RailCats 8, Joliet 1

June 27, 2007

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Joliet, Ill.—Josh Habel allowed just one run over seven innings and Jay Pecci drilled a two-run home run to lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats to an 8-1 victory over the Joliet JackHammers on Wednesday night. With the win, the RailCats cut their magic number to clinch the South Division of the Northern League to one. They lead the second place JackHammers by 10 games with 10 games to play in the first half race.

The RailCats record improved to 27-11 on the season, tying a club record for most victories in a half. Joliet fell 17-21.

The RailCats took the lead in the second on a lead-off home run by Jose Yepez, his third of the season. After Joliet pitcher Nick Renault retired the next 13 RailCats batters, Eric McNamee drew a one-out walk in the sixth and Jay Pecci followed with a home run to right, his second homer of the year, to give the RailCats a 3-0 lead.

Joliet's Juan Diaz connected on a solo home run with one out in the sixth to get the JackHammers on the board at 3-1.

But the RailCats answered with three runs in the eighth inning to take a commanding 6-1 lead. Pecci singled, Eric Blakeley walked, and Yepez walked to load the bases. Then Tanner Townsend drilled an 0-2 pitch over the head of center field Anthony Monegan to bring in all three runners. Then in the ninth, Eric Blakeley's two-out single brought in Nate Price and Eric McNamee to make it 8-1.

RailCats starting pitcher Josh Habel pitched out of early inning trouble. Joliet loaded the bases in the first before Habel got Derek Nicholson to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the second, Joliet had a man at third with one out but Habel got Dennis Blackmon to foul to the catcher and Eric Scriven to ground out to third to end the threat. In the third, he issued back-to-back two-out walks, but got Nicholson to fly to deep right to retire the side.

But Habel allowed only two more base runners over the rest of his seven inning out as he improved his record to 6-3 and moved into a tie with teammate Willie Glen for the league lead in wins. Habel allowed six hits and one run while striking out three and walking two.

Chad Blackwell pitched a scoreless eighth and Tony Cogan worked a perfect ninth to close it out for the RailCats.

The RailCats will play at Winnipeg on Friday in the opener to a five game series, needing only one more win or one more Joliet loss to wrap up the division title. They RailCats return home on July 4^th.

Notes: The homers by Yepez and Pecci marked the first time the RailCats have hit two home runs in the same game this season…Blackwell extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 20 and one-third, a club record…The RailCats are 6-3 on their current 14 game road trip.

Gary SShore Railcats 8 (27-11)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

McNamee, Eric 2b......... 4 2 1 0 1 1 3 2 0

Pecci, Jay ss............ 5 2 2 2 0 0 1 5 0

Blakeley, Eric 1b........ 3 1 1 2 2 0 12 0 0

Haake, Steve rf.......... 5 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 2

Yepez, Jose c............ 2 2 1 1 2 0 5 0 0

Townsend, Tanner 3b...... 4 0 1 3 0 2 2 3 2

Reese, Mike dh........... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Price, Nate lf........... 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0

Allensworth,Jermaine lf. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mueller, Dale cf......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

Habel, Josh p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Blackwell, Chad p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Cogan, Tony p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals................... 35 8 8 8 5 6 27 11 5

Joliet JackHammers 1 (17-21)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

Monegan, Anthony cf...... 4 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 1

Brown, Chris 2b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 2 0

Harris, Cory rf.......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0

Diaz, Juan 1b............ 3 1 3 1 1 0 3 1 0

Nicholson, Derek dh...... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

Ehrnsberger, Chad 3b..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

Hutting, Tim ss.......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 0

Blackmon, Dennis c....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0

Scriven, Eric lf......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1

Renault, Nick p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

Ellison, Derrick p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fiske, Justin p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals................... 33 1 7 1 2 4 27 5 7

Score by Innings R H E

-------------------------------------------

Gary SShore Railcats 010 002 032 - 8 8 0

Joliet JackHammers.. 000 001 000 - 1 7 0

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DP - Gary 1. LOB - Gary 5; Joliet 7. 2B - Haake, S(12); Townsend, T(15);

Ehrnsberger(16). HR - Pecci, J(2); Yepez, J(3); Diaz, J(8).

Gary SShore Railcats IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

-----------------------------------------------

Habel, Josh......... 7.0 6 1 1 2 3 26 28

Blackwell, Chad..... 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4

Cogan, Tony......... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3

Joliet JackHammers IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

-----------------------------------------------

Renault, Nick....... 7.1 4 5 5 4 5 26 30

Ellison, Derrick.... 0.2 1 1 1 1 1 3 4

Fiske, Justin....... 1.0 3 2 2 0 0 6 6

Win - Habel, J (6-3). Loss - Renault, N (5-2). Save - None.

Umpires - HP: Mike Baker 1B: Mike Trotter 3B: Mark Hackelberg

Start: 7:07 PM Time: 2:34 Attendance: 2751

Game notes:

Tomorrow's Probables: Both teams are off.

Friday's Probables:

JOL - LHP Bryan Forystek (0-0, 1.80) vs. F-M - TBA

GAR - TBA vs. WPG - TBA

Game: JOL6270

Play-by-Play

The Automated ScoreBook

Gary SShore Railcats at Joliet JackHammers - Play-by-Play

Jun 27, 2007 at Joliet, Ill. (Silver Cross Field)

Score by Innings R H E

-------------------------------------------

Gary SShore Railcats 010 002 032 - 8 8 0

Joliet JackHammers.. 000 001 000 - 1 7 0

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Gary SShore Railcats starters: 18/2b McNamee, E; 12/ss Pecci, J; 35/1b

Blakeley, E; 9/rf Haake, S; 25/c Yepez, J; 24/3b Townsend, T; 2/dh Reese,

M; 22/lf Price, N; 17/cf Mueller, D; 32/p Habel, J;

Joliet JackHammers starters: 27/cf Monegan, A; 11/2b Brown, C; 7/rf Harris,

C; 36/1b Diaz, J; 33/dh Nicholson, D; 13/3b Ehrnsberger; 5/ss Hutting, T;

15/c Blackmon, D; 6/lf Scriven, E; 23/p Renault, N;

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 1

McNamee, E struck out swinging. Pecci, J popped up to ss. Blakeley, E

walked. Haake, S flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 1

Monegan, A grounded out to ss. Brown, C singled to center field. Harris,

C singled to left field; Brown, C advanced to second. Diaz, J singled

through the left side; Harris, C advanced to second; Brown, C advanced to

third. Nicholson, D grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; Diaz, J out

on the play. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 2

Yepez, J homered to left center, RBI. Townsend, T struck out looking.

Reese, M flied out to cf. Price, N struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0

errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 2

Ehrnsberger doubled to right center. Hutting, T grounded out to ss;

Ehrnsberger advanced to third. Blackmon, D fouled out to c. Scriven, E

grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 3

Mueller, D grounded out to 3b. McNamee, E popped up to 2b. Pecci, J flied

out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 3

Monegan, A grounded out to ss. Brown, C struck out swinging. Harris, C

walked. Diaz, J walked; Harris, C advanced to second. Nicholson, D flied

out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 4

Blakeley, E flied out to cf. Haake, S lined out to ss. Yepez, J popped up

to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 4

Ehrnsberger grounded out to ss. Hutting, T lined out to 3b. Blackmon, D

popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 5

Townsend, T struck out looking. Reese, M lined out to cf. Price, N popped

up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 5

Scriven, E grounded out to 1b unassisted, bunt. Monegan, A struck out

looking. Brown, C flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 6

Mueller, D struck out swinging. McNamee, E walked. Pecci, J homered to

right field, 2 RBI; McNamee, E scored. Blakeley, E lined out to rf.

Haake, S doubled to left center. Yepez, J walked. Townsend, T reached on

a fielder's choice; Yepez, J out at second ss to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0

errors, 2 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 6

Harris, C flied out to rf. Diaz, J homered to right field, RBI.

Nicholson, D popped up to ss. Ehrnsberger grounded out to p. 1 run, 1

hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 7

Reese, M out at first 1b to p. Price, N grounded out to 2b. Mueller, D

grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 7

Hutting, T popped up to 2b. Blackmon, D struck out swinging. Scriven, E

singled to left field. Monegan, A grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs,

1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 8

McNamee, E flied out to lf. Pecci, J singled to right center. Blakeley, E

walked; Pecci, J advanced to second. Ellison, D to p for Renault, N.

Haake, S struck out swinging. Yepez, J walked; Blakeley, E advanced to

second; Pecci, J advanced to third. Townsend, T doubled to center field,

3 RBI; Yepez, J scored; Blakeley, E scored; Pecci, J scored. Reese, M

lined out to cf. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 8

Blackwell, C to p for Habel, J. Brown, C grounded out to ss. Harris, C

grounded out to 3b. Diaz, J singled to third base. Nicholson, D grounded

out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 9

Fiske, J to p for Ellison, D. Price, N singled through the right side.

Mueller, D lined out to lf. McNamee, E singled to center field; Price, N

advanced to third. Pecci, J flied out to rf. Blakeley, E singled to

center field, 2 RBI; McNamee, E scored; Price, N scored. Haake, S flied

out to cf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 9

Cogan, T to p for Blackwell, C. Allensworth to lf for Price, N.

Ehrnsberger flied out to rf. Hutting, T struck out swinging. Blackmon, D

fouled out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.