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FL River City Rascals

Rascals Drop Game Two against Normal

May 29, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
River City Rascals News Release


Three home runs and a solid pitching performance propelled the Normal Cornbelters over the River City Rascals 5-3 Saturday night at CarShield Field. River City (7-6) held the lead twice in the contest but a pair of two run shots, one by R.J Perucki in the 5th inning to tie the game, and then one from Nolan Meadows in the 6th gave the Normal Cornbelters (3-11) the lead and they would hold the two run lead the remainder of the game.

After Rascals starter Josh Wright notched a quick opening frame, Jason Merjano continued to dominate his old team and he got the Rascals on the score board first with a solo home run. Hitting in the lead-off spot for the first time this season, he gave the Rascals the lead and made it the tenth time this season River City has gotten on the board first.

Johnny Morales singled, stole second and then Josh Ludy walked to put two runners on with one down. Morales would end up stealing third but Cornbelters starter Jake Negrete got a fly out to end the threat.

The opponent would answer back with a home run of their own, a solo blast to left from Nolan Meadows and the game was tied going into the third.

Wright bounced back nicely after the home run retiring the side in the third and then Merjano and Morales both picked up their second hits of the contest to begin the home half of the inning. Josh Silver walked to load the bases with nobody out, however the Rascals were able to just get one run from it, a sacrifice fly from catcher Josh Ludy.

Willi Martin tallied his third double of the series the next Rascals offensive opportunity and then with two outs, Robby Enslen delivered a double of his own and put the Rascals up by two runs.

"It felt really good to get that hit, I went up there with confidence and tried to increase the lead to help my team win," Enslen said. "I got a ball that was hittable and I drove it into the right-center gap."

That would be the final lead the Rascals would hold as the Perucki's shot off of Wright tied it up in the fifth and then he was chased out of the game after a walk and a single with one out.

Manager Steve Brook called on veteran Nick Kennedy and he kept the game tied by inducing a double play ball to Cornbelters second baseman Santiago Chirino.

The Cornbelters got to the righty in the next inning though, with a leadoff single from Aaron Dudley and their third homerun of the night, the two-run home run from Nolan Meadows making it 5-3. Kennedy would go on to retire the next five hitters before allowing two more runners to reach and was replaced by Jared Wilson.

Wilson struck out the final hitter in the inning and then struck out six in the final two frames to keep the Cornbelters off the scoreboard. Up to this point in the season, no Rascal had struck out the side or recorded more than five in a game. Wilson recorded seven and struck out the side twice.

"I have never done that before, I have struck out the side once but that was it," the righty said. "My curveball was feeling really good today, it kept catching the bottom of the zone and Ludy did a really good job sticking it there."

River City wasn't able to feed off that in the bottom of the ninth as Cornbelters closer Race Parmenter retired the side in order, setting up the rubber match Sunday at CarShield Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 with Jack Duffey making his Rascals debut.

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