Miners Pounce Early to Top Rockford
August 21, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners scored all five of their runs on two home runs in the first inning and Jarett Miller was outstanding, pitching six and one-thirds innings of one-run ball with a season-high 10 strikeouts as the Miners led wire to wire for a 5-3 win over the Rockford Aviators at Aviators Stadium on Friday night.
The Miners got the bats going early and often against Rockford rookie starter David Diaz (1-3), as Craig Massey led off with a double. After a ground ball moved him to third base, Michael Earley teed off, crushing a two-run homer to center field to give the Miners a 2-0 advantage. Immediately following that home run, Frank Martinez walked on four pitches and two batters later, Jerrud Sabourin worked a two-out walk. That set up Steve Marino, who cranked an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence to give the Miners a 5-0 lead. It was also Marino's 300th career hit.
Miller (5-3) took over from there. He set the tone early by striking out five in just the first two innings, eventually tossing six and one-third innings and setting a new season-high with 10 strikeouts with only three hits and three walks allowed. The Aviators were able to score three runs in the seventh, including a two-run homer by Anthony Renteria, to cut the lead down to 5-3, but that would be the closest the Aviators would get as Evan Mott and Eric Green pitched scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth, with Green notching his tenth save.
Massey ended up with three hits including two doubles to pace the Miners 11-hit offensive attack, while Earley and Sabourin had two hits apiece. All but two of the Miners' starting lineup had at least one hit as Southern Illinois took the series opener. Their win, along with an Evansville loss at River City, elevated the Miners back into first place in the overall league standings.
The Miners will look to take the series in game two on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m., with Ryan Brockett going up against Rockford right-hander Kyle Brueggemann.
Frontier League Stories from August 21, 2015
- Miners Pounce Early to Top Rockford - Southern Illinois Miners
- Rascals Beat Otters in Opener - River City Rascals
- ThunderBolts Split Doubleheader in Traverse City - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Wendorf Beats Former Team as Freedom Knocks off Boomers - Florence Y'alls
- Offense Silenced In Series Opener - Gateway Grizzlies
- The Crushers lose a four run lead in a wild game that included 18 total runs - Lake Erie Crushers
- The Otters Rally For Four in the Ninth, End Up One Short, Lose 8-7 - Evansville Otters
- Wendorf Beats Former Team as Freedom Knock off Boomers - Florence Y'alls
- CornBelters Lead Early, Hold off Late Rallies to Beat Greys - Normal CornBelters
- Florence Drops Boomers in Series Opener - Schaumburg Boomers
- Slammers Defeat Lake Erie 11-7 on Friday - Joliet Slammers
- Zargoza Leads Washington to 3-1 Victory - Washington Wild Things
- August 21 Florence Freedom Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Normal CornBelters Game Tonight - Normal CornBelters
- Chuck Weaver Joins Miami Marlins Organization - Florence Y'alls
- Miners Score Huge Comeback Win at River City - Southern Illinois Miners
- Aviators Sweep Otters in Doubleheader - Rockford Aviators
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.
