O’Fallon, MO – A pair of home runs and a solid offensive effort helped the River City Rascals beat the Windy City Thunderbolts 12-7 and stay in sole possession of first place in the Frontier League West.

Chris Clem (3-4) made his seventh start of the season and picked up his third win, though giving up seven runs on twelve hits

Jeff Miller hit his eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the second to give the Rascals their first run of the game. This was the fourth straight game that Miller has homered and a big reason why the left-hander has hit over .400 in his past ten games.

“This is a complete turn around from how I started the season,” Miller said. “I got some good advice from guys like Brad Hough and Andrew Sweet, and it has helped me get it down.”

The Rascals scored four runs each in the fourth and fifth innings, giving them a big early lead.

Sweet hit in the first run of the fourth inning off a single to right field. Phil Laurent added three more runs when he hit a home run in the next at bat giving the Rascals the 5-1 lead.

In the fifth inning the Rascals hit through the order with Sweet and A.J. Van Slyke picking up an RBI each. Miller scored the other two runs of the inning with a bases loaded double down the right field line.

The Thunderbolts added five runs over the last four innings, but it would not be enough to keep up with River City.

Adam Dominick (1-1) picked up his first loss of the season allowing nine runs in four innings. Clem was helped from the bullpen by Gary Lee who finished the game pitching 1.1 inning and allowing no runs to score.

The River City Rascals (19-15) will face the Windy City Thunderbolts (17-17) for game two of the series Thursday at T.R. Hughes Ballpark. Thursday nights are Budweiser ‘Thirsty Thursdays’ with dollar beers in Rascal Island through the seventh inning. Gates open at 6:05 p.m. and the game will start at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (636) 240-BATS or www.rivercityrascals.com.