Miners Storm Back Late to Beat Otters
August 11, 2021 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Jared Mang of the Southern Illinois Miners
(Southern Illinois Miners)
Marion, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners scored two times in the seventh inning to tie the game on Tuesday night against the Evansville Otters on the road, then plated three runs to take the lead in the eighth in a 6-3 victory at Bosse Field, the team's third consecutive win.
It was Evansville who struck first against Miners starter Michael Austin in the bottom of the first inning, as J.R. Davis scored Miles Gordon from second base with an RBI single for a quick 1-0 lead. A solo home run by Dakota Phillips made the score 2-0 in the third, but that was the only base runner Austin allowed in his final three and two-thirds innings, retiring 11 of the last 12 he faced and keeping the Miners in the game.
After being shut out through five innings by Otters starter Tim Holdgrafer, the Miners' offense came to life in the sixth. Nolan Earley doubled down the left field line, and two batters later, with two outs, Ian Walters made it 2-1 with an RBI single. The one-run deficit was short-lived, as Elijah MacNamee's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth against newest Miner Jake Fisher made it 3-1. But Fisher (3-6) would retire the final six hitters he faced, including three on strikeouts, while the Miners' offense kept on coming against the Otters' bullpen.
In the seventh, Luke Mangieri led off with a double against Tyler Spring, and scored on another double by Jared Mang to make it a 3-2 game. After a sacrifice bunt by Arturo Nieto and a walk by Bryant Flete put runners at first and third base with one out, Yeltsin Gudiño laid down a squeeze bunt to score Mang from third and tie the game at 3-3.
Then, in the eighth, a leadoff error by Otters third baseman Andretty Cordero allowed Ariel Sandoval to reach base. He stole second base, and after two outs were recorded by Taylor Wright (0-5), Mangieri lined an RBI double to right-center field to score the go-ahead run and make it 4-3. Two pitches later, Mang crushed a two-run home run to left-center field to make it 6-3 Miners.
That was all the Southern Illinois needed, as Joey Pulido tossed a scoreless eighth before Ryan Miller struck out the side in the ninth, recording his fifth save as the Miners took the opener of the critical three-game set with their fifth win in their last six games overall. Mang led an 11-hit attack by the offense by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs, finishing a triple away from the cycle. Mangieri added a 2-for-4 game with a pair of doubles and two runs scored along with an RBI, while on the mound, Fisher got the win in his debut with the Miners after being acquired in a trade from the Windy City ThunderBolts.
Southern Illinois will look to win a fourth straight game and the series in the middle game on Wednesday, August 11, at 6:35 p.m. Gunnar Kines will pitch for the Miners in a battle of left-handers at Bosse Field against Evansville's Braden Scott.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League's most-successful franchise since debuting in 2007, winning the 2012 Frontier League Championship as well as division titles in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016. 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 their inaugural season. In addition, they have sent 60 players to MLB organizations in their 14 years of operation. For ticket information, contact the box office at (618) 998-8499. For additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
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 Jared Mang of the Southern Illinois Miners |
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