RailCats Pound out 17 Hits, Top Joliet 10-2 as Playoff Hopes Stay Bright
August 27, 2005 - Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
Gary, Ind.-Fehlandt Lentini and Ben Risinger belted home runs to lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats to a 10-2 victory over the Joliet JackHammers on Saturday before a crowd of 5,305 at U. S. Steel Yard. The victory allowed the RailCats to clinch a winning record for the season as they improved to 49-40 with seven games to play. The RailCats also took a step forward in their pursuit of their first-ever playoff appearance. They increased their lead in the wildcard race to three and one-half games over the Calgary Vipers, who lost to Fargo-Moorhead on Saturday night. The RailCats trimmed their magic number to four in the wildcard race. Joliet jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning before Lentini followed an Anthony Iapoce triple with a line drive home run in the third inning, Lentini's 10th of the season, to make it 2-2. Lentini also extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games, matching the team season high. Gary took the lead in the fourth when Tanner Townsend doubled to left center field, went to third on Jay Pecci's ground out, and scored on Eric McNamee' s single up the middle. In the sixth, Townsend singled with one out and went to second on Pecci's single to center. McNamee doubled to right to drive in Townsend and Pecci, and McNamee eventually scored on Iapoce's sacrifice fly to make it 6-2. In the seventh, Risinger blasted a titanic home run off the scoreboard in left center, a two-run shot. Townsend added a run-scoring double later in the inning, and Pecci drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to close out the scoring. RailCats starting pitcher Willie Glen (8-3) earned the win, going six innings and allowing six hits and two runs with two walks and seven strikeouts. Glen also broke the RailCats single-season strikeouts record. Gary matched a season-high with 17 hits including three by both Risinger and Townsend. The RailCats wrap up their three game series with Joliet on Sunday at 2:00 PM. Mike Schaefer (3-8, 5.01) will start for Gary against Jason Shelley (5-10, 5.40). After an off-day on Monday, the RailCats host St. Paul in a three game set starting Tuesday at 7:00 PM at U. S. Steel Yard.
Northern League Stories from August 27, 2005
- Win Streak Now At 10 - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- One Swing Wins It Again for T-Bones, 3-1 - Kansas City Monarchs
- Schaumburg Gets First Win Against Cracker-Cats - Schaumburg Flyers
- Joe Mathis of Fargo-Moorhead Receives Two-Game Suspension from Northern League - NL
- Middle innings again a killer for JackHammers - Joliet JackHammers
- RailCats Pound out 17 Hits, Top Joliet 10-2 as Playoff Hopes Stay Bright - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Soccer Day at U. S. Steel Yard Will Feature Chicago Fire Players - Gary SouthShore Railcats
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