Game 2: Gary 8, Joliet 4

August 24, 2007

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Gary, Ind.—Jay Pecci matched a team season high with five runs batted in to lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats to an 8-4 victory and a doubleheader sweep of the Joliet JackHammers on Friday night at U. S. Steel Yard before a crowd of 5,297. The RailCats extended their winning streak to five straight games and pulled to within two games of first place Kansas City in the Northern League South Division.

Gary won the first game 3-2. Trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning, Pecci started the comeback rally with a base hit to center field. With one out, Steve Haake lined a single to right to move Pecci to second. Jose Yepez followed with a line drive toward the gap in left center that was just beyond the reach of diving left fielder Derek Nicholson and bounced to the fence. Both Pecci and Haake scored on the play to give Gary a 3-2 lead. Jim Crowell pitched a scoreless seventh for his first save with the RailCats.

David Byard (2-0) worked a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win for Gary. Nate Sevier (11-4) pitched a complete game and took the loss for Joliet. Joliet's Chris Brown hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Joliet a lead that they held until Yepez's two-run double in the sixth.

In the second game, the RailCats built a commanding 6-1 lead over the first two innings. Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the second, Pecci came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out and drilled a triple over the head of center fielder Cory Harris to clear the bases and give the RailCats a 5-1 lead. Dave Detienne drove in Pecci with a base hit later in the inning. Gary added two more in the fifth on a bases loaded walk to Eric McNamee and a sacrifice fly by Pecci to make it 8-1. Joliet collected five hits and scored three runs in the sixth, keyed by a two-run single by Jake Whitesides to make it 8-4, but they could get no closer.

Gary's Travis Kerber started and won the second game for the RailCats to improve his record to 7-6. Kerber retired 13 straight batters at one point. He worked six innings, allowing seven hits and four runs with no walks and three strikeouts. James Garcia, the Joliet starter, took the loss to fall to 0-3. Garcia allowed six runs in one and one third innings.

The RailCats are 22-2 vs. Joliet at U. S. Steel Yard during the 2005-'07 seasons. They set a club record for most wins vs. an opponent in a single season by defeating Joliet for the 15^th time in 2007. The previous record was 14 wins vs. Schaumburg in 2006.

The RailCats host Joliet again Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard. The first 1,500 fans receive a free RailCats baseball, courtesy of Indiana University-Northwest and the Post-Tribune. Ten game winner Josh Habel (10-6, 3.32) will start for Gary against Joliet's Matt Smith (5-7, 5.27).

Notes: The RailCats are 12-4 over the last 16 games.

Game 1

Joliet 2 (40-46,17-21 2nd half) Gary 3 (50-36,20-18 2nd half)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

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

Cory Harris cf............. 4 0 0 0 Eric McNamee 2b............ 3 0 0 0

Tim Hutting ss............. 3 0 1 0 Jay Pecci ss............... 3 1 1 0

Juan Diaz dh............... 3 0 0 0 Eric Blakeley lf........... 3 0 0 0

Chad Ehrnsberger 3b........ 2 0 1 0 Nate Price lf............. 0 0 0 0

Derek Nicholson lf......... 3 0 0 0 Steve Haake dh............. 3 2 2 0

Dennis Blackmon c.......... 3 0 1 0 Jose Yepez c............... 3 0 1 2

Jake Whitesides rf......... 3 1 1 0 Jermaine Allensworth cf.... 3 0 1 0

Chris Brown 2b............. 3 1 1 2 Tanner Townsend 3b......... 2 0 0 1

Eric Scriven 1b............ 2 0 0 0 Dale Mueller rf............ 2 0 0 0

Nate Sevier p.............. 0 0 0 0 Dave Detienne 1b........... 2 0 1 0

Steve Edsall p............. 0 0 0 0

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

David Byard p............. 0 0 0 0

Jim Crowell p............. 0 0 0 0

Totals..................... 26 2 5 2 Totals..................... 24 3 6 3

Score by Innings R H E

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

Joliet.............. 000 200 0 - 2 5 1

Gary................ 010 002 X - 3 6 0

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

E - Ehrnsberger(13). LOB - Jackhammers 7; RailCats 4. 2B - Yepez(21). HR -

Brown(10). HBP - Scriven. SF - Townsend. SB - Whitesides(4).

Joliet IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO NP

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

Nate Sevier L,11-4........ 6.0 6 3 3 0 6 0 0 0 0 24 25 8 4 83

Gary IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO NP

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

Steve Edsall .............. 3.0 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 11 14 5 3 54

Matt Brinkmann ............ 2.0 3 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 9 2 2 40

David Byard W,1-1......... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 2 7

Jim Crowell S,1........... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 4 1 1 17

HBP - by Crowell (Scriven). Inherited runners/scored: None. Pitches/strikes: Sevier

83/61; Edsall 54/27; Brinkmann 40/28; Byard 7/6; Crowell 17/10.

Strikeouts - Hutting; Diaz 2; Nicholson; Brown; McNamee 2; Yepez; Allensworth;

Mueller 2. Walks - Hutting; Diaz; Ehrnsberger.

Umpires - HP: Harry Fredenburg 1B: Kurt Branin 3B: Bill Lopina

Start: 5:30 pm Time: 1:53

Joliet inning 1

Harris popped up to 3b (1-0). Hutting singled to right center (3-2). Diaz

walked (3-1); Hutting advanced to second. Ehrnsberger flied out to cf

(3-2). Nicholson out at first 1b to p (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2

LOB.

Gary inning 1

McNamee flied out to cf (3-2). Pecci grounded out to ss (0-0). Blakeley

flied out to rf (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet inning 2

Blackmon singled to shortstop (1-0). Whitesides reached on a fielder's

choice, bunt (1-1); Blackmon out at second p to ss. Brown flied out to rf

(1-2). Scriven lined out to 1b (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary inning 2

Haake singled up the middle (1-2). Yepez reached on a fielding error by 3b

(0-0); Haake advanced to second. Allensworth singled to third base, bunt

(1-0); Yepez advanced to second; Haake advanced to third. Townsend flied

out to rf, SF, RBI (3-1); Yepez advanced to third; Haake scored. Mueller

struck out looking (0-2). Detienne grounded out to 2b (0-0). 1 run, 2

hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.

Joliet inning 3

Harris flied out to cf (1-1). Hutting walked (3-0). Diaz struck out

swinging (2-2). Ehrnsberger walked (3-1); Hutting advanced to second.

Nicholson grounded out to ss (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Gary inning 3

McNamee struck out looking (3-2). Pecci popped up to ss (1-2). Blakeley

lined out to rf (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet inning 4

Brinkmann to p for Edsall. Blackmon grounded out to ss (1-1). Whitesides

singled to center field (1-1). Whitesides stole second. Brown homered to

left field, 2 RBI (2-2); Whitesides scored. Scriven grounded out to ss

(1-2). Harris lined out to 2b (1-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 4

Haake grounded out to ss (0-2). Yepez struck out swinging (1-2).

Allensworth struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet inning 5

Hutting struck out looking (1-2). Diaz flied out to rf (2-1). Ehrnsberger

singled up the middle (2-2). Nicholson struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs,

1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Gary inning 5

Townsend lined out to lf (0-2). Mueller struck out swinging (2-2).

Detienne singled up the middle (0-0). McNamee struck out swinging (1-2). 0

runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet inning 6

Byard to p for Brinkmann. Blackmon grounded out to ss (0-1). Whitesides

grounded out to 2b (0-0). Brown struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits,

0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 6

Pecci singled to right center (0-0). Blakeley lined out to cf (0-0). Haake

singled to right field (0-2); Pecci advanced to second. Yepez doubled to

left center, 2 RBI (2-2); Haake scored; Pecci scored. Allensworth grounded

out to 2b (0-1); Yepez advanced to third. Townsend popped up to 2b (0-0).

2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet inning 7

Price to lf for Blakeley. Crowell to p for Byard. Scriven hit by pitch

(2-2). Harris flied out to cf (0-1). Hutting grounded out to 1b unassisted

(2-1); Scriven advanced to second. Diaz struck out looking (2-2). 0 runs,

0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Game 2

Joliet 4 (40-48,17-22 2nd half) Gary 8 (51-36,21-18 2nd half)

AB R H RBI AB R H RBI

Harris cf 2 0 0 0 McNamee 2b 1 2 0 1

Mazurek ph/cf 2 1 1 0 Pecci ss 3 2 2 5

Hutting ss 4 1 1 0 Blakeley lf 3 0 1 0

Diaz dh 3 1 1 1 Haake dh 2 0 0 0

Ehrnsberger 3b 3 1 2 0 Detienne 1b 3 0 1 2

Nicholson lf 3 0 1 0 Allensworth rf 2 0 0 0

Whitesides rf 3 0 1 2 Townsend 3b 4 1 1 0

Brown 2b 2 0 0 1 Price cf 2 2 2 0

Scriven 1b 3 0 1 0 Wallace c 2 1 0 0

Wayne c 3 0 0 0 Kerber p 0 0 0 0

Garcia p 0 0 0 0 Cogan p 0 0 0 0

Patterson p 0 0 0 0

Williams p 0 0 0 0

Ellison p 0 0 0 0

Petrusek p 0 0 0 0

Totals...... 28 4 8 4 Totals...... 22 8 7 8

Score by innings: R H E

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

Joliet 010 003 0 - 4 8 0

Gary 240 020 - 8 7 0

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

DP - Jackhammers 1. LOB - Jackhammers 4; RailCats 8. 2B - Nicholson(15);

Scriven(7). 3B - Pecci(7). SF - Brown; Pecci; Detienne.

IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF Fly Gnd NP

Garcia L 0-3 1.1 4 6 6 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 11 2 2 39

Patterson 0.1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 4 0 0 19

Williams 2.1 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 7 8 0 3 39

Ellison 1.0 1 2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 2 1 34

Petrusek 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 4 2 0 19

Kerber W 7-6 6.0 7 4 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 24 25 8 7 74

Cogan 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 1 16

WP - Garcia(2); Petrusek(3). HBP - by Patterson (Blakeley).

Strikeouts - Hutting; Diaz; Nicholson; Whitesides; Wayne; McNamee; Detienne

2; Allensworth; Townsend. Walks - McNamee 3; Haake 2; Allensworth 2; Price;

Wallace.

Umpires - Home:Kurt Branin 1st:Bill Lopina 3rd:Harry Fredenburg

Start: 8:08 pm Time: 2:24 Attendance: 5297

Game Notes:

Saturday's probables: Matt Smith (JOL) at Josh Habel (GAR), 6 pm

Joliet inning 1

Harris flied out to lf (0-0). Hutting flied out to rf (0-1). Diaz grounded

out to 2b (2-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 1

McNamee walked (3-2). McNamee advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pecci

singled to right field, RBI (1-2); McNamee scored. Blakeley singled to

center field (2-2); Pecci advanced to second. Haake flied out to cf (3-1);

Pecci advanced to third. Detienne lined out to rf, SF, RBI (0-0); Pecci

scored. Allensworth reached on a fielder's choice (0-0); Blakeley out at

second 3b to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet inning 2

Ehrnsberger singled to center field (1-1). Nicholson doubled down the rf

line (2-1); Ehrnsberger advanced to third. Whitesides struck out swinging

(1-2). Brown flied out to cf, SF, RBI (3-0); Nicholson advanced to third;

Ehrnsberger scored. Scriven popped up to 1b (1-0). 1 run, 2 hits, 0

errors, 1 LOB.

Gary inning 2

Townsend grounded out to 3b (0-2). Price singled through the left side

(0-2). Wallace walked (3-0); Price advanced to second. McNamee walked

(3-0); Wallace advanced to second; Price advanced to third. Pecci tripled

to center field, 3 RBI (1-1); McNamee scored; Wallace scored; Price scored.

Patterson to p for Garcia. Blakeley hit by pitch (1-1). Haake walked

(3-1); Blakeley advanced to second. Detienne singled through the left side,

RBI (3-1); Haake advanced to second; Blakeley advanced to third; Pecci

scored. Allensworth struck out swinging (3-2). Williams to p for

Patterson. Williams entered game with 2-2 count on Townsend. Townsend

struck out swinging (3-2). 4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Joliet inning 3

Wayne grounded out to 3b (0-0). Harris flied out to rf (1-0). Hutting

grounded out to p (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 3

Price singled to second base (1-0). Wallace grounded into double play ss to

2b to 1b (1-1); Price out on the play. McNamee struck out looking (2-2). 0

runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Joliet inning 4

Diaz struck out looking (3-2). Ehrnsberger grounded out to ss (0-0).

Nicholson struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 4

Pecci grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-2). Blakeley grounded out to 1b

unassisted (0-2). Haake walked (3-2). Detienne struck out swinging (2-2).

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet inning 5

Whitesides grounded out to 2b (3-1). Brown grounded out to 3b (1-1).

Scriven grounded out to p (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Gary inning 5

Ellison to p for Williams. Allensworth walked (3-2). Townsend singled up

the middle (2-1); Allensworth advanced to second. Price walked (3-2);

Townsend advanced to second; Allensworth advanced to third. Wallace reached

on a fielder's choice (0-2); Price advanced to second; Townsend advanced to

third; Allensworth out at home 3b to c. McNamee walked, RBI (3-2); Wallace

advanced to second; Price advanced to third; Townsend scored. Pecci flied

out to lf, SF, RBI (1-2); Price scored. Blakeley lined out to rf (2-2). 2

runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Joliet inning 6

Wayne popped up to ss (0-0). Mazurek pinch hit for Harris. Mazurek singled

to left field (0-0). Hutting singled through the left side (0-1); Mazurek

advanced to second. Diaz singled to center field, RBI (1-2); Hutting

advanced to second; Mazurek scored. Ehrnsberger singled to pitcher (0-2);

Diaz advanced to second; Hutting advanced to third. Nicholson infield fly

to 3b (0-2). Whitesides singled to center field, 2 RBI (1-0); Ehrnsberger

advanced to second; Diaz scored; Hutting scored. Brown flied out to cf

(2-2). 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Gary inning 6

Mazurek to cf. Petrusek to p for Ellison. Haake popped up to 3b (0-2).

Detienne struck out looking (1-2). Allensworth walked (3-2). Allensworth

advanced to second on a wild pitch. Townsend flied out to cf (2-2). 0

runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Joliet inning 7

Cogan to p for Kerber. Scriven doubled down the lf line (2-2). Wayne

struck out swinging (0-2). Mazurek grounded out to 3b (0-0); Scriven

advanced to third. Hutting struck out looking (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0

errors, 1 LOB.