ThunderBolts Can’t Overcome Slow Start, Fall in Rubber Match
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EVANSVILLE, IN – The Evansville Otters plated seven runs in the first inning and held off a ThunderBolts’ run to deal the Bolts a 14-6 loss in the finale at Bosse Field Sunday night.
The Bolts (29-29) scored the first run in the top of the first. Liam McArthur walked and Justin Fogel doubled him in, but that was the last lead they would hold.
Evansville (35-23) sent 11 men to the plate in a seven-run bottom of the frame. Marcos Gonzalez tied the score with an RBI single and LG Castillo gave the Otters their first lead with a two-run double. With two outs, it looked like AJ Campbell would get out of the inning, but back-to-back errors kept it alive for TJ Salvaggio, who hit a three-run homer, giving his team a six-run lead.
The Bolts fought back, getting a run in the fourth on a Michael Sandle RBI single. They put two more runs on the board in the fifth as Daryl Ruiz doubled and James Dunlap brought home a run on a base hit, making the score 8-4.
In the sixth, the first three batters reached base and Sandle picked up another RBI hit. But Alex Valdez came out of the Evansville bullpen and shut the door. Jared Beebe’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 8-6, but that was as close as the Bolts would get.
The Otters batted around in the seventh, scoring four more runs, and they added another pair in the eighth to put the game away.
Junior Cerda (2-0) allowed four runs (three earned) over five innings to secure the win. Campbell (5-4) took the loss. He gave up eight runs (four earned) in 5.2 innings.
The ThunderBolts begin a four-game series with a single road game in Schaumburg on Monday. Ramon Rodriguez will make his pro debut on the mound for the Bolts and Schaumburg will counter with Derek Salata (3-4, 4.73). First pitch from Wintrust Field is slated for 6:30 and the broadcast details can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
