Miners Slip Past ThunderBolts 3-1
Published on July 10, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
CRESTWOOD, Ill. - The Miners survived a late rally and held on for a 3-1 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts Sunday night at Standard Bank Stadium. Windy City loaded the bases in the ninth but left the tying run at second base as Chase Porch popped up to end the game.
Erik Draxton retired the first batter he faced in the ninth before allowing an infield single to Zach Aakhus. Nick Kuroczko beat out a potential double play ball to extend the game. Draxton then walked Chad Cregar and surrendered a run scoring single to Chris Wade to plate Windy City's first run of the game. Ben Shivers then entered the game and walked Ryan Basham before inducing a pop up from Porch.
David Harden pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just three ground ball singles to pick up his fifth win in his final start before appearing in his first Frontier Leauge All-Star Game later this week.
Will Block and Sean Coughlin hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to give the Miners a 2-0 lead. The unearned runs were made possible after Windy City catcher Larry Pempek dropped a pop up in foul territory off the bat of Will Block that would have ended the inning.
Block picked up his second RBI of the game with a squeeze bunt in the top of the seventh. Boomer Blanchard led off the inning with a single up the middle, and Milons put runners a the corners with a perfectly executed hit-and-run. Blanchard slide in under the tag at home on Block's bunt single. Eric Suttle made two leaping grabs up against the leftfield wall to steal extra bases and a possible home run from Windy City leftfielder Ryan Basham and keep the shutout in tact.
Windy City starter Dustin Williams threw 101 pitches in five innings on three days rest and took the loss. He allowed two unearned runs off four hits and struck out five.
The Miners will begin the second half with a six-game homestand beginning with a three-game series against River City on Friday, July 15 at 7:05 p.m.
Frontier League Stories from July 10, 2011
- Slammers Sweep Their Way Past Normal - Joliet Slammers
- Slammers Sweep CornBelters - Normal CornBelters
- Big Third Lifts Miners - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Crushers Fall In First Half Finale - Lake Erie Crushers
- Miners Slip Past ThunderBolts 3-1 - Southern Illinois Miners
- Rascals Close First-Half with 6-2 Win - River City Rascals
- Bums Finish First Half with Win - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Grizzlies Head into the All-Star Break with Another Win - Gateway Grizzlies
- Washington ends first half with loss to Gateway - Washington Wild Things
- Freedom Fall Below .500 in 6-3 Loss - Florence Y'alls
- Rockford Wins Series Finale against Evansville, 3-0 - Evansville Otters
- Szymanski, Durand Combine for Two-Hitter, 3-0 Shutout - Rockford RiverHawks
- Joliet Slammers Game Notes - Joliet Slammers
- Evansville notches back to back wins, eyeing sweep tomorrow - Evansville Otters
- Evansville closer snuffs Rockford rally - Rockford RiverHawks
- Rascals Clinch Best First-Half Record - River City Rascals
- Rascals Clinch Best First-Half Record - River City Rascals
- Slammers prevail and remain in first place - Joliet Slammers
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