SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The first-place Schaumburg Boomers were an out away from the series shutout but settled for a 7-1 win and a series sweep of the defending Frontier League Champion Joliet Slammers in front of 5,248 Friday evening.

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The Boomers (38-25) put the game out of reach early with a five run third inning and that was more than enough for rookie right-hander Cody Griebling, who went the distance for his first complete game as a professional. Griebling held the Slammers (26-37) to just six hits and racked up a career-high eight strikeouts to improve to 2-1 on the season. The complete game by Griebling marked the third such performance by a Boomers pitcher since the All-Star break and Schaumburg has now completed sweeps in six of the 12 series played at Boomers Stadium in 2012.

Karexon Sanchez drove in three runs with a 2-4 day at the plate, which included the Boomers Frontier League leading 22nd triple as a team as part of a big third inning. The Boomers scored five runs on four hits in the frame and took advantage of three Joliet errors. Also in the third, Jereme Milons doubled home a run and Nate Baumann knocked in Sanchez with a sacrifice fly to deep right field.

The Boomers extended their advantage to 7-0 following a solo homer off the bat of Steve McQuail – his seventh in 15 games since the All-Star Break – in the fifth and a RBI-single to left from Sanchez scored Nick Kuroczko from third. Kuroczko reached base all in four plate appearances after finishing 2-2 with a double and a pair of walks.

Joliet did scrape across a run in the ninth on a Kyle Maunus RBI-single to drive in Erik Lis and snap an impressive scoreless streak by the Boomers pitching staff. Schaumburg pitchers kept opponents off the scoreboard over the last 28.1 innings and held Joliet in particular without a run for 30 consecutive innings dating back the fifth inning on June 22.

The Boomers travel to Rockford Saturday where RHP Robby Donovan (6-3, 3.68) of Schaumburg will take on RHP Nick Anderson (0-1, 6.00) for the RiverHawks.

PECKS

- The Boomers have scored first in 10 of the last 11 games
- Steve McQuail hit his seventh home run since the All-Star Break (in just 15 games)
- Schaumburg is now 33-0 overall when leading after eight innings (23-0 at home), 15-1 when scoring first at home and 18-3 against the West Division at home

With just a handful of weekend dates left, tickets for the Inaugural Season of Boomers Baseball are going fast so act now: online at www.boomersbaseball.com, over the phone at 847.461.3695 or in person at the Boomers Box Office located at Boomers Stadium, 1999 Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg IL, 60193. Don’t miss the newly added weekend series on August 17-19 with special ticket discounts available so give us a call today!