CRESTWOOD, IL – For the third straight night, the ThunderBolts came from behind to take their first lead in the eighth inning on their way to a 4-3 win and a series sweep over the Frontier Greys at Standard Bank Stadium.
The Greys got off to a hot start scoring two runs in the second and one in the third. JJ Muse and Michael Allen each picked up RBI hits and Justin Vasquez hit his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to lead off the third to make it 3-0.
The Bolts answered with two in the bottom of the third. After Miles Walding reached on an error and stole second base, Evan Button advanced him with an infield single. Mike Torres’s single scored Walding and a double steal put both Button and Torres in scoring position for Ryan Soares, who drove in Button on a groundout.
The score remained 3-2 through the middle innings as Travis Tingle did not allow a run in his last four frames. He gave up three runs on seven hits in seven innings. Mark Pope had allowed just two unearned runs in six innings, but the Bolts struck again in the seventh.
Jayce Ray walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before Walding tied the score with an RBI base hit.
It was 3-3 in the eighth when the ThunderBolts loaded the bases with one out. Soares was hit by a pitch and Chad Cregar walked before a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk put a man at every base. Bryce Shafer came out of the ‘pen and struck out Andrew Brauer, but a passed ball allowed Soares to score, giving the Bolts the 4-3 win.
Jake Roberts (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for his first career win and Reese McGraw pitched a scoreless ninth for his first career save. Ryan Berry (0-1) took the loss.
The ThunderBolts will hit the road for a three-game series against the Washington Wild Things beginning on Saturday. The first game will pit Markus Solbach (2-0, 3.17) against Shawn Blackwell (3-6, 4.66). First pitch from CONSOL Energy Park is scheduled for 6:05 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV, 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
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