Bolts 7 Slammers 1
CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts hit a season-high four home runs, including back-to-back shots in the eighth inning to win their second straight game over the Joliet Slammers 7-1 at Standard Bank Stadium Saturday night.
Blair Beck got the scoring started when he hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first to give the ThunderBolts (11-3) a lead they would not relinquish.
The Slammers (7-8) got a man to third base in the second, but Joe Staley was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a groundout. Windy City starter Jake Fisher was not seriously threatened the rest of the night.
The Bolts got back on the board in the second inning as Cody Keefer was hit by a pitch and scored on a Ransom LaLonde single. They added two more in the fourth when LaLonde walked and Taylor Smart hit a two-run home run.
Windy City got their final three runs in the eighth inning. Cody Keefer and Corey Bass led off the frame with back-to-back solo homers to make it 6-0. With two outs in the inning, three straight ThunderBolts walked and Smart scored on a wild pitch.
Joliet got their only run in the ninth inning on a Staley solo home run.
Fisher (2-0) was wild early, walking four batters, but he settled down to throw eight shutout innings. He allowed only four hits in earning the win. Marc Rutledge (0-2) took the loss. He allowed four runs in four innings.
The ThunderBolts will look to sweep Joliet on Sunday afternoon. It is Standard Bank Family Day, as fans will be invited to play catch on the field and get ThunderBolt players’ autographs after the game. Ryan Strombom (2-0, 4.09) will make his third start for the Bolts against the Slammers’ Luke Crumley (0-1, 6.75). First pitch from Standard Bank Stadium is scheduled for 2:05 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
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