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CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts scored four unanswered runs to close out their game with the Southern Illinois miners Wednesday night, finishing a 5-3 win in game two of the series.

The Bolts (6-5) scored first when Zac Taylor and Rob Calabrese both doubled in the first inning, Calabrese extending his hitting streak to 11 games in the process.

Southern Illinois (4-8) answered with a two-out rally in the fourth. Nick Neville tied the score with an RBI single and Anthony Brocato followed with a two-run triple that gave the Miners a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Zach Racusin singled and scored when Jose Layer reached on an error, tightening the deficit to one. They tied the score the next inning. Dan Robinson hit a leadoff double and later, Jairus Richards picked up an RBI single.

The Bolts took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Layer hit an RBI double and scored on a catcher’s throwing error to make the score 5-3.

The Miners threatened one more time. In the seventh, John Cable was at third base with one out. Yeltsin Gudino flew to left and Taylor threw Cable out at the plate to preserve the two-run lead.

Kenny Mathews (1-2) earned his first win of the year, going six innings and allowing three runs. Jose Fuentes (0-2) took the loss in relief after allowing two runs in an inning and a third.

The rubber match of the three-game set is Thursday night at 7:05. Kenny Mathews (0-2, 8.21) makes his third start of the season for the ThunderBolts and the Miners counter with Gunnar Kines (0-0, 2.25). It’s a White Castle Wrestling Thursday Night, featuring a postgame wrestling show from Zelo Pro Wrestling. Fans who can’t make it to Ozinga Field can find the audio and video broadcasts through wcthunderbolts.com.

Box Score