Slammers pull away from ThunderBolts in series opener
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CRESTWOOD, Ill. – The Windy City ThunderBolts failed to get back into the win column on Tuesday, falling 12-4 to the Joliet Slammers in the opener of a three-game series at Ozinga Field.
Joliet (4-11) struck first in the opening inning. After ThunderBolts starter Ethan Smith retired the first two batters he faced, Blake Berry connected on a solo home run to give the Slammers an early 1-0 lead.
The score remained 1-0 until the fourth inning, when the Slammers plated three runs. Ian Battipaglia highlighted the frame with a two-run single to help push the lead to 4-0.
The ThunderBolts (8-9) responded in the bottom of the fourth. Carlos Pena launched a solo home run and Khyle Radcliffe added an RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Joliet added two more runs in the sixth inning with the help of two singles and two walks before Windy City responded in the bottom half of the frame. Pena connected on his second solo homer of the afternoon, his third long ball of the season, to make it 5-3.
The Slammers broke the game open in the seventh inning, batting around and scoring five runs. After ThunderBolts right-hander Mitchel Sampson walked the first three batters of the inning, Joliet used two singles and a double to push the lead to 11-3.
Joliet added another insurance run in the eighth on a Berry RBI single, his fourth RBI of the afternoon. Windy City got one back in the bottom of the inning on Oscar Serratos’ third hit of the game, but that was as close as the Bolts would get.
Gunnar Kines (2-1) earned the win for Joliet, allowing three runs on five hits across 5.1 innings. Smith (0-2) took the loss for Windy City after surrendering four runs on eight hits in three-plus innings.
The ThunderBolts return to action Wednesday for game two of the three-game series against the Slammers. Kevin Figueredo (2-1, 4.02) gets the start for the Bolts in the fifth School Day game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. and broadcast information is available at wcthunderbolts.com.
