ThunderBolts Eke out Opener over Wild Things
August 17, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release
CRESTWOOD, IL - The ThunderBolts played their fourth straight one-run game Friday night and held off the Washington Wild Things 3-2 to open their three-game series at Standard Bank Stadium
Washington (46-36) scored the first run of the game as the first two hitters walked and Hector Roa hit an RBI single.
The ThunderBolts (35-48) tied it up wit a run in the second inning. They loaded the bases on a hit batter and two walks before a Blair Beck double play scored Larry Balkwill.
In the third inning, Omar Obregon singled and scored on an Axel Johnson double that gave the ThunderBolts their first lead of the night at 2-1.
They added another run in the fifth. Balkwill walked and Tyler Straub moved him to third base on a double. Beck's RBI single gave the ThunderBolts their biggest lead of the night at 3-1.
After Washington's run in the first, Patrick Ledet settled in and allowed just five total hits over six innings. He struck out back-to-back hitters with a runner at third in the third inning and stranded another Wild Thing at third in the sixth with a strikeout and a groundout. Ledet finished with a career-high nine strikeouts.
Washington opened the seventh with two singles and got a run on an RBI groundout, but a double play ended that threat and, after they left another runner at third in the eighth inning, Devin Raftery shut them down with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his 14th save.
Ledet (6-7) allowed one run in six innings for the win and Jake Belinda (1-1) allowed three in six innings for the loss.
The ThunderBolts and Wild Things continue their series on Saturday night with Jake Welch (6-4, 3.66) starting against Chase Cunningham (6-5, 4.97). It is Elvis Night featuring a pregame concert from John Elvis Lyons with fireworks following the game. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
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