The Florence Freedom won their fourth in a row, taking an 8-7 decision Wednesday over the River City Rascals.
After a scoreless top of the first, the Freedom broke through for five runs in a wild bottom of the inning. Daniel Fraga and Taylor Oldham led off the frame with walks before Andrew Godbold and Austin Newell both singled in runs to put Florence ahead 2-0.
The next batter, Collins Cuthrell, lifted a sky-high popup about five feet into the outfield down the right-field line that was misplayed by the first baseman Braxton Martinez. The umpires came together and called it an infield fly and Freedom manager Dennis Pelfrey was tossed from the ballgame arguing the call.
With two away, Jordan Brower hit a deep drive down the right-field line that was initially called foul. After getting together, the umpires overturned the call and Brower was given a home run, giving the Freedom a 5-0 lead. River City manager Steve Brook followed Pelfrey’s suit and was ejected arguing the overturned call.
In total, the Freedom scored five runs on three hits in the opening inning and four people were tossed from the ballgame, including both managers.
The game returned to a sense of normalcy after the first. Cody Gray scattered just three hits in his first five innings of work, while River City pitching stranded four men on base in innings 2-4. Florence had two men on with nobody out in its first three trips to the plate.
The Rascals broke through in the sixth for three runs, including an RBI double from Josh Silver. That was the first extra-base hit against Gray in the ballgame.
River City tied the game up at five on a two-run homer from Clint Freeman in the seventh, but the deadlock didn’t last long.
Two runs in the seventh sent Florence back out in front. Newell walked and then Cuthrell drilled a ball to center that got past Alexi Colon and rolled all the way to the wall. Newell came in to score and Cuthrell stood safely at third with a triple. Later in the inning, Cuthrell darted home on a wild pitch to pull the Freedom ahead 7-5.
Florence added an insurance run in the eighth on a pair of doubles from Garrett Vail and Fraga.
The insurance run turned out to be key as Ethan Gibbons allowed two runs in the ninth, but was able to convert his 14th save of the year.
Fraga led the team by reaching base in all five of his plate trips and has now reached base safely in eight of his nine plate appearances in this series. Travis Weaver extended his hitting streak to seven with a single in the second inning, while Brower hit his third homer of the year in the first.
Gray allowed five runs (two earned) over 6 1/3 innings, while Pete Levitt and Evan Bickett both tossed scoreless relief appearances for the Freedom. The Rascals loaded the bases with nobody out against Gibbons in the ninth, but he still sealed the Freedom’s win.
River City used six pitchers in the ballgame and Shane Street took the loss. Freeman homered, while Braxton Martinez and Jason Merjano both totaled a pair of hits.
Florence looks to finish off its home schedule on a high note as they go for the sweep Thursday. The 7:05 p.m. first pitch will feature Florence’s Tony Vocca (3-2, 3.78 ERA) against River City’s Tim Koons (4-6, 4.81 ERA). To learn more about the promotions for the Freedom’s final home series of 2016, click here.
From Freedom Communications