FL Joliet Slammers

Slammers Earn First Win

May 20, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


Joliet, IL - The Joliet Slammers (1-4) needed one run to break a 3-3 tie heading into the eighth inning against the Lake Erie Crushers (2-3). They scored three on their way to a 6-3 victory for their first win of the season.

The game started out as a pitchers dual with Slammers hurler Jordan Guth and the Crushers Jacob Wilson tossing three scoreless innings apiece. Play, however, took a bizarre twist in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs 1B Joey Burney single, DH Jose Barraza moved him over with an infield hit and RF Ty Nelson walked to load the bases. LF Nick Zaharion hit a sharp ground ball that got past 3B Mike Garza, scoring Burney and Barraza. Phil Bates tried to throw out Barraza from left field at home, but the throw got away from C Jack Cleary. Nelson advanced to third on the throw and later came around to score, giving the Crushers a 3-0 advantage after the top of the fourth.

Joliet got back into the game on a crazy play of their own in the bottom half of the inning. With one out and 1B Chris Serritella at second and DH Russell Moldenhauer at first, SS Alfredo Rodriguez bounced the ball to third. Instead of trying turn a double play, 3B Anderson Hidalgo attempted to tag Serritella running past him and missed. He quickly threw to first, but was late in trying to get Rodriguez. Then the return throw to third by the 1B Burney went errant, allowing Serritella to score. Moldenhauer wounded up on third, and later came around to score on a wild pitch, cutting the Crushers lead to 3-2.

The Slammers tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a clutch hit from Bates. Garza singled to start the inning and run the starting pitcher Wilson from the game. SS Alfredo Rodriguez walked to put two aboard and with two outs Bates singled to left field to score Garza and tie the contest at 3-3.

Bates came up big again for the Slammers in the bottom of the eighth inning. Garza was hit by a pitch to start the frame, and Moldenhauer walked to put two aboard. Rodriguez pushed the pair over with a sacrifice bunt, and with two strikes and the infield in Bates hit a bouncing ball to the SS Juan Sanchez. Sanchez's throw home beat Garza to the plate, but the Slammers baserunner slid around the tag to score the go-ahead run. Cleary followed with a double to drive in Moldenhauer and move Bates to third. With one out and the infield still in, Casper laid a perfect bunt back to the pitcher Kyle McMillen. Bates scored on the squeeze play, giving the Slammers a 6-3 lead after the eighth inning.

With the Slammers leading 6-3 heading to the ninth inning, Navery Moore came on in relief of Guth. Moore retired the first two batters, then got C Keven Franchetti to fly out to center field to end the game. Guth pitched eight innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out eight, earning the title of Merchants and Manufacturers Bank Player of the Game. Moore tossed a scoreless inning in relief, giving up one hit while notching his first save of the season.

The Slammers will face off against the Crushers in the rubber match Thursday night at 7:05pm. Aaron Vaugh takes the hill for his first start against LHP Brad Zambron. Great seats are still available, but you can catch the livestream at http://www.jolietslammers.com/gameday/slammervision/ if you can't make it out to the ballpark.

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Frontier League Stories from May 20, 2015


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