Game Recaps

ThunderBolts Win Two, Tie Miners for First Place

CHILLICOTHE, OH -- Strong pitching, a key error and clutch hitting lifted the Windy City ThunderBolts (49-33) to a pair of victories over the host Chillicothe Paints (35-47), 5-4 and 3-0, on Tuesday night at V.A. Memorial Stadium.

Combined with the Kalamazoo Kings' 8-5 walk-off win over the Southern Illinois Miners, the ThunderBolts tied the Miners atop first place in the Frontier League's West Division.

The first game was originally started July 10 at Standard Bank Stadium but suspended due to rain.

Resumed in the bottom of the third inning with the score tied, Windy City third baseman Josh Horn soon singled home Wes Long for a 3-2 lead.

Nate Faulkner's two-run single in the top of the fourth put Chillicothe ahead by a run, but Paints third baseman Drew Saylor committed a two-run throwing error in the fifth inning to give the ThunderBolts the lead for good.

Adam Dominick (3-2) earned the victory for Windy City with four solid innings, yielding to Alain Quijano for a perfect eighth before Matt Petty hurled a scoreless ninth to notch his 13th save.

Wes Long led the way offensively, collecting three hits and scoring three runs in four at-bats.

Ryan Flanigan (1-8) suffered the hard-luck loss, allowing two unearned runs over seven innings of strong relief.

In the second game, shortened to seven innings due to the game played before it, Mike Sullivan belted his first ThunderBolts home run while Ted Ratliff combined with a pair of relievers on a three-hit shutout.

Ratliff (3-1) scattered three hits and three walks over five innings-plus before turning the ball over to the hitless relief of Jason Lowey and Quijano.

Quijano recorded the final two outs for his first save of the season.

Chillicothe starter Mike Rocco (1-7) gave up only three hits over five innings-plus, but Long's first inning RBI single and Sullivan's third inning solo homer proved enough to hang the loss upon the right-hander.

Justin Tellam provided insurance with an RBI double in the seventh.

The ThunderBolts and Paints play the third game of their series on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. CDT at V.A. Memorial Stadium, with Windy City right-hander Amos Ramon (5-3, 4.54) opposing Chillicothe right-hander Andy Polk (6-5, 4.53).



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