The Joliet Slammers plated six runs in the first two innings and took the series finale against the Florence Freedom Sunday, 7-4.
Despite the loss, the Freedom (26-34) won the series 2-1 with their victories on Friday and Saturday.
The Slammers (31-28) opened the scoring in the first inning when a two-error play allowed a pair to score. Joliet added four more against Florence starter Davis Adkins in the second inning and led 6-0 after two frames.
After Adkins stranded the bases loaded in the second, Ben Allison did the same in the third, keeping the Freedom in the ballgame early.
In the bottom of the third a pair of walks set the stage for Taylor Oldham, who launched his eighth home run of the year. The long ball put the Freedom right back in the ballgame at 6-3 through three innings.
In the middle innings, Joliet starter Shane Bryant and Florence reliever Tony Vocca matched each other pitch-for-pitch before the Slammers broke through for another tally in the seventh. Marc Flores doubled and came in to score on a wild pitch later in the inning.
The Freedom answered right back with a run in the bottom of the inning. Andre Mercurio reached on a bunt single and moved to third when the throw went down the right-field line. Daniel Fraga brought him home with a sacrifice fly to right.
Former Freedom pitcher Brent Choban relieved Joliet starter Shane Bryant and shut the door by retiring all six that he faced in the eighth and ninth.
Bryant tossed seven innings, allowing just four runs (three earned) and five hits, while striking out four. Hunter Ridge hit a home run in the second, while Alfredo Rodriguez totaled a pair of hits for the Slammers.
Oldham’s home run was the big hit for Florence and Mercurio chipped in with a hit and two runs scored.
Florence begins a three-game set on the road against Traverse City on Tuesday, July 26. Jordan Kraus (4-4, 3.41 ERA) will take the hill against Kramer Champlin (3-5, 2.63 ERA) with first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
In Saturday’s game, The Florence Freedom rolled to their third straight win, an 11-4 thrashing of the Joliet Slammers.
The Freedom (26-33) scored in seven of their eight trips to the plate, including breaking the game open with two in the third, three in the fourth, and two more in the fifth, while Cody Gray allowed just one earned run in seven innings.
As Gray extended his scoreless innings streak to 18 with five straight to open up the ballgame, the Freedom broke the game open with seven runs in the first five innings.
In the first, Austin Newell singled with two outs and stole second before Andrew Godbold knocked him in with a single to center. In the second, Travis Weaver posted a sacrifice fly to put the Freedom ahead 2-0.
Daniel Fraga delivered his first home run of the season in the third and Florence plated another run to pull ahead 4-0. Newell brought around two with a single in a three-run fourth and then another in the fifth on a sacrifice fly. With Gray keeping the Slammers scoreless, Florence led 9-0 after five innings.
Joliet scored their first three runs in the sixth, snapping Gray’s scoreless streak. With the score 9-3 and runners on the corners, Fraga saved a run with an outstanding defensive play. On a chopper up the middle, Fraga ranged well to his right, dove to make the stop and then flipped with his glove to Weaver, ending the inning and sending momentum back in the Freedom’s direction.
Weaver posted another RBI, this time on a groundout, in the sixth before both teams added one in the eight to make the final score 11-4.
The Freedom offense received contributions from all nine starters as each player posted either a hit, a run scored, or and RBI. Newell led the club with three hits and three batted in, while Wenrich also posted three hits (one run, one RBI).
Gray tossed seven innings, allowing three runs (one earned), while tying his season-high with six strikeouts. The Freedom are now 5-1 in his six starts this season. Tanner Kiest allowed a run in the eighth with two strikeouts, while Jeremy Hutchison finished off the ninth.
Marc Flores posted the only multi-hit game for Joliet, while Sean Townsley allowed seven runs (five earned) in 3 1/3 innings in a loss.
From Freedom Communications