Bums 2 Bolts 1
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Jake Rhodes produced a walkoff hit in the bottom of the 11th inning as the ThunderBolts lost their second consecutive game, 2-1 to the Traverse City Beach Bums at Wuerfel Park Friday night.
The game began as a great duel between starting pitchers Jake Fisher and Casey Delgado. Fisher did not allow a run over the first five innings on just four hits while Delgado matched him inning for inning.
Jeff DeBlieux homered to begin the sixth to give the Beach Bums the one-run advantage but Fisher bounced right back to get the final five batters he faced. Overall, he went seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out a career-high 11.
The ThunderBolts had a good chance against Delgado in the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out, but the Beach Bums starter struck out Mike McGuckin and got Evan Button to ground out to end the threat.
Windy City would not score until the ninth against closer D.J. Johnson. Andrew Brauer led off with a strikeout, but reached first on a wild pitch. He stole both second and third before scoring on a passed ball. Jon Mestas would get to third with two outs, but they could not bring him in to take the lead.
The Bolts had just one baserunner in the extra innings. Mike Torres walked to lead off the tenth, but he was stranded at second.
The Beach Bums started the 11th with Jovan Rosa reaching on an error. Pinch-runner Kevin Taylor was bunted to second and stood there with two outs when Rhodes lined a ball over Brauer’s head in right field to win the game.
Chuck Ghysels (1-2) pitched two shutout frames for the win and Victor Larez (2-2) allowed the unearned run in the 11th for the loss.
The ThunderBolts will continue their season-long 12-game roadtrip Saturday night in Traverse City. In game two against the Beach Bums, the Bolts will send Travis McGee (First Start) to the mound against Traverse City’s Ian MacDougall (1-2, 4.59). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
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