FL Southern Illinois Miners

Miners Rally Behind Moore, Kimborowicz to Win Series Finale

June 3, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release


Marion, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners got stellar starting pitching once again on the mound, and after the Windy City ThunderBolts scratched across the game's first run, they rallied for four runs in the seventh inning to avoid a three-game road sweep with a 4-2 victory at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood on Thursday night.

Right-hander Josh Kimborowicz and Windy City starter Clay Chapman engaged in a pitcher's duel deluxe through the first five innings, with each pitcher giving up just one single and holding the other team's offense down almost completely. For Kimborowicz, he did it by generating strikeouts in bunches, fanning the side in the first and fifth innings en route to a career-high and Miners season-high 11 punchouts on the game.

But it was Windy City that scratched across the first run in the bottom of the sixth when Tim Zier led off with a single and stole second base. The throw from catcher Riley Moore went into center field, allowing Zier to go to third before Reggie Lawson drove him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0, with the run unearned thanks to the error.

But in the top of the seventh, Southern Illinois would rally. Nolan Earley led off with a single and Alex De Leon worked an eight-pitch at-bat before walking, followed by a single by Aaron Gates, also after an eight-pitch at-bat, loading the bases with nobody out and chasing Chapman (1-1) from the contest. After reliever Brian Loconsole got a flyout for the first out of the inning, Jordan Brower drew a walk to force home the tying run and make it 1-1.

After a strikeout for the second out, Moore then came up and worked another eight-pitch at-bat, with the rookie coming up huge with a two-run single to right to give the Miners a 3-1 lead. Craig Massey followed with an RBI single of his own to push the lead to 4-1. Windy City would get a run back and chase Kimborowicz (3-0) on an RBI single with one out in the eighth by Blair Beck, but Jake Cose induced a double-play grounder to get out of the inning. Cose would get another double-play after a walk in the ninth before striking out Johnny Eierman to end the game.

Kimborowicz pitched seven and one-third innings and allowed just five hits and two runs (one earned) with his 11 strikeouts to earn the win, while Cose got his first save. Moore led the offense with two hits and the game-winning RBI for the Miners, who next return home for a three-game series with the Lake Erie Crushers beginning on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Jarett Miller will start for the Miners against former Southern Illinois righty Steve Hagen.

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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