Otters Four Home Runs Not Enough in 7-6 Loss
August 13, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release
Rockford, IL- The Evansville Otters (48-27) hit four home runs on the night, but it was not enough to defeat the Rockford Aviators (42-33) as they dropped the series finale 7-6.
Things started off with a last for the Otters as they worked two walks in the top of the first inning before Jeremy Nowak launched his first home run of the season, a three run shot, out to right to give the Otters an early 3-0 lead. However, things started of poorly in the bottom of the frame as Otters starter, Hunter Ackerman, was victimized by a leadoff error, leading to three unearned runs for the Aviators and tying the game at three.
Two innings later the Otters regained the lead on another home run. This time it was the second basemen for the Otters, Josh Allen, turning on a 2-1 pitch and sending it clear of the wall in left field for an Otters 4-3 lead. That lead would disappear in the bottom of the frame though as after Ackerman allowed men to reach first and second with nobody out, he struck out the next two batters before a line shot right at the third basemen Nowak was misplayed, allowing the Aviators to once again tie the game.
The next man to join the home run barrage for the Otters was Chris Sweeney. Sweeney came to the plate in the fifth inning and hit a tape-measure shot out to left, pushing the Otters once again ahead, this time 5-4. The Aviators came back one more time, but in the this time took their first lead of the game by scoring two runs in the sixth, the last on a sacrifice fly.
Now it was the Otters turn to claw back into the game and they did just that in the next half inning. Dane Phillips, who had hit all six of his home runs coming into the game on the road, walloped a pitch in the top of the seventh and sent it clear out of Aviator Stadium, beyond the party porch in right, knotting the game at 6-6. However, the Aviators went back into the lead in the bottom of the seventh on another sacrifice fly, pulling ahead 7-6.
Clint Manzo, making his first appearance of the summer, allowed the run in the seventh and ran into trouble once again in the eighth inning and was forced to leave the game with one out and a runner at third base. Max Peterson, the pitching coach of the Otters, once again called on Connor Little to get the Otters out of the jam, and he came through one more time, striking out the first batter he faced and inducing a groundout to keep the Otters down by just one.
With the top of the lineup coming up in the top of the ninth it looked like the Otters had a chance to come back in their final at bats, but after getting men on first and second with two out, Nowak struck out on a 2-2 fastball to end the game.
Manzo took the loss in the game and is 0-1 on the season while going a 1.1 innings pitched. For Little, he now has 66 strikeouts in 49 innings and has stranded 20 of the 22 runners that he has inherited on the season. The four home runs hit by the Otters tonight are the second most on the season (they hit six in the 16-14, 13 inning game against the Grizzlies at the beginning of the second half of the season).
The Otters return home tomorrow night to face the Schaumburg Boomers for game one of the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm CDT with the pregame show featuring Mike Radomski, Bill Mckeon and Jake Donnelly slotted for 6:15 pm CDT.
Fans can listen to all three games in the Evansville area on 91.5 WUEV or online at EvansvilleOtters.com. Fans can purchase tickets by calling the team's front office at 812.435.8686 or online at EvansvilleOtters.com. For all of the latest information on the Otters, log on to EvansvilleOtters.com or follow the team's twitter account @EvilleOtters.
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