Florence got a monster performance from All-Star Sam Eberle and some great pitching as well as they knocked off the Windy City ThunderBolts by a final score of 8-1 Tuesday night at UC Health Stadium.
With the win, the Freedom remain one game ahead of the Rockford Aviators for the final playoff spot and Florence reduces its “magic number” to four with five games left in the regular season.
Eberle hit his third two-run home run in the last two games in the first inning, tallied two doubles and a single, on his way to four hits and five RBI. The homer was his team-leading 10th of the year. He finished the day 4-4 at the plate.
Meanwhile Cody Gray (4-2) was outstanding, tossing six innings of shutout ball. He only allowed two hits on his way to his first win since July. Florence is now 9-2 when Gray starts. Austin Delmotte pitched three innings of one-run ball to pick up his second save of the year.
The scoring started early as Zac Mitchell drew a one-out walk against Windy City starter Cam Giannini (4-2) in the first. With two away, Eberle pulled one over the left field fence for a two-run homer to put Florence up 2-0.
More two-out offense extended the lead in the third. With two down Austin Newell doubled. Eberle doubled him home to make it 3-0.
In the fifth, Steve Carrillo got things started with a single. Daniel Fraga drew a walk and Zac Mitchell hit a hot shot past the third baseman Alex Chittenden to score Carrillo. One out later Eberle doubled home two runners to extend the lead to 6-0. A Frazier Hall sacrifice fly made it 7-0 in favor of Florence.
Windy City got a run in the eight on a Mike Torres RBI single but Mitchell responded with a RBI single of his own in the bottom of the 8th to provide the final margin of victory.
The Freedom will look to win their sixth consecutive series Wednesday morning as Coleman Stephens (4-4, 4.30 ERA) takes the hill. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m.
Fans who want to watch the only playoff contender in the region can get their tickets for the last three home games online at florencefreedom.com.
Fans who can’t make the games can listen to every Freedom game, home and away, online at http://mixlr.com/florencefreedom/.
From Freedom Communications