Miners Halt Late Grizzlies Push for Win
Published on June 28, 2017 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, Ill. (June 27, 2017) - The Southern Illinois Miners secured their seventh victory in their last ten games overall thanks to a pair of home runs by Ryan Lashley and stout work by the bullpen to hold an early lead in a 5-4 triumph over the Gateway Grizzlies at GCS Credit Union Ballpark in Sauget on Tuesday night.
Two batters into the game against Gateway starter and Murphysboro native Dylan Craig (1-5), the Miners had the lead, as after Craig Massey singled leading off the game, Lashley hit a two-run homer down the right field line for a 2-0 advantage. Two Gateway errors in the second inning led to a third Miners run for a 3-0 advantage, and after Gateway came back with two runs on a single by Matt Hearn in the second to make it 3-2, Southern Illinois would add single runs their next two turns at bat.
In the third, with two outs and men at first and second base, Ryan Sluder lined a single into the outfield to score Anthony Critelli to make it 4-2, and Lashley led off the fourth inning with a solo shot, his second homer of the game, over the left field fence to make it 5-2.
Gateway responded with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings against Chris Washington (1-0), drawing within 5-4 on Jack Hranec's solo home run in the sixth. The Grizzlies then loaded the bases with one out that same inning, but Nick Palacios struck out Hearn and got Brent Sakurai to pop out to preserve the lead.
After working a flawless seventh inning, in the eighth, Kyle Tinius faced a bases-loaded situation as well, walking three in the inning, but got Sakurai to again pop out to end the threat and send the game to the ninth inning. John Werner then secured his seventh save of the season by striking out the side, the last two batters representing a potential winning run with a runner on second base, as the Miners won the series opener.
Lashley finished with three total RBIs and two runs scored on his two home runs, while Washington lasted five and one-third innings, striking out five in the contest to earn his first professional win. Critelli also added two hits in the contest as Southern Illinois won their second straight while sending the Grizzlies to their eighth straight loss.
The Miners will look for a third straight victory and a series win against the Grizzlies on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m., with Austin Dubsky making the start for Southern Illinois against Gateway's Will Anderson.
Frontier League Stories from June 28, 2017
- CornBelters Drop Series Finale to Otters - Normal CornBelters
- Miners Halt Late Grizzlies Push for Win - Southern Illinois Miners
- Slammers Continue Winning Streak over First Place Boomers - Joliet Slammers
- Road Win Streak Ends as Boomers Fall at Joliet - Schaumburg Boomers
- Grizzlies Comeback Attempt Comes up Short - Gateway Grizzlies
- Traverse City D. Lake Erie Crushers - FL
- ThunderBolts Snap Skid, Beat Lake Erie - Windy City ThunderBolts
- CornBelters Split Twinbill with Otters - Normal CornBelters
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.
