FL Evansville Otters

Otters split with Rascals

Published on August 16, 2006 under Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release


Evansville, IN-The Evansville Otters (34-41) played all three phases of the game well on Wednesday, earning a split of the first two games against the River City Rascals (30-46) with a 5-3 win at Bosse Field in front of 1,385 fans. The win increases the Otters lead over their competition for the second spot in the Western Division for that final playoff spot. Their lead is currently three and a half games over the Windy City ThunderBolts.

The pitching was solid with Chris Pillsbury earning the win to improve to 5-4 on the year. Chris did not have his best stuff working, but still certainly did pitch well enough to earn the victory. Chris went five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while walking four and striking out three. Anthony Del Prete had one of his best nights of the season, striking out four in three innings of shutout work. Deli then handed the ball over to Otter closer Mike Bille who did give up a single but still notched his 16th save of the season, tying a single season record for the Evansville franchise.

All of the offense for both teams would come early, as the Rascals scored a run in the first and two in the second while Evansville pushed across three in the first and then a run in each the second and third innings.

Down 1-0, Evansville went immediately to work with a lead off walk to Frank Scott and a single to right by Dale Mueller to put them at the corners. With one out, Adam Heffron hit a sacrifice liner to right to bring home Scott to tie the game at a run apiece. Newly acquired outfielder Mike Galloway then crushed the delivery of starter Adam Tyler over the right-center field wall for his first homer as an Otter, a blow that gave Evansville a 3-1 lead.

The Rascals responded however, as the first four batters reached against Pillsbury, including a bases loaded hit batter that brought in the second run of the night. The tying run came into score on a Mike Just sacrifice fly, but Evansville averted further damage on a sweet 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam.

The Otters broke the tie in the second with a two out RBI hit from Matt Edwards, scoring Scott who walked for the second straight at-bat. Frank would finish the night 1-1 with a personal high of walks with three.

Jeff Goldbach's tenth homer of the season, a solo shot in the third welcomed in reliever Steve Alverson to the game, a towering moon shot that cleared both levels of outfield wall at Bosse Field. The home run also gave the Otters their biggest lead of the night 5-3, in what turned out to be the last runs scored in the game.

Rascal starter Adam Tyler (1-2) took the loss, going just two innings. He allowed four runs on five hits with a pair of walks included. The River City pen was pretty solid after that, working six innings, allowing just one run.

From there both teams put it on cruise control and the bullpens took over to keep the game on ice for the Otters and give them their 25th win of the season at home. The Otters also improved to 22-14 against the Western Division.

The rubber game of the series will feature Evansville lefty Matt Restivo on the hill for the finale of the six game home stand. Matt got his fourth win of the season in his last start, defeating the Florence Freedom 3-1. Matt gave up just one run in his five innings of work. He'll be opposed by right-hander Shawn Phillips who is 1-0 on the year.

Otter Tracks: Evansville is 5-3 this year in rubber games. The team is also 13-12 in series play this year. The home run for Goldbach gives him 29 in his Otter career, a career record for the franchise. Jeff also has a bit of a wild card home run waiting for him in a few days as when the Otters play the suspended game at Gateway on August 21, Jeff will get credit for a home run he hit on August 4, but has not counted yet as the game is suspended.

The Otters nearly made it through the night playing error free baseball, but did give one up in the ninth on a hustle play from Galloway in right field. With two out, pinch hitter Justin McKinley hit a soft liner to right that Galloway tried to make a diving catch for. Instead the ball kicked away from him, sending the runner to third. Bille got the final out just a few pitches later however.

Check out the Evansville Otters Statistics

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Frontier League Stories from August 16, 2006


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