Biddinger Shuts Down Joliet in ThunderBolts Win
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CRESTWOOD, IL – Tyler Biddinger threw seven shutout innings as the ThunderBolts took the rubber game from the Joliet Slammers with an 8-0 win at Ozinga Field Sunday afternoon.
Biddinger faced early trouble when a walk and a single put runners at the corners with two outs in the first, but Joliet (33-51) was unable to score and didn’t get another hit until the sixth inning.
The Bolts (43-41) loaded the bases in the bottom of the first on two walks and a hit before Carlos Peña brought home two runs on a double. The next inning, Tony Livermore walked and scored all the way from first on a Michael Sandle infield single that was coupled with a throwing error.
The game was put away by the Bolts in the fourth inning. After back-to-back walks, Robbie Ayers knocked a three-run homer that made the score 6-0. Livermore followed the home run with a single and came around to score on a Liam McArhur double.
McArthur added one more RBI when he singled home Livermore again in the fifth, making it 8-0.
That was more than enough for Biddinger, who at one point, retired 11 consecutive batters. After the shutout was threatened by a leadoff double in the seventh, he set down the final three hitters he faced, preventing the run. A pair of relievers preserved the shutout with two perfect innings.
Biddinger improved to 5-2 with his third consecutive win and Eric Turner (3-7) walked five and allowed eight runs over 4.2 innings to take the loss.
The ThunderBolts take Monday off before beginning a big three-game series against the Schaumburg Boomers on Tuesday night. It’s $2 Tuesday at Ozinga Field with all tickets selling for just two dollars as Ramon Rodriguez (2-2, 3.99) takes the mound for the Bolts against Schaumburg’s Derek Salata (5-5, 4.47). The ThunderBolts enter the series five games behind Schaumburg for the West Division lead. First pitch for the series opener is set for 6:35 and broadcast details can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
