McArthur beats former team with ninth-inning double
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JOLIET, IL – Liam McArthur hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth inning to help the ThunderBolts overcome a late deficit and defeat the Joliet Slammers 7-5 at Slammers Stadium Tuesday night.
Joliet (12-21) scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly but the Bolts (16-16) tied the score in the third on a Carlos Pena home run.
The Bolts took their first lead in the fourth when they loaded the bases on a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch. Joliet starter Eric Turner continued to struggle with his control as he walked in one run and hit the next batter to force in another, making it 3-1 ThunderBolts.
Joliet fought back quickly. They used two walks in the bottom of the inning to get a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Slammers loaded the base with two outs and broke the tie on a two-run Spencer Rich single.
Victor Cerny hit an RBI single in the seventh to cut the Bolts’ deficit to one, but they missed other opportunities for offense, leaving the bases loaded twice and stranding runners in scoring position in two other innings.
In the ninth, Cerny started the final scoring rally with a walk. Daryl Ruiz and James Dunlap both singled to load the bases. That brought McArthur to the plate. The all-time Slammers hits leader, playing his first game back at Slammers Stadium as a visitor, delivered the knockout blow, a bases clearing double that gave the Bolts the 7-5 win.
Oscar Serratos (1-0) came out of the bullpen with a scoreless eighth inning to earn his first professional victory and Carter Delaney tossed a scoreless ninth for his second save. Greyson Linderman (1-6) pitched the ninth for Joliet and took the loss.
The Bolts will try to make it five straight wins on Tuesday with AJ Campbell (4-1, 3.55) getting the start against Joliet’s Blane Zeplin (1-0, 8.59). First pitch from Slammers Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 for the series opener and broadcast information can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
