Miners score twice in tenth to beat Belters
Published on July 27, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
The Normal CornBelters, presented by Illinois Corn Growers, played in their second game of the week with a late comeback, but this time it was the Southern Illinois Miners who scored twice in the bottom of the tenth with two outs to beat the Belters 3-2 at Rent One Park in Marion, Illinois on Wednesday night. The CornBelters had taken the lead in the top of the extra frame, but couldn't hold on in the bottom half.
Both teams registered triples but couldn't score. Frank Martinez hit a three-bagger to left-center in the first with two outs for the CornBelters, and Cannon Lester tripled to lead off the fourth but was cut down at the plate while trying to advance on a ground ball to third.
The Miners dug out the first run in the fifth inning. Sean Harrell drew a two-out walk and stole second, then scored with a two-out triple to deep center field by Will Block that went off the glove of Alvaro Ramirez as he ran to the warning track to try to make the play.
The CornBelters quickly tied the game at 1-1 with another rare display of power from Alvaro Ramirez, who led off the sixth inning with his second home run of the week and the season over the right field wall into the Miners bullpen.
Southern Illinois threw a scare at the Belters in the seventh, loading the bases with nobody out but failing to score. Sam Wiley led off with a single, and Boomer Blanchard's bunt attempt was ruled to have touched Normal first baseman Steve Alexander as the fielder attempted to let the ball roll foul. A ground ball filled the bases due to a throwing error, but reliever Andy Mee coaxed a ground ball to get the lead runner at the plate, then struck out the next two Miners to get out of the frame.
The CornBelters broke through in the tenth. Andrew Barbaro led off with a base hit, and Alvaro Ramirez sacrificed pinch-runner A.J. Miller to second. Miller went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single to right by Frank Martinez for his 41st RBI of the season to give the Belters the 2-1 advantage.
The Miners pieced together the winning runs with two outs. After Normal reliever Marshall Schuler entered the game to start the tenth, and quickly struck out Will Block and retired Sean Coughlin on a ground ball. Schuler walked Cannon Lester, who went to third on a base hit by Nate Hall. A double bounced over the wall in the left field corner from Kent Walton to tie the game, and Sam Wiley lined the game-winning single to left center to end the game.
Schuler falls to 1-2 with the loss. Clayton Dill improves to 3-0 with the win.
The series continues at Rent One Park in Marion on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. with right-handers starting for both teams, Tyler Lavigne (3-7, 3.40) for the CornBelters and David Harden (5-2, 2.76) for the Miners. Pre-game on WEZC-FM 95.9 and WJBC.com begins at 6:50.
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