FL Southern Illinois Miners

Miners Fall in Middle Game to Florence

Published on September 5, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release


Marion, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners led 2-0 entering the seventh inning, but a trio of hits along with a wild pitch and a questionable non-call gave Florence the lead before the Freedom plated insurance runs in the eighth and ninth en route to a 5-2 win at Rent One Park, evening the series at one game apiece.

Both offenses were stifled in the first four innings by the opposing starter. Rick Teasley (9-4) and Zach Wendorf each allowed just one baserunner to reach in the first four innings, with both lefties retiring 11 batters in a row at the end of the fourth. Teasley's streak extended to 13 in a row before allowing a two-out single, but he tossed a scoreless fifth before the Miners got on the scoreboard. A leadoff walk to Niko Vasquez was followed by a lineout to short. Steve Marino then roped a double down the left field line to set the Miners up with runners at second and third and one out before Brian Portelli hit a sacrifice fly to deep right-center for a 1-0 Miners lead. Toby DeMello then came through with a two-out single to right to make it 2-0.

Both teams got runners on base in the sixth inning, but could not score, with the Miners stranding the bases loaded entering the seventh inning. After a leadoff single and a flyout to left, another single put runners on first and second. With Isaac Wenrich batting and a 2-1 count, Teasley threw a pitch that looked to be a strike for a 2-2 count but instead was called ball three, making the count 3-1. Wenrich then hit a triple down the right field line on the next pitch, tying the game at 2-2. After Shane Street came in for Teasley and made an acrobatic leaping grab on a comebacker for the second out, a wild pitch scored Wenrich and made it 3-2 Florence.

The Freedom also plated single runs in the eighth and ninth for insurance for the final margin. The Miners brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the eighth, but a strikeout ended the threat. The Miners managed five hits in the contest as Teasley pitched a quality start of six and one-third innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking no one and striking out seven, with 74 of his 108 pitches becoming strikes. He surpassed the 100-strikeout mark with his second strikeout, making it the sixth time in franchise history that a Miners pitcher has fanned 100 or more in a season as well as the third time this season.

The Miners and Freedom will play a rubber match in the regular season finale on Sunday at 5:05 p.m., with Tim Flight making the start for the Miners against Florence right-hander Cody Gray.

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.

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Frontier League Stories from September 5, 2015


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