Flyers succumb to Joliet bats
\The Schaumburg Flyers had a lot of motivation to win against the Joliet JackHammers on Thursday afternoon. Not only had Joliet swept the Flyers out of Alexian Field the last time the teams met, but Schaumburg had a chance for its first three-game winning streak in over a year. For the second time in a week, the Flyers were unable to sweep a series, falling to Joliet by a final score of 8-3.
After pitching dominated the first three frames, Joliet (33-33) broke through with a third-inning run. A leadoff double by 2B Steve Garrabrants (2-for-4, 3 R) gave the home team plenty of options. The option selected by CF Cory Harris (2-for-4, 2 RBI) was a single up the middle of the infield to score the man from second base and make it 1-0.
Schaumburg (25-43) saw another run come across the plate against them in the bottom of the sixth. The frame began with yet another Garrabrants double off Flyers starter Justin Jordan (1-1), but the run was scored differently than in the fourth inning. Garrabrants reached home on a wild pitch from Jordan to make the score 2-0. With Joliet starter Vince Perkins (1-0) already out of the game and set up for victory, Jordan exited the game in the top of the seventh.
That's when the big bats came out for Joliet. The home team scored six runs on five hits, two walks, and a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, to extend their lead to 8-0. Highlights came on SS Nick McIntyre's (2-for-4, RBI) sacrifice fly to begin the scoring, followed by another Harris RBI single. Extra-base power continued a two-out rally from RF Wally Backman, Jr. (3-for-4, RBI), whose double put over the sixth JackHammer run. Two runs came in for the very next batter, as C Dennis Blackmon, Jr. (1-for-4, 2 RBI) sent a double of his own into left to extend the lead to its eight-run peak.
The Flyers did make a ninth-inning effort to tie it up, as LF Jermaine Allensworth (1-for-3, Run) reached on a hit by pitch with one out against Joliet reliever Chad Fillinger. Allensworth advanced to third on a high chopper by 3B Vince Harrison (1-for-4, Run), which put men on the corners with one out. A passed ball by Blackmon, Jr. allowed both runners to advance one base, scoring Allensworth to make it 8-1 and break up the shutout. That wasn't all the damage that would be done, as DH Peanut Williams (1-for-3, 2 RBI) hit a line-drive home run to cut it to 8-3. The long ball was Williams' fourth in five games, as he continues to swing with a power stroke. Two outs came quickly after the homer for the JackHammers, who were able to salvage a game from the series.
With their first three-game win streak of the year still eluding them, the Flyers travel to Winnipeg for a weekend set against the Goldeyes at Canwest Park. Schaumburg will send RHP Steve Shippey (3-6, 8.06) to the mound, while the Goldeyes will start with RHP Mark Michael (1-5, 6.52). Game time is 7:00 p.m. from Manitoba, Canada, and you can hear it all live on flyersbaseball.com.