FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
July 8, 2007 815-774-2881

CRACKER-CATS BEAT JACKHAMMERS 17-15

JOLIET, IL-The Edmonton Cracker-Cats (18-30) jumped out to an 11-0 lead before allowing seven answered runs and escaping with a 17-15 win over the Joliet JackHammers (22-26) at Silver Cross Field on Sunday night. The JackHammers scored seven unanswered runs before falling short with the tying runs aboard in the ninth inning. Joliet finished the first half of the Northern League season with a 22-26 record.

The Cracker-Cats scored two runs in the first inning against JackHammers right-hander Nick Renault (5-4). Ryan Radmanovich (2-6) hit a two-run home run to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, the Cracker-Cats and JackHammers scored 17 runs on 13 hits. The Cracker-Cats ended up with an 11-8 lead. Edmonton scored nine runs against JackHammers starting pitcher Nick Renault while Joliet logged eight runs against Cracker-Cats starter Chris Kemlo.

Terence McClain (3-6) hit a three-run home run for Edmonton while Cory Harris (2-6) hit a three-run home for Joliet in the second inning. The Cracker-Cats had an 11-8 lead after two innings.

McClain hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Cracker-Cats a 12-8 lead. Edmonton scored five more runs to take a 17-8 lead. Radmanovich’s three-run home run was the highlight of the fifth inning.

The JackHammers started their comeback in the fifth inning. Harris worked a walk and went to second base on a single by Tim Hutting (3-6). Juan Diaz (3-6) reached base on an error to load the bases. Chad Ehrnsberger (1-4) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Harris and make it 17-9. Kevin Sullivan (2-6) hit an RBI double to score Hutting and make it 17-10.

Joliet scored two more runs in the seventh inning. Diaz hit a one-out double and moved to third base on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single by catcher Nick Wayne (1-2). Chris Brown hit an RBI double to bring the JackHammers within five runs at 17-12.

Diaz followed with a two-run home run to highlight a three-run eighth inning to get the JackHammers within two runs at 17-15.

The JackHammers got the bases load with one out in the ninth inning before the Cracker-Cats turned a double play to end the game.

Renault suffered the loss for the JackHammers, allowing 11 runs, (four earned runs), on eight hits in two innings pitched.

Loose Gravel: Sunday’s game was the second-longest game of the 2007 season. The JackHammers game against the Calgary Vipers on May 18 lasted four hours and twenty minutes. The game on Sunday took three hours and forty-nine minutes to complete.

The JackHammers now take the next three days off for the Northern League All-Star Break. The JackHammers will begin the second-half on Thursday morning on 11:05 a.m. and pre-game coverage begins at 10:50 a.m. on 1340 WJOL and online at www.jackhammerbaseball.com. The JackHammers and RailCats have not named starting pitchers for the series.

The JackHammers next home stand begins Thursday, July 12th! For tickets or for more information, please give the JackHammers a call at (815) 726-BALL (2255), go online to www.jackhammerbaseball.com or stop by the Box Office at Silver Cross Field during normal business hours.

###