbles in Home Defeat - Southern Illinois Miners
- Grizzlies Fall to Freedom in Series Opener - Gateway Grizzlies
- Boomers Squander Early Lead - Schaumburg Boomers
- Rascals Ride Big 1st Inning to Defeat CornBelters - Normal CornBelters
- Washington Manages Another Come From Behind Victory to Defeat Schaumburg - Washington Wild Things
- Beach Bums Rained Out - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Lake Erie Crushers Postponed Due to Rain - Lake Erie Crushers
- Corn Crib Adds Concession Items - Normal CornBelters
- Rascals Drop Series against Evansville - River City Rascals
- Miners Can't Hold Late Lead in Loss at Florence - Southern Illinois Miners
- Pitching Shines as Grizzlies Sweep CornBelters - Gateway Grizzlies
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.
