SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The Schaumburg Boomers, currently Chicagoland’s only first-place professional baseball team, took advantage of a pair of eighth inning errors by the Rockford RiverHawks to break open a tie ballgame and earn an 8-5 victory Saturday evening at Boomers Stadium.

With the scored tied at five in the top of the eighth, Boomers RHP Patrick Mincey checked into the game with runners on first and third. Schaumburg’s closer struck out next two batters to set up a big home half of the frame. The Boomers (21-13) came out on top after breaking through for three runs (one earned) off Rockford reliever Garrett Granitz, who took the loss for the RiverHawks (12-21).

RF Nate Baumann led the charge for the Boomers with a three hit night, including a solo homer in the sixth, and CF Jereme Milons contributed three runsbatted in on a pair of doubles on the evening. Also on the offensive were 3B Frank Pfister who collected a pair of singles and 1B Steve McQuail who blasted his second home run as a member of the Boomers in the second.

Mincey pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the victory out of the bullpen for Schaumburg to improve to 2-0. On the season, the 6’3” right-hander has yet to allow a run in 16 innings of work and has allowed just five hits with 28 strikeouts and only five walks. RHP Robbie Penny started the game for Schaumburg and pitched 5.2 innings allowing four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Boomers and RiverHawks are back at it again Sunday for a scheduled 1 p.m. first pitch. RHP Shane Prance (0-0, 3.38) is on the mound for Manager Jamie Bennett and Schaumburg and RHP Jordan Liette (0-1, 5.40) gets the call for Rockford.

PECKS

• The Boomers improve to 15-4 at home during their Inaugural Season
• The two doubles by Jereme Milons match a franchise mark
• Tonight marks the sixth time the Boomers have homered at least twice in one game – Schaumburg is 5-1 in those games
• Schaumburg is also 10-0 when scoring six or more runs, including 7-0 at Boomers Stadium

Join the Boomers for Daily Herald Family Day on Sunday, June 24 at 1 p.m. Clip the coupon in the Daily Herald a special deal for a family of four – four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and two Coop’s Kids Corner Passes for just $56 (an $80 value). Sunday also means post-game autographs with Boomers players and coaches presented by Wintrust Financial. Stick around after running the bases, presented by Sonic Drive-ins, for this Sunday Boomers tradition and meet your favorite players!