Bolts 6 Freedom 4
CRESTWOOD, IL— The ThunderBolts took a big 2nd inning to earn their 11th win of the year and take the first game of the series from the Freedom at Standard Bank Stadium Tuesday evening. Windy City (11-18) earned went ahead 6-3 early in the game and never looked back against Florence (15-13).
The Freedom were first to score as the visiting team put the first two runners on with back-to-back walks. Byron Wiley brought in the first run singling home Junior Arrojo. Jacob Tanis then hit a ground ball back to the pitcher Travis Strong suitable for a double play, but Strong couldn’t get the lead runner at second base with a wild throw. That error allowed J.C. Figueroa to score. Jeremy Hamilton followed with an RBI single to put the Freedom up 3-0.
The ThunderBolts responded with a six-run second inning. Andrew Brauer started the rally, getting hit by a pitch. After Doug Joyce walked, Louie Templeton singled home Brauer and C.J. Gillman singled in Joyce to cut the deficit to one. Nathan Pittman’s infield single loaded the bases before Mike Torres tied the game with an RBI base hit. With two outs, Ryan Soares reached on an error, allowing Templeton to score and Brauer finished the rally with a two-run single, making the score 6-3.
Both teams had chances the rest of the way but the only other run scored on a Jim Jacquot RBI single for Florence in the fifth. The Freedom had a hit in every inning, but left 13 men on base against a quartet of ThunderBolts pitchers as Windy City hung on for the 6-4 win.
Travis Tingle (1-3) earned his first professional win with two scoreless innings out of the pen and Daniel DeSimone (4-1) allowed six runs in 1.2 innings, taking the loss. Michael Click picked up his third save.
Game two of the series will be Wednesday night at Standard Bank Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. Dyllon Nuernberg (0-1, 2.66) will start for the Bolts against Florence’s Jason Wilson (1-3, 3.34). Fans not in attendance can hear the broadcast on 88.3 FM WXAV or wxav.com.
Box Score
