Otters Slip Past Slammers

Mike Durant hit a solo home run in the second and the go-ahead double in the sixth as the Evansville Otters (5-16) beat the Joliet Slammers (10-11) Sunday afternoon by a final score of 3-2.

It was Joliet getting off to the fast start in the first against Evansville starter Dan Maracci in the first. Josh Flores started the game with a walk. He advanced to second on a slow grounder and then he pulled off his best Benny “the Jet” Rodriguez impression.

Yasel Gutierrez hit a grounder back to the mound and Flores got in a pickle between second and third. But he was able to beat the rundown and arrive safely at third.

Meanwhile Gutierrez advanced all the way to second on the play. Erik Lis followed with a grounder to first and Flores beat the throw home as the Slammers took the 1-0 lead.

Then Evansville’s defense betrayed them on a Kyle Maunus grounder to third as PJ Sequeira bobbled the ball and another run crossed the plate for the Slammers.

Despite not recording a hit in the first the Slammers scored two runs. They would only tally six hits in the contest and did not score another run.

Durant cut the Slammers’ lead to one in the second with a mammoth blast off Petrick to dead-center. Evansville showed they could play some small ball the very next inning. Brett Chamberlain got things going with a single. Korby Mintken followed with a single of his own. A sacrifice bunt and a Jonathan Waltenbury RBI grounder tied the game at two.

The game remained tied until the sixth. Jamar Walton singled to lead-off the frame and Durant doubled him home. Petrick got out of the inning without any further trouble as he went 6.1 innings, scattering seven hits, giving up three runs, all earned, walking three and striking-out four.

Joliet’s best chance to come back in the game came in the eighth inning. They loaded the bases with only one away for pinch hitter Hector Pellot. But Pellot hit a grounder to third and Evansville turned a 5-2-3 double play to end the inning.

Joliet returns home to Silver Cross Field Monday night as they open a three game series with the Washington Wild Things. Jake Renshaw (2-1, 4.01 ERA) will be on the mound. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. CST. Benny the Bull will be in town for the first Mascot Monday of the season.