The Florence Freedom dropped their series opener to the Joliet Slammers by a score of 10-4 on Wednesday.
It’s the fifth straight road loss for Florence, their longest road losing streak of the season. Rockford lost as well so Florence remains six games out of the final Wild Card playoff spot.
Things did not start well as Carter Bell hit a ball off the glove of Freedom right fielder Collins Cuthrell and over the short right field fence in the first inning to make it 1-0 in favor of Joliet. They added another run in the frame on a Jeremy Nowak RBI single that hit a rock in the infield and bounced over the head of Freedom first baseman Sam Eberle.
Florence pulled to within one run in the fourth inning on a Frazier Hall RBI single.
But Freedom starter Jeremy Gooding (5-4) could not escape the fifth as he surrendered six runs. Casey Fletcher walked to start the frame. Bell followed with a double and one out later Alfredo Rodriguez singled home two runs to make it 4-1. Mike Garza singled home Rodriguez and Joe Staley drew a walk. With two away, Marc Flores hit his second homer of the season, a three-run blast to extend the Joliet lead to 8-1.
Florence got a run back in the sixth on an Isaac Wenrich RBI single. But Joliet added two more in the seventh against Freedom reliever Austin Delmotte as Nowak launched a two-run home run to make it 10-2.
The Freedom scored two in the ninth as Zac Mitchell drew a bases loaded walk. A double play scored the other run in the inning for the Freedom.
Florence will take on the Slammers in a doubleheader on Thursday. First pitch of game one is set for 5 p.m. with Patrick McGrath (1-1, 2.05 ERA) on the mound. Cody Gray (3-2, 4.02 ERA) will pitch game two for the Freedom.
From Freedom Communications