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FL Joliet Slammers

Small Ball Looms Large in Slammers' Win

August 9, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


Joliet, IL- Fundamental baseball played a large role in the Slammers (29-43) one run victory over the Freedom (34-38) on Sunday afternoon.

Florence got to Slammers' starter Kevin Walter in their first at bat. 2B Daniel Fraga led off with a sharp single up the middle and moved himself to third on two steals. 1B Sam Eberle hit a groundball to a drawn in Max Casper at second who fired home but a failed rundown put runners at the corners. LF Frazier Hall grounded out to first, on the play Fraga was able to score to make it 1-0 visitors.

The Freedom extended their lead in the third. SS Zac Mitchell reached on an infield single. He would later steal second and advance to third on a passed ball. Sam Eberle drove him home with a triple to left center making it 2-0.

The Slammers cut their deficit in half in the third. C John Cannon singled. CF Phil Bates was hit by a pitch. LF Nate Roberts found the outfield for a single which allowed Cannon to score. 2-1 Florence after three.

Joliet took the lead in the fourth inning against starter Cody Gray. RF Casey Fletcher singled. John Cannon continued his hot hitting with an RBI double to left center tying the game at two. 2B Ma Casper singled to center pushing Cannon to third. Phil Bates flied out to Frazier Hall in left, Cannon tagged and scored to give the Slammers a 3-2 lead.

Florence came right back in the top of the fifth. Daniel Fraga doubled down the left field line and was driven in by a slow single to center by Zac Mitchell. 3-3 after five innings of play.

The Slammers regained the lead in the sixth which started with RF Casey Fletcher being hit by a pitch. John Cannon reached base again with a walk. Max Casper laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt for out number one. Gray intentionally walked Phil Bates and was pulled from the game. Right hander Pete Levitt got Nate Roberts to fly out to center but it was deep enough for Fletcher to tag and score. 4-3 Slammers after six.

David Kubiak finished off the final two innings for the save facing the minimum and striking out three. Our Merchants and Manufacturers Bank Player of the Game was Nate Roberts. He went 3-for-4 with two RBI including the game winning sacrifice fly. The Slammers will have Monday off before going on the road for six games starting with a three game set against the Gateway Grizzlies.

Notes: Phil Bates extended his hitting streak to eight games... Slammers' one-two-three hitters combined to go 5-for-10...Slammers' seven-eight-nine hitters combined to go 5-for-9...Slammers' middle three hitters combined to go 0-for-11... Dan Tobik has not allowed a run in 10.2 IP...Dan Tobik received his first win of the season...David Kubiak earned his first save of the season...David Kubiak has not allowed a run in his last five innings...

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