Slammers take series over ThunderBolts behind early offense
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CRESTWOOD, IL – The Windy City ThunderBolts dropped a fifth straight game on Wednesday, falling 7-3 to the Joliet Slammers in the second game of a three-game series at Ozinga Field.
Joliet (5-11) got out to a fast start, plating four runs in the top of the first on three hits and a pair of free passes. It was that quick start that proved to be the difference in the game.
The Slammers added a run in the top of the second when Ian Battipaglia tripled and scored on a groundout. The ThunderBolts (8-10) got on the scoreboard in the home half of the inning with RBIs from Victory Cerny and James Dunlap to make it a 5-2 game.
Joliet continued its early-inning onslaught in the third with two runs off a Braylin Marine two-run homer. Jared Beebe and the Bolts answered in the bottom of the frame with a Beebe solo blast, sending a 7-3 game to the middle innings.
That would be all the scoring in the contest, as both starters settled in before turning things over to the bullpen. The Slammers’ bullpen combined for three innings of no-hit baseball down the stretch, while the ThunderBolts got four innings of two-hit baseball from the bullpen.
Ryan Daly (1-1) earned the win for Joliet, allowing three runs on three hits across six complete innings. Kevin Figueredo (2-2) was tagged with the loss for Windy City. After a shaky first few innings, Figueredo ended a two scoreless innings. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in five innings overall.
The ThunderBolts return to action Thursday for the third and final game of the series against the Slammers. AJ Campbell (2-0, 2.81) gets the ball for the Bolts in the sixth and final School Day game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. and broadcast information is available at wcthunderbolts.com.
