Miners Thrash Greys, Move Into First Place
Published on August 21, 2014 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
MARION, ILL. (AUGUST 20, 2014) - The Southern Illinois Miners took the early lead in the first inning and never trailed, piling on late in an offensive explosion of 22 runs on 22 hits to blow out the Greys 22-0 at Rent One Park on Wednesday night and move into first place by themselves in the East division for the first time this season.
The win, the Miners' 50th of the year, also tied manager MIKE PINTO with former Washington and Lake Erie skipper John Massarelli for second place on the all-time managerial wins list in the Frontier League, equaling exactly his record in the process (440-313).
It started on FRANK MARTINEZ's two-run double in the first inning and continued when the Miners piled on five more runs in the third on RBI hits by RYAN CAVAN, AARON GATES and CHRIS BURKE. After an RBI fielder's choice by Cavan made it 8-0 in the fourth, Southern Illinois would tack on an astonishing 14 runs in their final three turns at bat, snowballing the big lead into a rout.
Martinez and Burke combined for a whopping nine RBIs in the late-inning onslaught that featured four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh before the Miners tied their season-high with a seven-run eighth inning to finish on top 22-0.
Gates and NIKO VASQUEZ would also add RBIs in the later innings as the Miners moved into first place by themselves thanks to losses by Evansville and Washington earlier in the night. They are now a half-game up on three teams tied for second in the Otters, Wild Things and Lake Erie Crushers in the tight East division race.
Martinez went 3-for-5 with a season-high seven RBIs while Burke broke out with four hits in a 4-for-5 game and also had seven RBIs. Gates had three RBIs in a 3-for-5 game, while Vasquez drove in two and scored four runs. Cavan and Marquis Riley each had three runs scored, with Cavan driving in two. MATT HOWARD went 4-for-5 with five runs scored as well in the one-sided contest in which Southern Illinois had six extra-base hits (two doubles by Burke and Gates, a lone double by Martinez and a triple by Howard), but no home runs.
On the pitching side, MICHAEL CARDEN (5-3) pitched seven innings of shutout ball while allowing just five hits and two walks, striking out three to win his fourth straight decision as the Miners won in a game in which he started for the ninth straight time.
The Miners will go for the sweep on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
ANTHONY MONTEFUSCO will make his second start for the Miners and first at home, pitching against the Greys' Clint Wright.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2012 Frontier League Champions and have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception. They also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, please contact the Rent One Park box office at 618-998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
Frontier League Stories from August 21, 2014
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- Otters Lose Series Finale 4-2 at Traverse City - Evansville Otters
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- ThunderBolts Fall to Florence 3-0 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- August 21 Florence Freedom Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Otters Visit for Final Weekend Homestand - Rockford Aviators
- Miners Thrash Greys, Move Into First Place - Southern Illinois Miners
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