Joliet 3, RailCats 0

August 3, 2007

Click here to listen to a replay of tonight's game broadcast or go to

http://www.sportsjuice.com/player/asx.aspx?A|2263

Joliet, Ill.—Chris Brown drilled a three-run home run and Matt Smith fired a two-hit complete game shutout as the the Joliet JackHammers defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 3-0 on Friday night before a crowd of x,xxx at Silver Cross Field. The win was just the third for Joliet in 14 meetings with the RailCats this season.

The only runs of the game came in the fifth inning. RailCats starting pitcher Jason Shelley (3-3) walked Jake Whitesides with two outs and Dennis Blackmon followed with a single to center. Brown then launched a three-run blast to right, his ninth homer of the season.

Meanwhile, Smith did not allow a base hit until Steve Haake's single to center in the seventh inning. The only Gary hit of the game was a line drive double by Mike Reese in the eighth. The RailCats did not have a runner advance past second base in the game. They did not have a runner past first with less than two outs in an inning.

Smith (5-6) walked only one while striking out four. Shelley pitched well for Gary but took the loss. He allowed only five hits in seven innings, walking four and striking out five. His only mistake, the homer by Brown, cost him the game.

The RailCats, who have lost eight of 10, fell to 9-12 in the second half and dropped into last place in the South Division after winning the division in the first half of the Northern League's split season. The RailCats have scored just 12 runs in their last seven games.

The RailCats battle the JackHammers again in Joliet at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday. Gary's Travis Kerber (4-4, 3.72) will start against Joliet's Nate Sevier (9-2, 4.84). The RailCats return home on Tuesday to meet Kansas City.

Gary SShore Railcats 0 (39-30,9-12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

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

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

Pecci, Jay ss............ 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 2

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

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

Yepez, Jose c............ 4 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 0

Blakeley, Eric 1b........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 0

Price, Nate lf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2

Mueller, Dale cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

McNamee, Eric 2b......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 4 0

Shelley, Jason p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Brinkmann, Matt p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals................... 31 0 2 0 1 4 24 10 5

Joliet JackHammers 3 (32-37,10-11)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

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

Scriven, Eric rf......... 3 0 1 0 1 1 4 0 0

Hutting, Tim ss.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0

Diaz, Juan dh............ 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

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

Nicholson, Derek lf...... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1

Mosby, Bobby 1b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 13 0 0

Whitesides, Jake cf...... 2 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 0

Blackmon, Dennis c....... 3 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 0

Brown, Chris 2b.......... 3 1 1 3 0 1 2 4 1

Smith, Matt p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Totals................... 26 3 5 3 4 6 27 13 3

Score by Innings R H E

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

Gary SShore Railcats 000 000 000 - 0 2 0

Joliet JackHammers.. 000 030 00X - 3 5 2

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

E - Ehrnsberger(8); Mosby, B(1). DP - Gary 3. LOB - Gary 5; Joliet 3. 2B -

Reese, M(6); Diaz, J(17); Mosby, B(1). HR - Brown, C(9).

Gary SShore Railcats IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

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

Shelley, Jason...... 7.0 5 3 3 4 5 23 27

Brinkmann, Matt..... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3

Joliet JackHammers IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

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

Smith, Matt......... 9.0 2 0 0 1 4 31 32

Win - Smith, M (5-6). Loss - Shelley, J (3-3). Save - None.

WP - Shelley, J(6); Smith, M(6).

Umpires - HP: Hank Himmanen 1B: David Condon 3B: Mike Baker

Start: 7:06 PM Time: 2:18 Attendance: 5112

Game notes:

Tomorrow's Probables:

GAR - RHP Travis Kerber (4-4, 3.72) vs.

JOL - RHP Nate Sevier (9-2, 4.84)

Game: JOL8030

Play-by-Play

The Automated ScoreBook

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

Aug 03, 2007 at Joliet, Ill. (Silver Cross Field)

Score by Innings R H E

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

Gary SShore Railcats 000 000 000 - 0 2 0

Joliet JackHammers.. 000 030 00X - 3 5 2

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

Gary SShore Railcats starters: 2/dh Reese, M; 12/ss Pecci, J; 24/3b

Townsend, T; 9/rf Haake, S; 25/c Yepez, J; 35/1b Blakeley, E; 22/lf

Price, N; 17/cf Mueller, D; 18/2b McNamee, E; 40/p Shelley, J;

Joliet JackHammers starters: 6/rf Scriven, E; 5/ss Hutting, T; 36/dh Diaz,

J; 13/3b Ehrnsberger; 33/lf Nicholson, D; 21/1b Mosby, B; 18/cf

Whitesides,J; 15/c Blackmon, D; 11/2b Brown, C; 34/p Smith, M;

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 1

Reese, M grounded out to 3b. Pecci, J grounded out to 2b. Townsend, T

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

Joliet JackHammers - inning 1

Scriven, E walked. Hutting, T grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b;

Scriven, E out on the play. Diaz, J flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0

errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 2

Haake, S grounded out to 3b. Yepez, J grounded out to 3b. Blakeley, E

struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 2

Ehrnsberger fouled out to 2b. Nicholson, D walked. Mosby, B grounded into

double play ss to 2b to 1b; Nicholson, D out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits,

0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 3

Price, N grounded out to 2b. Mueller, D grounded out to 2b. McNamee, E

walked. Reese, M flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 3

Whitesides,J fouled out to c. Blackmon, D struck out swinging. Brown, C

struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 4

Pecci, J grounded out to ss. Townsend, T struck out looking. Haake, S

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

Joliet JackHammers - inning 4

Scriven, E singled to first base, bunt. Hutting, T reached on a fielder's

choice, bunt; Scriven, E out at second c to ss. Diaz, J walked; Hutting,

T advanced to second. Ehrnsberger grounded into double play 2b to ss to

1b; Diaz, J out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 5

Yepez, J lined out to cf. Blakeley, E struck out swinging. Price, N

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

Joliet JackHammers - inning 5

Nicholson, D lined out to 2b. Mosby, B popped up to 2b. Whitesides,J

walked. Blackmon, D singled to right center; Whitesides,J advanced to

third. Brown, C homered to right center, 3 RBI; Blackmon, D scored;

Whitesides,J scored. Scriven, E struck out swinging. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0

errors, 0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 6

Mueller, D reached on a fielding error by 1b. McNamee, E flied out to cf.

Reese, M reached on a fielder's choice; Mueller, D out at second ss to

2b. Reese, M advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pecci, J grounded out to

p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 6

Hutting, T grounded out to 3b. Diaz, J doubled to left center.

Ehrnsberger grounded out to ss. Nicholson, D struck out swinging. 0 runs,

1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 7

Townsend, T grounded out to ss. Haake, S singled to center field. Yepez,

J flied out to lf. Blakeley, E reached on a throwing error by 3b; Haake,

S advanced to second. Price, N grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1

error, 2 LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 7

Mosby, B doubled to right center. Mosby, B advanced to third on a wild

pitch. Whitesides,J struck out looking. Blackmon, D popped up to 2b.

Brown, C popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 8

Mueller, D flied out to rf. McNamee, E flied out to cf. Reese, M doubled

to right center. Pecci, J flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1

LOB.

Joliet JackHammers - inning 8

Brinkmann, M to p for Shelley, J. Scriven, E grounded out to 2b. Hutting,

T flied out to lf. Diaz, J struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,

0 LOB.

Gary SShore Railcats - inning 9

Townsend, T fouled out to 1b. Haake, S struck out swinging. Yepez, J

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