The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, built an early lead and escaped a late jam en route to a 7-5 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts on Tuesday night at Standard Bank Stadium.
Leading off the game with a single and a stolen base, Daniel Fraga scored the game’s first run on a double to left field by Ozzy Braff. Andre Mercurio followed with a bunt single, and a passed ball would allow Braff to score and Mercurio to advance from first to third. Collins Cuthrell plated the third run of the inning on a groundout to shortstop.
The Freedom (19-9) would add three more runs in the sixth inning on consecutive RBI-singles by Mercurio and Cuthrell and a run-scoring groundout by Jordan Brower off ThunderBolts (17-12) starter Jake Fisher (2-2). Through his six innings, the left-hander allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits, around a string of 11 straight batters retired from the end of the first inning to the beginning of the fifth.
Tony Vocca (4-2) earned the win with a quality start for Florence, tossing six innings and allowing just three hits and a single unearned run in the fourth, as a passed ball followed an infield single by Blair Beck, who scored on a double by Ransom LaLonde.
With the Freedom leading, 7-1, Evan Bickett entered in relief for the bottom of the seventh and surrendered three straight hits and two resulting runs. After a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases with none out, Bickett yielded to Pete Levitt, who gave up a sacrifice fly before recording a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning with a two-run lead intact. Laetten Galbraith then made his Freedom debut by pitching a perfect eighth inning, and Matt Pobereyko notched his seventh save with a flawless ninth to seal the series-opening victory.
Left-hander Marty Anderson (2-1) is scheduled to start for the Freedom on Wednesday, while the ThunderBolts’ starter is yet to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Standard Bank Stadium.
The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.