Mud Monsters take Sunday rubber match as ThunderBolts offense remains quiet
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CRESTWOOD, Ill. – For a second consecutive game, the Windy City ThunderBolts offense was held to just two runs as the Bolts fell 4-2 to the Mississippi Mud Monsters in Sunday’s rubber match.
For the third time in the series, Mississippi (25-32) got the scoring started. The Mud Monsters scored an unearned run off Windy City (28-27) starter Dante Maietta in the top of the first before the Bolts responded in the home half of the inning.
After Michael Sandle and Liam McArthur drew back-to-back walks to begin the bottom of the first, Jared Beebe lined an RBI double just inside the left field line to score Sandle.
Then, after Justin Fogel drew the third walk of the first inning for the Bolts, Victor Cerny grounded into a double play which brought in McArthur from third base to make it 2-1.
From that point on, both starting pitchers settled into the game. Maietta kept the Mud Monsters off the scoreboard for the rest of his six innings of work before the Bolts turned the game over to the bullpen for the top of the seventh.
There, Mississippi plated three runs on four hits and a walk to retake the lead at 4-2.
After Mud Monster starter Jackson Smith pitched a scoreless seventh inning, Mississippi got two scoreless innings of relief from its bullpen to close out the victory.
Smith (3-2) earned the win for the Mud Monsters, finishing off seven complete innings while allowing just those two first-inning runs on six hits. ThunderBolts reliever Justin Lovell (3-3), was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in the seventh. Connor Langrell picked up his second save of the season, sitting the Bolts down in order in the ninth.
The Bolts return to action after the All-Star break Friday for the first of three games on the road against the Evansville Otters. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 CDT and broadcast information is available at wcthunderbolts.com.
