wcthunderbolts.com

CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts could not overcome a three-run fourth inning in the opening game of a three-game set against Joliet, as the Slammers held on to defeat Windy City 3-2 at Standard Bank Stadium Friday Night. 

The Bolts (19-32) had no answer for Slammers’ (28-24) right-hander Corey Kimber, who retired 12 of the first 14 men he faced and 18 of 22 overall in a winning effort in his first professional start.  

Zac Westcott ran into trouble in the fourth, as London Lindley opened the inning with a single and later scored on a Ridge Hoopii-Haslam RBI single. Two batters later, Danny Zardon singled home Hoopii-Haslam to double the Slammers’ lead to 2-0. Trey Fulton capped the scoring with an RBI base-hit knocking in Zardon to make it 3-0. 

Riley Krane got the ThunderBolts on the board for the first time with one swing in the fifth inning, sending a ball deep over the right-centerfield wall for his third home run of the season. 

Windy City would threaten again in the eighth, as Omar Obregon led off the frame with a single. He later scored on a Blair Beck sacrifice fly. The ThunderBolts, though, went down in order in the ninth to snap a three-game winning streak. 

Westcott (4-7) allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings to take the loss. Kimber (4-2) notched the win after six innings of one-run ball. 

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday evening. Jake Welch (4-2, 3.93) will start for the ThunderBolts opposed by Joliet’s Scot Hoffman (4-2, 4.28). It will be Jimmy Buffett night at Standard Bank Stadium presented by the Original Island Shrimp House of Palos Park, featuring a one-hour pregame show from “Flip Flop Dave,” as well as a firework show postgame.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 and those not in attendance may listen to the broadcast on wcthunderbolts.com. 

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