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CRESTWOOD, IL – Randy Perez hit an RBI double with two outs in the eighth inning to back up a strong pitching performance from Kenny Mathews as the ThunderBolts defeated the Joliet Slammers 1-0 in their series opener at Ozinga Field Tuesday afternoon. 

Both Mathews and Joliet’s Matt Quintana were excellent on the mound but both men had to pitch out of some early trouble. The Slammers (4-7) loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning before London Lindley lined back to Mathews to end the threat. Joliet’s next great opportunity came in the sixth inning when back-to-back singles put runners at the corners with no outs. Mathews struck out the next three in a row to preserve his shutout.
 
The ThunderBolts (4-7) left six men on base in the first four innings. In the fourth, Patrick Mathis singled and Blair Beck doubled with one out but two Quintana strikeouts left them on base. Quintana finished with 11 strikeouts in five innings.
 
The Bolts nearly broke the tie in the seventh inning, when Shane Carrier singled and Brynn Martinez doubled. Carrier tried to score from first but was thrown out at the plate.
 
In the eighth inning, Tyler Alamo singled and stood at second base with two outs when Perez swung at the first pitch from new pitcher Drew Peden and doubled it to right-center field, scoring Alamo for the game’s only run.
 
Mathews pitched seven shutout innings, striking out a season high nine, but Connor Mayes (1-0) pitched the eighth for the win. Mario Samuel (0-1) took the loss and Dylan Prohoroff had a perfect ninth for his second save.
 
The series continues on Wednesday morning with the fourth School Day of the year and another 10:35 start time. Christian Morris (1-1, 3.86) starts for the ThunderBolts against Joliet’s Tyler Jandron (0-1, 4.91). Fans not in attendance can hear the radio broadcast on WXAV, 88.3 FM and wxav.com.

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