By: Braeden Jones
CRESTWOOD, IL – After winning the series in two games yesterday, the Joliet Slammers (5-12) lost the last game against the Windy City ThunderBolts (9-10) at Ozinga Field on Thursday with a score of 13-4.
For the first time in this series, the ThunderBolts got on the board first with a sacrifice ground out from Jared Beebe to score Michael Sandle. That gave Windy City the early 1-0 lead after the bottom of the 1st inning.
The ThunderBolts would heavily extend on this lead in the bottom of the 2nd, as ten straight batters would make it on base to start this half inning. An RBI single from Josue Urdaneta, a 2-RBI single from Carlos Pena, an RBI single from Beebe, and an RBI single from Donte Grant marked five runs for the ThunderBolts. A few wild pitches and a bases-loaded walk from Slammers pitcher led to three more runs, ending the 2nd inning with Windy City now ahead 9-0.
Joliet cut slightly into that lead in the top of the 3rd with an RBI single that scored Nico Bermeo, but that was all the Slammers could muster as the score now sat at 9-1.
The ThunderBolts quickly responded as a Sandle double paved the way for Pena’s second hit of the day to be another single to score a runner. After a run from each side, the third inning ended at 10-1 in favor of the home team.
Beebe brought a runner home for the third time that game with a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the 5th inning. While he was left stranded at the end of the inning, he had brought the ThunderBolts to a double-digit lead as the score now read 12-1.
After a scoreless 6th inning, the Slammers got a few more runs on the board in the top of the 7th. Blake Berry got an RBI single as his first hit of the day and Jackson Valera’s first hit was a 2-RBI double. Valera ran from second base to home plate off a base hit from Braylin Marine, but he did not beat out the tag at home which ended the top of the 7th at a 12-4 score.
Windy City put one more run on the board with an RBI single from Urdaneta, which also ended up being the last score added for the rest of the game. The ThunderBolts took home the victory over the Slammers with a 13-4 final score.
After losing the last game against Windy City in this series, the Slammers come back for a home stretch starting with the Gateway Grizzlies on Friday. The ThunderBolts hit the road to play the Evansville Otters as they look to start a winning streak on Friday.
