RiverHawks Rally Late to Win
Published on June 26, 2009 under Frontier League (FL)
Rockford RiverHawks News Release
MARION, Ill. - Robert Sabates was the featured player among a collection of clutch hitters on Friday.
Sabates drove in the go-ahead runs with a three-run, two-out double in the top of the ninth inning. The RiverHawks scored five two-out runs in the final two innings after they had blown a five-run lead and held on to beat Southern Illinois, 10-7.
Rockford took two of three games from the Miners and has won four of its last six.
Sabates was 3-for-5, including a two-out infield hit to extend Rockford's game-tying, two-run rally in the eighth inning.
Rockford's 3-4-5 hitters combined for seven hits. Jason James was 2-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 24 games. Cleanup hitter Todd Martin, who batted in front of Sabates, was 2-for-4 and hit a two-run homer.
Rockford built a 5-0 lead over the first five innings. In the second, Martin led off with a double. Sabates singled him home and later scored on an error. In the third, James singled with one out and Martin lined a homer into the bullpen beyond the fence in right field. In the fifth, Matt Mazurek singled, stole second and scored on Doug Sanders' single.
The Miners rallied for four runs - three of them unearned - in the sixth inning and took the lead with a three-run seventh inning. Former RiverHawk Andrew Sweet hit a two-out, two-run single to center field to give the Miners a 7-5 lead.
In the top of the eighth, James singled with one out. After Sabates reached base with two outs, Ross McCoy singled home a run. Southern Illinois went to closer Michael Phelps, who gave up Aaron Cone's game-tying single.
In the ninth, Phelps (1-2) walked Mazurek, James and Martin to load the bases for Sabates, who lived Phelps' first pitch to right-center.
Rookie Elliott Cribby (1-0), the last of four Rockford relievers, pitched 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief for his first professional victory. Rockford pitching combined to five-hit the Miners.
The RiverHawks visit Windy City at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. The game is not scheduled for local broadcast. Windy City's webcast is available to fans who visit www.frontierleague.com.
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