Ross Stout retired18 of the final 21 he faced in pitching his fourth complete game of the season
Ross Stout pitched a complete game and the Windy City ThunderBolts erupted for six runs in the third inning as the Bolts won their third in a row, downing the Washington Wild Things 7-3.
With the win, Windy City maintains their solo lead in the West Division with 13 games remaining. The lead is 1/2 game over Southern Illinois who won their fourth consecutive walkoff game in a row, 5-4 over Midwest in 10 innings. Windy City leads River City by 1 1/2 games as the Rascals fell to Traverse City 6-0.
Washington broke the ice in the bottom of the second inning as Ryan Groth drove a ball over the centerfield wall for his fifth homerun of the season and a 1-0 Wild Things lead.
As they did often the night before, Windy City responded in the next half inning as Dan Jordan led off the frame with his seventh homer of the season to knot the game at 1-1. That was just the beginning for the Bolts who would score five more times in the frame capped by a 3-run homer from Bryan Cook that was demolished over the rightfield wall, bouncing it into the parking lot as Windy City opened a 6-1 lead.
The Wild Things started off well in the fourth scoring two runs as the first three batters reached. After that, Ross Stout found his rhythm, retiring 18 of the final 21 batters he faced.
Windy City would get Stout an insurance run in the eighth as Robert Perry singled home Gilbeto Mejia who had singled and moved up on a wild pitch.
Stout (11-4) went the distance allowing the three runs on six hits, walked five and struck out seven. Jason Neitz (7-5) took the loss for Washington allowing six of the seven ThunderBolts runs on six hits in three innings.
The series wraps up on Sunday with Dustin Pease (9-6, 4.44) on the mound for the ThunderBolts against Zach Groh (5-3, 4.18) for Washington. Windy City returns home on Tuesday beginning the final homestand of the regular season as the Bolts take on the Gateway Grizzlies. For game times, information or tickets, call 708-489-BALL or visit the team’s website at
www.wcthunderbolts.com