LOVES PARK -- The Windy City ThunderBolts (22-20) picked up their second win in a row over the Rockford RiverHawks (20-22) with a 5-2 victory in front of a record crowd of 6,588 at Road Ranger Stadium on Thursday night.
Ross Stout (4-3) was the player of the game throwing his third complete game of the year for Windy City giving up two unearned runs on five hits while striking out a career-high 12. His control was superb in the outing as he didn't allow a walk in the game.
Windy City took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI-double from Wes Long. The hit extended Long's hitting streak to ten games. He finished the game just a triple shy of the cycle as he homered in the third and hit an RBI-single in the fifth. Mike Coles also extended his hitting streak to a season-high fourteen games. His only hit of the night was an RBI-single to center field ahead of Long's base hit. Newcomer Chris Klepps also homered in the contest in the sixth, his first homer of his career.
Four of the first five runs the ThunderBolts scored came off of Rockford starter Jim Paduch (3-5) as he took the loss going 5.0 innings giving up four earned runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking two.
Windy City will now host the Gateway Grizzlies at home on Friday, July 4th in the biggest series of the year, so far. Come to Standard Bank Stadium and watch the two teams battle for first place and enjoy another "Budweiser" Fill 'R Up Friday. All 12oz. domestic drafts and fountain drinks are just $1 all game long. After the game there will also be an Independence Day fireworks show courtesy of Lumina, Inc. The pitching match-up in the 7:05 game will be RHP Amos Ramon (2-2, 5.04) for the ThunderBolts against LHP Adam Revelette (2-0, 2.91) for the Grizzlies.
