Miners Clinch Playoff Berth, Beat CornBelters to Even Series
Published on August 21, 2016 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, Ill.- The Southern Illinois Miners clinched their third-straight postseason berth and sixth in their last seven seasons on Saturday night at The Corn Crib with a 4-2 victory over the Normal CornBelters behind a pair of two-run rallies and a dominant start from Rick Teasley, evening the weekend series at one game apiece.
The CornBelters again scored first in the contest in the second inning on an RBI fielder's choice by Dylan Kelly to take a 1-0 lead, but that would be the only run they would get until the ninth inning. In the early frames, the Miners had chances to score with the bases loaded and one out in the second inning and men at second and third and no one out in the third, but could not bring a run home against Normal starter Charlie Gillies (5-3).
That changed in the fifth inning, when with two outs and none on base, Aaron Gates and Shane Kennedy singled back-to-back and Craig Massey walked, setting the stage for Alex De Leon, who drew another walk to tie the game at 1-1. Nolan Earley followed with yet another base-on-balls, giving the Miners the lead at 2-1. In the next inning, two singles and another walk chased Gillies from the game and loaded the bases with no one out before Gates lined a two-run single to right field, giving the Miners a 4-1 lead.
Teasley (7-4), meanwhile, pitched a stellar ballgame, as he needed only 85 pitches to pitch eight innings of one-run ball with no walks and two strikeouts, retiring ten batters in a row until Ty Morris singled off him to lead off the ninth inning. After Santiago Chirino was ruled safe on a ground ball to third base, Adam Lopez came in from the bullpen and got the first two outs on fly balls, with the second plating Morris from third to make the score 4-2. After Nolan Meadows was intentionally walked to put the tying run at first base, Lopez got Justin Fletcher to ground into a fielder's choice, ending the game and officially punching the Miners' ticket to the 2016 Frontier League Playoffs.
Gates and Kennedy each went 3-for-4 with a double in the contest, with Gates' two RBIs representing the winning runs and his three hits making him the third Miner ever with 300 or more career hits. His third hit pulled him into a tie for second place on the Miners' career hits list with Jereme Milons, just one behind Joey Metropoulos' franchise record. Earley and Massey also extended their on-base streaks to 31 and 26 in a row.
The Miners will look to take the series in a rubber match on Sunday afternoon at 4:35 p.m., with Corey Sessions pitching against Normal's Michael Schweiss.
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 August 21, 2016
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- Miners Clinch Playoff Berth, Beat CornBelters to Even Series - Southern Illinois Miners
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