FL Joliet Slammers

September 8 Joliet Slammers Playoffs Game Notes

Published on September 8, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


JOLIET SLAMMERS (56-40, 1-0) vs. LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS (51-44, 0-1)

Thursday, September 8 - 7:05 p.m. CT

Silver Cross Field - Joliet, IL

Playoff Game #2- (Best of five series: Slammers lead 1-0)

RHP #39 TOMMY MENDOZA (6-2, 4.00 ERA) vs. RHP #32 ERIC GONZALEZ-DIAZ (4-1, 3.11 ERA)

Last Time Out.

With his pirate flag flying in center, "Captain" Jake Renshaw lived up to his nickname as he went seven strong innings in Joliet's 5-2 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers Wednesday night in game one of the first round of the Frontier League playoffs. The teams traded runs in the fourth before the Slammers broke through in the fifth inning with three runs. Josh Flores tripled to start the frame. One out later Pellot singled him home and Joliet was up 2-1. They weren't done as Lis doubled in Pellot. Lis advanced to third on the throw home and scored on a Kyle Maunus RBI grounder to make the score 4-1 in favor of the Slammers. The Crushers picked up a run in the sixth but the Slammers responded with one of their own in the seventh. Renshaw went seven innings, scattering six hits, giving up two runs (one earned), walking one and striking out six. Brian Smith and Ryan Quigley finished things off.

For Starters.

Tommy Mendoza is coming off a no-decision on August 31 against the Windy City ThunderBolts. In that game he went six innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Mendoza started three times against the Lake Erie Crushers this season and was 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA. He tossed 18 innings against Lake Erie and gave up seven earned runs. Mendoza was a 5th round draft pick of the Angels in 2005. He has a career ERA of 3.97 over six minor league seasons. The right-handed pitcher rose to the Triple-A level at the age of 21 in 2009. He was 7-7 with a 3.36 ERA for Double-A Arkansas and was named a Texas League All Star before earning the promotion to Salt Lake. With the Bees he went 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Mendoza suffered from multiple injuries in 2010 which only allowed him to pitch in 10 games. He spent of the off-season rehabbing a partially torn labrum.

Back on track.

Last night's win snapped a five-game home losing streak for the Slammers, their longest of the season.

A couple of firsts.

Hector Pellot recorded the first hit in team playoff history with his double in the first inning last night. David Fox drove in Kyle Maunus in the fourth inning for the first run in team playoff history.

We're talking about playoffs.

Joliet is the only Frontier League expansion team to finish first in their division during the regular season. The Slammers clinched a spot in the playoffs on August 28 and clinched the division title on August 31. The Slammers look to join the Crushers and the Canton Crocodiles as the only expansion teams to win the league title since 1997. Joliet went 8-4 during the regular season against the Crushers but only finished 3-3 against Lake Erie at Silver Cross Field. Against tonight's starter Eric Gonzalez-Diaz, Joliet's offense struggled the one time they faced him as he went seven innings, giving up only two runs on six hits. They didn't draw any walks and struck out six times in the loss.

Comeback kids.

Last night was another comeback win for Joliet. More than half of Joliet's 56 regular season wins were come-from-behind victories as they tallied 30 on the year.

League honors.

Bart Zeller earned the Frontier League's Manager of the Year award and Ryan Quigley was named a post-season all-star. In addition, General Manager John Dittrich and President Bill Waliewski earned Frontier League Executive of the Year honors.

Getting on base.

Brad Netzel ended the season by reaching base in 34 straight games, the longest such streak for a Joliet player this season. He got on base again last night to extend the streak into the playoffs.

Save me..

Joliet native Ryan Quigley set a single-season Frontier League record with 28 saves and tallied another one last night in game one of the playoffs.

Check out the Joliet Slammers Statistics

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