Slammers Sweep Their Way Past Normal

The Joliet Slammers’ (27-20) pitching staff gave up 15 hits but it didn’t matter as the offense picked them up in an 8-6 victory Sunday night over the Normal CornBelters (25-23).

Joliet never trailed but the game was dramatic nonetheless. They struck first right off the bat in the top of the first as Trey Manz drew a one-out walk. Josh Flores broke out of a 1-17 slump with a triple to right-center to drive in Manz. Erik Lis singled in Flores and the Slammers had a 2-0 lead.

Starter Billy Petrick (4-6) was in trouble all day on his way to the victory. The first two batters in the first inning singled but he got a 4-6-3 double play and a fly out to get out of the jam.

Normal tied the game in the second. Mike Mobbs and Jeff Dunbar singled and with two outs AJ Miller hit a jam shot to shallow left to drive in Mobbs. Alvaro Ramirez, who the Slammers never retired in the game, singled in Dunbar to even the contest at two. Normal would then load the bases with two outs but Daniel Cox grounded out to end the inning.

The Slammers played some long ball in the third. With one out Flores singled and Lis doubled. That set up David Fox, who popped out, leaving it up to Kyle Maunus. Maunus delivered in a big way with a three run home run to put Joliet up 5-2.

But the CornBelters would not go away. Dunbar singled to start the fourth. A Tyler Keeble ground-rule double put runners at second and third with nobody out. A.J. Miller hit a slow roller to second that John Wagle threw low to first and it got past Manz. Two runs scored on the play to cut the Joliet lead to 5-4. Normal would then load the bases with nobody out. Petrick would once again wiggle out of trouble as he struck out Cox and got the league’s home run leader Steve Alexander to hit into a 5-3 double play and the Slammers held on to the lead.

The offensive show continued in the fifth. Flores continued to spark the offense as he walked to lead-off the frame. One out later Fox blasted a two-run home run and Joliet extended their lead to 7-4.

Asif Shah responded with a homer of his own in the fifth to make the score 7-5.

Petrick got through the rest of the inning with no further damage as he went five innings, giving up five runs, all earned, on a season-high 12 hits, walking one and striking out three.

Amazingly, neither team scored in the sixth or the seventh. However the CornBelters would cut the Slammers lead to one in the eighth. Ramirez bunted his way to first against reliever Chuck Lukanen. One out later Brian Smith entered the game and got what looked to be a double play ball from Daniel Cox. But Ben Ferrell’s relay to first was low and got past Manz, allowing Cox to go to second. Alexander singled him home on a floater over Brad Netzel to make the score 7-6 in favor of the Slammers.

Smith got Shah to pop out to end the inning though with the lead intact. Josh Flores drew a one-out walk in the ninth and promptly stole second for his third steal of the night. Fox came up big again with a RBI single and Joliet got an insurance run.

Joliet native Ryan Quigley did his thing and retired the side in order, striking out two along the way, to earn his league-leading 16th save of the season.

With the win the Slammers improve to a season-high seven games over .500. They also match their longest winning streak of the year at three games and set a new road winning streak mark with their fourth straight road win. It’s also their first road sweep of the season. With Windy City’s loss, the Slammers are a season-best 1.5 games up in the East Division.

Four Slammers are headed to the All-Star game which will take place Wednesday, July 13 inAvon, Ohio. First pitch in that game is at 6:00 p.m. The Slammers will tweet whenever one of their players are up, on the mound, or making an outstanding defensive play. You can follow the Slammers Twitter at www.twitter.com/jolietslammers.

Joliet returns home Friday, July 15th for the first game of a three game series with the Rockford RiverHawks. It’s a Fireworks Friday so come on out to the yard to watch your first place Slammers in action. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Central Time.