River City Rascals - Independent Professional Baseball

MILLER GIVES RASCALS FIRST ROAD WIN

Crestwood, IL -- One run and just two hits, both singles, were enough for the River City Rascals to claim their first road win of the season Sunday night, taking down the Windy City Thunderbolts 1-0.

Jonathan Miller entered with an 0-1 record despite having allowed just one earned run in 13.1 innings and a 0.67 ERA. The factor, lack of run support, Miller started tonight having his Rascals score a total of just two runs combined in his two starts.

Until the seventh inning, it appeared River City was in danger of being no hit. Thunderbolts start Ross Stout was perfect through six before giving up back to back singles to being the seventh.

Rascals second baseman Greg Phelps recorded his first hit as a professional in his first start. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and then moved to third on a single by Phil Laurent. Andrew Sweet provided the only RBI of the game when he drove a ball just deep enough to right to score Phelps on a sacrifice fly.

The game was turned to the bullpen in the eighth. Brian Logan got Amos Ramon to ground out to second for the first out, but then gave up a single and walked a batter to put the tying and go ahead runners on-base. Logan was then lifted for closer Mike Benacka. After a double steal put runners at second and third, Benacka hit Wes Long to load the bases.

Up stepped Phil Hawke who entered the game on a seven game hitting streak and had 11 hits in his last 20 at-bats. The left-handed first baseman was 0-3 until that point and Benacka sat him down on strikes. Josh Horn then flew out to center field to end the threat.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Sweet threw out pinch runner LaFringe Hayes stealing after Doug Coe was hit to begin the inning. Scott Billack then grounded out to third, giving the Rascals the win.

Miller (1-1) allowed just four hits and walked three over seven scoreless. Stout (0-3) took the loss going a complete nine innings. Benacka (2) got the save and is two shy of the Rascals all-time record of 24 held by Pat Evers.

The Rascals (7-5) have the off day Monday before opening a nine game home stand Tuesday against the Midwest Sliders at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday nights are Ruffy’s Reading Club nights, students with reading vouchers can redeem them for a free admission at the gate.

6/01/08
River City 1, Windy City 0

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
River City	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	0
Windy City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0

River City	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
G. Phelps	2B	4	1	1	0	.250
J. Deboer	2B	0	0	0	0	.250
P. Laurent	RF	3	0	1	0	.216
A. Sweet	CAT	2	0	0	1	.250
B. Mosby	1B	3	0	0	0	.231
R. Rosa	DH	3	0	0	0	.182
J. Miller	LF	3	0	0	0	.105
C. Raniere	3B	3	0	0	0	.222
L. Barganier	CF	3	0	0	0	.194
G. Stone	SS	3	0	0	0	.200
J. Miller	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
B. Logan	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
M. Benacka	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS		27	1	2	1

Windy City	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
G. Mejia	2B	4	0	2	0	.261
M. Coles	CF	3	0	2	0	.289
W. Long	SS	2	0	0	0	.348
P. Hawke	1B	4	0	0	0	.368
J. Horn	3B	4	0	0	0	.261
D. Coe	CAT	2	0	0	0	.308
L. Hayes	PR	0	0	0	0	.333
B. Amyx	DH	3	0	0	0	.205
S. Billak	RF	4	0	1	0	.179
A. Ramon	LF	3	0	0	0	.158
R. Stout	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
R. Stout	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
R. Stout	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS		29	0	5	0

DP--RIVER CITY 2, WINDY CITY 0. LOB--RIVER CITY 0, WINDY CITY 8. SB--G.Mejia (6), M.Coles 2 (5), W.Long (4). CS--L.Hayes. HBP--W.Long, D.Coe. SF--A.Sweet.

River City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
J. Miller (W, 1-1)	7.0	4	0	0	3	3	0	0.44
B. Logan	0.1	1	0	0	1	0	0	3.00
M. Benacka (S, 2)	1.2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0.00

Windy City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
R. Stout (L,0-3)	9.0	2	1	1	0	9	0	3.79

WP--B.Logan. HB--M.Benacka 2. PB--A.Sweet, D.Coe. SO--G.Phelps, P.Laurent, B.Mosby, R.Rosa, J.Miller, C.Raniere 2, L.Barganier 2, P.Hawke 2, J.Horn, D.Coe, B.Amyx. BB--M.Coles, W.Long, D.Coe, B.Amyx.

Time: 2:28, Attendance: 1,179