JT Restko hit a third inning grand slam and Andrew Werner pitched seven strong innings, propelling the ThunderBolts to victory , 7-3 over the Gateway Grizzlies in game two of the series Saturday night at GCS Ballpark.
Ryne White set the offense in motion for Windy City when he led off the second inning with a solo homer, his second of the season. Later in the second, Nick Kuroczko picked up his first professional RBI on a single and Windy City led 2-0.
In the third inning, the Bolts loaded the bases on a single, a walk and a hit batsman. After stranding the bases loaded three times in the previous game, Restko was determined not to see that happen again as he hit a two-out, 3-2 pitch over the right-centerfield wall for a 6-0 lead.
On the mound, Werner was in control the entire night, allowing just two earned runs on three hits over seven innings. The Grizzlies got their only runs in the fourth and fifth innings. After Werner had faced the minimum through three and a third, the Grizzlies broke through with a walk and two hits, Logan Parker singling in two runs. They scored again in the fifth on a Bobby Burk RBI double. He knocked in Ryan Mantle, who had reached on an error, making the run unearned.
The only bad news of the day came when Werner had to depart the game in the eighth. He came up hurt after his first pitch of the inning and had to give way to Bradley Blanks. Blanks retired all six batters he faced for his first save of the season. Windy City’s ninth inning insurance came on a Jeremy Hamilton bases loaded walk.
Werner picked up the win improving to 4-1 with the ThunderBolts (5-2 overall). David Goodenough received the loss (0-3), lasting just 2.2 innings. Tomorrow wraps up the series as the ThunderBolts will send Dustin Williams (1-2) to face Gateway’s John Flanagan (4-1). Game time at GCS Ballpark is 6:05 with the game audible on WXAV 88.3 fm and wxav.com.
