Joliet – Will Block hit two home runs and Sean Coughlin hit a grand slam as the Southern Illinois Miners beat the Joliet Slammers 10-4 Thursday night.
The Slammers (24-20) took an early lead in the second inning. With one out, David Fox drew a walk. Then Kris Kasarjian singled off the second base bag and Fox took third. With Sean Estand at the plate, Kasarjian attempted to steal second, the throw got away and Kasarjian was safe. Meanwhile, Fox scored and the Slammers were credited with a double steal.
The Miners (29-15) tied it with an unearned run in the third. Sean Harrell singled to start things off. With two away he stood on second base after advancing on a grounder. A Sean Estand throwing error allowed him to score.
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Some poor Southern Illinois defense helped the Slammers regain the lead in the bottom half of the frame. With one out, Bobby Leeper reached on an error by first baseman Tyler Bullock. He stole second and advanced to third when the throw went into center.
Trey Manz brought him home with a sacrifice fly and it was 2-1 Slammers. Then Josh Flores drew a walk and went to second when a pickoff attempt by Joe Augustine (2-1) went astray. Erik Lis singled him home and Joliet was up 3-1.
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The lead evaporated quickly. Block took Tommy Mendoza (1-1) deep to lead off the fourth. Mendoza then loaded the bases but was able to escape the inning without any further damage.
He would not be so fortunate in the fifth as Block tagged him for a two-run homer and the Miners were up 4-3. Brandon Garner entered the game and completed the fifth inning with no more runs scoring.
However, the sixth inning would be his undoing. Sean Harrell singled and back-to-back hit by pitches loaded the bases. One out later Josh Womack walked and Block was hit by a pitch as the Miners had a 6-3 lead.
Kevin Crimmel entered the game and immediately gave up a grand slam to Coughlin to put the Slammers in a 10-3 hole.
They’d get one back on Lis' home run in the bottom of the sixth but that would be it.
With the loss the Slammers remain a half-game out of first place as Windy City lost Thursday night as well.
Joliet heads to Normal for a three game series starting on Friday. Ryne Miller will be on the mound for the opener. First pitch is at 7 p.m.
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