FL Southern Illinois Miners

Miners Power Past Greys to Take Series

Published on July 30, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release


Marion, Ill. (July 30, 2015) - The Southern Illinois Miners engaged in a pitcher's duel against the Frontier Greys in a big rubber match between the two teams on Thursday night at Rent One Park, and it was the home team emerging victorious thanks to two solo homers in the sixth and seventh as well as eight innings of one-run ball by reigning Pitcher of the Year Matt Bywater to win the game and the series 2-1.

Bywater (8-3) and Greys starter Bobby Shore (4-5) tossed up five straight zeroes each on the scoreboard to begin the contest. Bywater also pitched a scoreless sixth inning, facing the minimum to that point, before Shore cracked first in the bottom of the sixth. After retiring the first two hitters in the frame for the 12th and 13th straight batters he retired spanning four innings, Niko Vasquez blasted a solo homer to left-center field to give the Miners a 1-0 lead. It was Vasquez's team-leading 11th homer of the season and represented the first time this year in six tries that the Miners scored first in a game against the Greys.

The visitors got that run back in the top of the seventh, however, the only run they would score off of Bywater in the game. After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, two wild pitches scored the tying run. With runners at second and third and two outs later in the inning, however, Bywater fanned Michael Antonio to keep the game tied at 1-1, and the Miners took the lead back in the bottom of the frame.

On a 2-2 pitch, Steve Marino launched his third homer of the season over the left field fence on the final pitch Shore threw, giving the Miners the lead back for good. Bywater finished off his outing with a 1-2-3 eighth and Eric Green struck out one in a perfect ninth for his fourth save, handing the Miners the series win. The Miners' ace pitched eight innings, allowing just one run on two hits with three walks and eight strikeouts to get his eighth win of the season.

The Miners now entertain the Evansville Otters for a big weekend series beginning on Friday night at 7:05 p.m., with the Miners trailing the Otters by two games in the standings for first place. Adam Lopez will take the ball for Southern Illinois in the opener against Evansville's Trevor Walch.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2014 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.

Check out the Southern Illinois Miners Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Frontier League Stories from July 30, 2015


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.

OurSports Central