Miners Come Back to Top Rascals, Win Series
Published on July 26, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners won their second game in a row, coming back from a 2-0 early deficit for a 4-3 victory over the rival River City Rascals at Rent One Park in Marion, clinching a series victory at home.
River City got the lead with an RBI single from Trevor Achenbach in the third inning at 1-0, and extended it to 2-0 on a two-out single by Ransom LaLonde in the fourth inning. After moving to second base on a wild pitch by Kurt Heyer, however, LaLonde was thrown out at the plate to end the frame by Joe Duncan after a base hit by James Morisano, keeping the score 2-0.
After stranding seven runners on base in the first four innings against former Miner Josh Kimborowicz, Southern Illinois came all the way back in the fifth inning. Kurt Wertz, Jr. led off with a walk, and Nolan Earley doubled to put runners at second and third base. Chance Shepard then pulled a double off the third base bag and down the line to tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later, Romeo Cortina lined a double down the left field line to plate Shepard and put the Miners in front for the first time in the game at 3-2.
Heyer pitched well for Southern Illinois, tossing six and two-thirds innings and allowing eight singles while striking out seven batters in a quality start. He would take a no-decision, however, as River City got to him in the seventh and tied the score, with J.D. Hearn reaching on an infield hit and coming home on Morisano's single along with an error in short center field by Max Dutto. The run remained unearned against Heyer's ledger when Nick Durazo got Clint Freeman to ground out to send the game to the bottom of the seventh tied at 3-3.
The Miners then took the lead for good- Joe Dudek singled with one out, and moved to second base on a wild pitch. After Ben Moore pinch-ran for Dudek, Cortina walked against Chad Gendron (0-2), and Harrison Bragg came through with an RBI single to right field to make it 4-3. After Durazo (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth, John Werner came on in the ninth inning, and despite the Rascals getting the tying run to third base against him, the Miners' all-time saves leader struck out two to notch his fifth save of the year, including Morisano swinging to end the game, and give Southern Illinois the series.
Bragg finished 2-for-4 with a double and the game-winning hit, while Shepard went 1-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs in the win. Southern Illinois will go for a series sweep on Thursday night at Rent One Park, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League's winningest franchise since debuting in 2007, winning the 2012 Frontier League Championship as well as division titles in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016. 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 their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the box office at (618) 998-8499. For additional information, visit our website at www.siminers.com.
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