RiverHawks fall in front of another sellout crowd
July 31, 2010 - Northern League (NL)
Rockford RiverHawks News Release
LOVES PARK, Ill. - Jake Blackwood and Ray Sadler hit a familiar target on Saturday.
Blackwood and Sadler each hit home runs off Rockford starter Mike Wood as the Kansas City T-Bones beat the RiverHawks, 5-3, in front of a sellout crowd at Road Ranger Stadium.
Sadler broke a 3-3 tie with a leadoff homer in the eighth inning off Wood. Blackwood hit a first-inning homer for the T-Bones, who never trailed. Wood gave up four home runs, two to Sadler and one to Blackwood, in his last start, a 10-1 loss on Sunday at Kansas City.
Evan McArthur was a career-best 4-for-4 for the RiverHawks, who remained 3½ games out of the final Northern League playoff spot. Fourth-place Winnipeg was a 9-4 loser at Lake County.
The standing-room-only crowd of 4,328 was the third sellout of the homestand and the 10th of the year.
Rockford rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the middle innings. The RiverHawks scored a run in the fifth and tied the game in the sixth on Ian Church's RBI single and Jake Eigsti's sacrifice fly.
Wood (1-5) left after he surrendered Sadler's home run and a single to the following hitter, Jim Fasano. Fasano, who walked in his four other plate appearances, extended his hitting streak to 21 games.
The T-Bones added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a bloop triple down the line in left field by Keanon Simon and double to the fence in center by Blackwood.
Casey Hodges (1-1) won in relief. Drew Shetrone pitched into and out of a two-on, two-out jam in the bottom of the ninth and earned the save in his KC debut. Shetrone, who has also pitched for Winnipeg and Joliet, has eight total saves.
The series finale is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Sunday. It's Costcutters Family Night. Early arrivals receive a large-size Scott Roehl baseball card. Kids 12 and younger can run the bases after the game, plus players sign autographs. The Illinois Railway Museum and Midwest Rail Junction sponsor free rides on the RiverHawks Express stadium train.
The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league in its 18th season. Advertising and ticket information is available by calling (815) 885-2255. Games are broadcast live on ESPN 1380 (WTJK-AM) and on ESPN1380.com. Fans can also visit the RiverHawks online at www.rockfordriverhawks.com.
Northern League Stories from July 31, 2010
- Flyers hold off Redhawks for 9-7 win - Schaumburg Flyers
- JackHammers Win in Walk Off Style Over âCats - Joliet JackHammers
- RailCats Rally in Ninth But JackHammers Win in Tenth - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Sadler Drives in Three as T-Bones End Three-Game Skid - Kansas City Monarchs
- Fielders come back to defeat Goldeyes - Lake County Fielders
- RiverHawks fall in front of another sellout crowd - Rockford RiverHawks
- Fast Start Fades for Goldeyes - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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