FL Southern Illinois Miners

Miners snap three-game losing streak

Published on September 1, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release


O'Fallon, Mo. - The Miners snapped a three-game losing streak avoided a sweep with a 5-3 win over the River City Rascals Thursday night at T.R. Hughes Ballpark. Cannon Lester proved to be Mr. September as he powered the Miners offense with a pair of two-run homers. The win broke an eight game losing streak for the Miners at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.

Ian Campbell allowed just one run off seven hits and worked out of a couple of big jams in his six innings of work to improve his record to 2-0 in two starts. River City starter Kenny Arnerich allowed four runs, three of them earned, in six and two-thirds innings of work to take his first loss in his first spot start. Clayton Dill tossed a perfect ninth for the Miners to earn his 10th save of the year.

Lester extended the Miners lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning with a two-run homer to right-centerfield. It hit off the glove of rightfielder Jason Patton. Lester followed that up with another two-run shot in the seventh. It was his fifth of the season and his fourth against River City.

Southern Illinois struck in the first inning with the speed of Sean Harrell. He stretched a line drive to right into a double then stole third base. He trotted home when the throw to third went into left field.

River City finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Logan Parker delivered a sacrifice fly for his 84th RBI of the season. However, the Rascals stranded two more runners that inning.

The Rascals rallied for two unearned runs in the eighth off reliever Ryan Quigley. Stephen Holdren led off the inning with a single and moved to third when Quigley threw a potential double play ball into centerfield. Joash Brodin reached on a fielder's choice to score Holdren and cut the lead to 5-2. Brodin scored on a crazy play. With runners on first and third, Bobby Burk dropped down a bunt, and Quigley threw the ball past first baseman Ernie Banks. Brodin scored from second base on the play to cut the Miners lead to 5-3. Sawyer got a stop sign at third base, but Burk ran all the way to third base before realizing it was occupied. Burk was tagged out on the play, and Eric Williams grounded out to end the inning.

Campbell loaded up the bases in the third inning with nobody out and got out of it thanks to an unassisted double play from Ernie Banks followed by a weak ground out from Parker to maintain the Miners 1-0 lead. The Rascals stranded nine runners in the game.

With the win, the Miners improved to 58-35, matching their 2008 mark for second most wins in a single season. The win also prevented River City from having a chance to match the Frontier League record with 69 wins in a single season.

Miners second baseman Will Block had the night off. Earlier in the day he was voted to the Frontier League Post-Season All-Star Team.

Southern Illinois will return home to begin the final regular season series of 2011 on Friday with a three-game against the Evansville Otters. Righty David Harden (7-5, 2.88) will make the start for the Miners. Evansville will throw Dan Marcacci (5-3, 4.55).

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Frontier League Stories from September 1, 2011


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