The Midwest Sliders broke open a close game in the fifth inning en route to downing the Windy City ThunderBolts 11-3.
Midwest gave Windy City a taste of their own medicine in the first inning as they posted three runs in the top of the first, the key hit being a two run single by Sam Deluca. Windy City would get a run back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Vinnie Scarduzio, driving in J. T. Restko, cutting the Midwest lead to 3-1.
Midwest would extend the lead in the fifth inning with a trio of runs, two of them unearned thanks to a passed ball and an error to make it 6-1. Midwest continued the onslaught in the seventh as they batted around, plating four more runs to take a 10-1 lead.
Windy City got two of the runs back in the seventh as with runners on first and third, Doug Coe singled home Bryan Cook. Two batters later, Gilberto Mejia singled to score Nate Hall to make it 10-3. The single also extended Mejia’s hitting streak to 11 games, a team high on the season and the second longest in the Frontier League in 2009. Ben Barrone added a homer in the top of the ninth for Midwest to create the final tally.
Mike Penn (3-0) got the win for Midwest going 6.2 innings allowing five hits and three runs. Dustin Pease (2-1) took the loss for Windy City. One bright spot on the mound was the performance of Brandon Kloess who in his first appearance coming off the injured list went three innings, surrendering just the Barrone homerun in the ninth, striking out two.
The middle game against the Sliders will see Ross Stout (0-0, 5.79) against James Albury (0-0, 3.14) for Midwest. Saturday is the Best Bang for $9 as the ThunderBolts will put on a fireworks extravaganza after the game. For information or tickets, call 708-489-BALL stop by the Standard Bank Stadium ticket office or go to the team’s website at
www.wcthunderbolts.com.
