Vasquez Walks Off Again As Miners Top Greys In 14
August 20, 2014 - Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
MARION, ILL. (AUGUST 19, 2014) - The Southern Illinois Miners beat the Frontier Greys 3-2 in 14 innings on NIKO VASQUEZ's walk-off solo homer, capping a record-producing night at Rent One Park in Marion on Tuesday.
Shortstop RYAN CAVAN tied both the team and Frontier League record for hits in a game with a 6-for-7 performance, becoming the second Miner to accomplish the feat after Mike Scanzano did it on July 13th, 2007.
In addition, the Miners clinched their eighth consecutive winning season as a franchise with their 49th victory of the year, extending their own Frontier League record. They have never once had a losing season.
Before Vasquez won it off of former Miners reliever B.J. Hyatt (0-1)- the second straight home game for Southern Illinois the infielder has won on an extra-inning, walk-off homer- the game was a stalemate. Both teams had two runs, and both starting pitchers were responsible for both through the first five innings with only a solitary earned run on both MATT BYWATER and Mark Belcastro. Bywater ended up with the better overall performance, allowing just four hits, walking three and striking out eight in the contest. He also became the first pitcher in the Frontier League this season with 100 strikeouts with his eighth and final 'K'.
TYLER BOOTH gave the Miners the early lead with an RBI single, and after Cameron Monger doubled home the only two Greys runs in the fifth, AARON GATES drove home the tying run on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-2. Both teams had their opportunities late to pull ahead, with the Greys getting a runner in scoring position in the eighth and 13th, and Southern Illinois doing the same in the seventh, ninth, 12th and 13th before Vasquez's winning hit.
In addition to Cavan's 6-for-7 game, FRANK MARTINEZ, Vasquez and JAY AUSTIN had multiple hits in the contest. HUNTER ACKERMAN (1-0) got his first win as a Miner with two innings of relief, striking out three.
The Miners' pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts in the contests- eight by Bywater, four by DERRICK MIRAMONTES and two by JAMES BIERLEIN in addition to Ackerman's total.
The Miners will continue their series with the Greys at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday night, with MICHAEL CARDEN going up against the Greys' Brandon Rohde.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2012 Frontier League Champions and have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception. They also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, please contact the Rent One Park box office at 618-998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
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