RailCats battle back from big deficit, beat Joliet
Published on June 5, 2006 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
Gary, Indiana: Eric McNamee lined a double to right to drive in two runs and break a 7-7 tie the in eighth inning as the Gary SouthShore RailCats battled back from a five run deficit to defeat the Joliet JackHammers 10-7 on Monday. The win gave the RailCats consecutive victories for the first time this season and improved their record to 6-12. Joliet fell to 4-12 in losing their seventh straight game.
Joliet built an early 6-1 lead, getting a third inning grand slam home run from Jayson Drobiak off RailCats starting pitcher Josh Habel. But the RailCats battled back with five runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game.
The rally began with a walk to McNamee and Mike Coles was hit by a pitch. Steve Haake singled to center to drive in McNamee, and Jermaine Allensworth doubled to left to bring in Coles and make it 6-3. After Tanner Townsend struck out, Nathan Haynes legged out an infield single as Haake scored, and Andy Rohleder followed with a single to left to drive in Allensworth and make it 6-5. Haynes scored on Chris Currys infield ground out to tie the game.
Gary took the lead in the fourth when Allensworth walked with two outs and scored on a triple by Tanner Townsend to make it 7-6.
It remained a one-run game until the eighth inning when Joliets Greg Stevens lined a game-tying home run to right to make it 7-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, Curry doubled to left with one out and Alex Taylor followed with a single to left to bring up McNamee in a first and third situation. He sent a line drive down the right field line that brought in both runners to make it 9-7. After a single by Coles, Haake delivered a sacrifice fly to center to bring in McNamee and give Gary a 10-7 lead.
Travis Kerber pitched a perfect ninth to earn his first save. Schmidt, who allowed one run over two innings, earned the win (1-1).
The RailCats and JackHammers meet on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Jason Shelley, who spent the 2005 season with Joliet, will start for Gary. He is 1-2, 4.76. The JackHammers will counter with Brad Morenko (1-2, 3.26).
Notes: Jay Pecci missed the game due to a sprained hamstring. He is expected to miss Tuesdays game and return to action Wednesday. The RailCats have at least six runs and at least 10 hits in five straight games. Schmidts victory was the first of the year for the Gary bullpen corps after six losses. Taylor is 8 for 16 (.500) over his last four games. The win marked the largest deficit (five runs) that the RailCats have overcome to win a game this season.
Northern League Stories from June 5, 2006
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- Rain Monday... T-Bones Play Two Tuesday - Kansas City Monarchs
- JackHammers fall 10-7 - Joliet JackHammers
- RailCats battle back from big deficit, beat Joliet - Gary SouthShore Railcats
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- Another first for Jimmy Hurst - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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