Lis and Slammers Blitz Normal

(Joliet, IL) – Erik Lis hit his eighth home run of the year and the Joliet Slammers (21-18) put the Normal CornBelters (22-18) away early in a 10-1 victory Saturday night.

The first inning started innocently enough for the Slammers as the first two batters grounded out. That’s when the Slammers tallied five straight singles to take a 4-0 lead. Josh Flores hit a slow chopper on the infield and beat it out single. Then Erik Lis ripped a single of his own to right. David Fox lined the first pitch he saw up the gut to score Flores. Sean Estand fought off a pitch into center to drive in Lis and Estand advanced to second on the throw home. With two strikes on him, Kyle Maunus singled sharply to right, scoring Fox and Estand to complete the scoring for the inning.

They’d continue to attack Normal’s pitching in the third. Josh Flores singled to lead it off and Lis smacked his team leading eighth homer of the year. Satellite reports indicate the ball may still be flying. Fox singled again and one out later back to back walks loaded the bases. Ben Ferrell drove in Fox with a sacrifice fly and Bobby Leeper drove in two more runs with a ringing double to make the score 9-0.

Tommy Mendoza (1-0) was outstanding in his second start for the Slammers as he went five shutout innings, scattering three hits, walking one and striking out two.

A Kyle Maunus RBI single made the score 10-0 in the sixth.

It was a great night for the offense as Lis went 4-5, Leeper tallied two hits, and Maunus reached all five times he came to the plate.

Kevin Crimmel pitched two solid innings in relief. The CornBelters did get an unearned run off Chris Pack in the eighth, but Chuck Lukanen wrapped things up with a scoreless ninth.

The Slammers look to clinch the series Sunday night as they’ll send newly-acquired Ryne Miller to the mound for game two of the three game series. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m., and the team is giving away a Slammers trucker hat. Plus, there will be more postgame fireworks!