The Florence Freedom scored the first six runs of the ballgame Thursday, but a big sixth inning and a walk-off single from Steve Marino sent the Southern Illinois Miners to a 7-6 victory.
Florence (39-48) jumped all over Southern Illinois (58-29) starter Dyllon Nuernberg with five runs in the first inning. Daniel Fraga looped a single to center and then Taylor Oldham bunted for a hit. A one-out walk from Austin Newell loaded the bases and Collins Cuthrell gave the Freedom the lead with a deep sacrifice fly to left-center.
Josh Henderson then drove in a pair with a single back up the box and Florence led 3-0. Jordan Brower reached on an infield single and Henderson darted for third, the throw sailed into the seats, sending Henderson home and Brower to third. Isaac Wenrich walked and Travis Weaver knocked in the fifth run for the Freedom with a base hit through the right side.
Florence starter Cody Gray dominated the Miners offense the first time through the order, reaching his season high in strikeouts by fanning six of the first nine batters. The Miners put two men on base in the third and the fourth, but Gray stranded all four.
In the fifth, a pair of hits put the Freedom ahead 6-0. Cuthrell singled to left and then Brower drove him in from second with a base hit to right.
Southern Illinois scored their first run in the fifth before plating five in the sixth to tie the game at six. The Miners used three hits, two walks, a hit batter, and three Florence errors in the big sixth. The Freedom finished their six-game road trip with 17 errors.
The Miners looked to plate the go-ahead run in the eighth, but Patrick McGrath stranded Brandon Cummins at third to keep the game tied.
In the top of the ninth, the Freedom loaded the bases with just one out against Southern Illinois’ closer Adam Lopez. Lopez had not allowed a run in over 20 innings this season and escaped the jam by forcing Cuthrell to bounce into a 1-2-3 double play.
In the bottom of the ninth, a walk put Craig Massey on base and he moved to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. Marino recorded just his second hit of the series to drive Massey home and give the Miners the victory.
Brower posted the only multi-hit game for the Freedom, while the other six hits were spread out between Fraga, Oldham, Andrew Godbold, Cuthrell, Henderson, and Weaver. Cody Gray finished 5 2/3 innings, striking out a season-high seven. Pete Levitt, Evan Bickett, and McGrath all had scoreless appearances out of the Freedom’s bullpen, while TJ Bozeman took the loss.
After getting out of the jam, Lopez got the win, while Massey had three hits, two driven in, and scored the winning run.
The Freedom begin their final home stand of the year Friday with a matchup against the Gateway Grizzlies. Tony Vocca (1-2, 3.54 ERA) takes the mound for Florence in a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. For more information on the promotions this weekend, including Superhero Night, click here.
From Freedom Communications