Ross Stout pitched eight brilliant innings as the Windy City ThunderBolts took the final game of their series against the Southern Illinois Miners 3-2.
Southern Illinois plated an unearned run in the top of the first inning as Windy City committed a pair of errors allowing Tony Roth to score for a 1-0 Miners lead. With two outs in the bottom of the second, Wilson Matos tied the game up by crushing a long homerun to leftfield.
After the Miners put a run on the board in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single from Kevin Koski, the ThunderBolts tied it up on an RBI single from Guillermo Martinez single, scoring Matos who reached on an error by Michael Higa.
The bottom of the eighth was the decider as Guillermo Martinez led off with a bunt single. He moved his way around the bases stealing both second and third. With one out, Nate Hall hit a line smash to third base that was muffed by Randy Molina allowing Martinez to score for a 3-2 Bolts lead.
The single run was enough for Billy Petrick who pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.
Stout (5-1) was dynamic in going eight innings, scattering four hits, surrendering only one unearned run, walking two and striking out 10, his second 10+ K game of the season and the fifth of his career. Mike Damchuk (1-3) surrendered the eighth inning run for the loss.
Windy City heads on the road for the weekend, playing a three game set at Gateway. All three games will air on 88.3 FM WXAV. In game one Brandon Garner (1-0, 5.06) will get the start for the Bolts against Adam Bowling for the Grizzlies. 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.
