The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, rode a second straight superb starting pitching performance, bolstered by a season-best offensive outburst, to a 11-3 win over the River City Rascals on Wednesday night at UC Health Stadium.
Cody Gray (7-1) earned his league-leading seventh win of the season by holding the Rascals (20-22) to three runs on seven hits over eight strong innings. The right-hander matched his season-high of seven strikeouts and benefited from the best run support any Freedom (29-12) pitcher had received all season.
For the second time in as many nights, Florence got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when a pair of walks to Daniel Fraga and Taylor Oldham set up a double steal and an RBI-groundout by Andre Mercurio, putting Florence on top 1-0. The Freedom added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning, when Taylor Oldham launched a solo home run, his second of the year, off Rascals starter Hector Hernandez (3-5).
River City would cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth inning, however, when Mike Jurgella belted a leadoff homer. The visitors then tied the game in the sixth inning, courtesy of a two-out double by Josh Ludy that scored Josh Silver, who had doubled one batter earlier.
Following a single by Oldham, Jose Brizuela put the Freedom back on top in the home half of the sixth inning with his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
Florence blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh, when a pair of singles by Garrett Vail and Austin Wobrock set up a walk to Fraga, loading the bases. Oldham would get hit by the next pitch, plating one run, before Brizuela levied the big blow with a two-run single to extend the Freedom lead to 7-2. Two more walks and a Jordan Brower two-RBI single pushed Florence to an 11-2 advantage entering the eighth inning. Relievers Matt Chavarria and Storm Rynard faced a combined ten batters in the inning before recording a single out, as the Freedom rallied to their highest single-game run total of the season.
The Rascals managed just one more run on the evening, via a sacrifice fly to center by Silver in the eighth. Newly-signed right-hander Matt Kaster entered for the ninth and gave up a one-out single before inducing a game-ending double-play ground ball.
The Freedom will play for the series sweep Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at UC Health Stadium. Zach Kirby (0-0) will start for Florence against River City’s Tim Koons (2-3).
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.