Joliet Rallies Late to Win Series

Sunday, June 26, 2022
By Tim Calderwood
Joliet Rallies Late to Win Series

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The 2021 Frontier League Champion Schaumburg Boomers homered three times, but the Joliet Slammers scored the final five runs including two with two outs in the eighth to take two-of-three in the Metra Series with a 7-6 win on Sunday at Wintrust Field.

Joliet grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a bloop double from former Boomer Matt McGarry. Thomas DeBonville connected on a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the second, the second straight game with a go-ahead RBI. Matt Bottcher doubled home two more in the third as the Boomers opened a 4-1 lead.

Matt Burch hit a solo homer in the fourth for Joliet but Brett Milazzo and DeBonville connected on back-to-back solo homers in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 6-2. Joliet pulled within 6-5 by scoring twice in the fifth and once in the sixth. Kyle Jacobsen delivered the deciding swing, a two-run single with two outs in the eighth. The Boomers left the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth.

Schaumburg totaled just five hits, four of which went for extra bases. DeBonville became the first player this season to record multiple homers in a game. The fourth inning back-to-back homers marked the second occasion this year, both at home. Braxton Davidson and Bottcher hit back-to-back homers in the second inning of the home opener on May 20. Bottcher totaled a pair of hits for his 17th multi-hit showing in 32 games played. Alec Craig walked twice and extended hi on-base streak to 12 games.

Kyle Arjona worked five innings and took a no-decision. Arjona did not walk a batter and struck out five. Juan Pichardo fanned four in two innings. Jake Joyce suffered the loss and Darrell Thompson twirled the ninth. The pitching staff struck out 10 in the 18th contest with double-digit strikeouts this year.

The Boomers (16-21) take Monday off before trekking to Ohio on Tuesday to begin a three-game series with the Lake Erie Crushers. RHP Erik Martinez (2-3, 4.01) takes the ball in the opener against RHP Joseph Sgambelluri. The team returns home for four days of fun to celebrate Independence Day including three fireworks nights. Tickets for the 2022 season are on sale now! Visit boomersbaseball.com.