ThunderBolts Fall to Slammers as Weekend Series Evens
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CRESTWOOD, Ill. – Sixteen free passes issued by Windy City pitching was too much for the ThunderBolts to overcome Saturday night, as they fell to the Joliet Slammers 12-6 at Ozinga Field.
Windy City (42-41) struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first via a Jared Beebe two-run blast before Joliet (33-50) responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of the third, the Slammers scored five runs on three walks, an error and just two hits, including a Tyler Cerny grand slam, to take a 7-2 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the night.
Joliet added another run in the top of the fifth to make it 8-3 before the Bolts got back on the scoreboard in the sixth. A leadoff double from Beebe preceded a Carlos Pena RBI triple and a Victor Cerny RBI groundout to help Windy City cut slightly into the Joliet lead.
After the Slammers added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, the bottom of the frame represented the Bolts’ best opportunity to try to get back into the game. After the leadoff man was retired, the next five ThunderBolts reached base, including consecutive RBI singles from Pena and Cerny, before a double play ended a bases loaded threat.
From that point on, the Joliet bullpen kept Windy City off the scoreboard en route to the series-tying win.
Slammers starter Gunnar Kines (8-3) picked up the win, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing six runs. ThunderBolts starter Dante Maietta (1-4) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs in three innings of work.
The Bolts return to action Sunday for the rubber match with the Slammers. Tyler Biddinger (4-2, 5.62) gets the starting nod for Windy City. He’ll be opposed by Eric Turner (3-6, 6.27) for Joliet. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. CDT and broadcast information is available at wcthunderbolts.com.
