Moss Pitches Slammers to Second Straight Win

For the second straight game, the Joliet Slammers (7-7) rallied from an early deficit to beat the Evansville Otters (2-12) as they prevailed 6-2 Saturday night behind the outstanding pitching of Andrew Moss.

The top of the first inning was highlighted by a spectacular diving catch in foul territory down the left field line by Kris Kasarjian.

In the bottom half of the frame Bobby Leeper reached on a lead-off base-on-balls. A throwing error by catcher Jared Jordan on a pick-off attempt moved him to second base. He would advance to third on a wild pitch and score on an Erik Lis grounder to second. Just like that the Slammers had a 1-0 lead without recording a hit.

The Otters responded in the second inning as a string of doubles allowed them to take the lead. With one away Jonathan Waltenbury doubled down the left field line. Mike Durant, just off the DL, followed suit with a double to deep right-center, scoring Waltenbury and squaring the game at one.

Vinnie Scarduzio continued the doubles parade with another one to right-center and Durant scored. Moss went get out of the inning without any further damage but the Otters had a 2-1 edge.

Joliet squandered a golden opportunity in the bottom half of the frame. Nick Ochoa walked and Kris Kasarjian hit a chopper off the pitcher’s glove. Wayne Kitchens’ wild throw to first allowed Ochoa to go all the way to third. Despite having runners at the corners and nobody out, a strike-out and two pop-outs ended the threat.

But they didn’t waste their chance in the fourth. Ochoa doubled down the right field line and moved to third on a Kasarjian grounder. Sean Estand followed with his first professional hit as he singled Ochoa in to tie the game at two. A walk and a single later and the bases were loaded for Bobby Leeper who hit a sacrifice fly to give the Slammers the 3-2 lead.

Joliet got some insurance in the seventh. Bobby Leeper, Erik Lis, and Yasel Gutierrez all walked before Nick Ochoa singled home two runners to make the score 5-2.

Moss (1-1) pitched brilliantly for the Slammers, going seven and a third innings while giving up only two runs as he scattered eight hits. He ran into some trouble in the eighth as a walk and a double put runners at second and third with only one out. Aaron Dott entered the game and coolly struck-out the first batter he faced and got a routine grounder to end the inning.

After Dott walked the lead-off batter in the ninth, Joliet native Ryan Quigley got the final three outs to secure the victory. Wayne Kitchens took the loss for Evansville (0-2).