Pellot Powers Slammers Past Rockford

On his first day off the Disabled List, Hector Pellot smacked two home runs and the Joliet Slammers (28-22) knocked off the Rockford RiverHawks (23-28) by a final score of 12-10 Sunday night.

With the win the Slammers are now 1.5 games ahead of the Windy City ThunderBolts and the Traverse City Beach Bums in the East Division of the Frontier League.

Things did not start well for the Slammers as Rockford plated three runs in the first inning on a three run home run from Jason James off starter Tommy Mendoza (2-1).

However, the Slammers responded in a big way in the second against Rockford starter Chris Nyman (0-1).

David Fox got things going with a double and Brad Netzel singled him to third. A passed ball allowed Fox to score and Netzel to advance to second.

Kyle Maunus drew a walk and another passed ball put runners on second and third for the Slammers. Bobby Leeper smacked a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2 in favor of Rockford.

Sean Estand hit a grounder to first that was muffed by Jeremy Hamilton and everyone was safe as the Slammers tied the game. One out later and with Estand on second, Josh Flores beat out an infield single to put runners at the corners for Pellot.

The Puerto Rico native had not hit a homer all year and had not played since June 27. He made the most of his second at bat of the game as he smacked a three run home run to put the Slammers up 6-3.

They continued to smack the ball in the third as Maunus hit his ninth home run of the season to make the score 7-3.

Matt Zoltak entered the game for Nyman in the fourth and didn’t do much better against the Slammers offense.

Ben Hewett got the inning started with a single and Josh Flores doubled him to third. One out later Erik Lis got his lone hit of the game count with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 9-3.

A Freddy Parejo home run in the fifth made the score 9-4 but Joliet responded with two in the sixth. Josh Flores walked to start the inning and Pellot unloaded on a pitch for his second home run of the night. This one travelled an estimated 427 feet and hit halfway up the Miller Lite Party Deck in left field.

An 11-4 lead seemed safe, but Rockford would rally. Tommy Mendoza went six innings, giving up four runs, all earned, on six hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Reliever Chris Pack struggled in the seventh, eventually giving up a grand slam to Jake Eigsti and Joliet’s lead was down to 11-8. A Hewett sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the frame put the Slammers back up by four.

After Brian Smith tossed a scoreless eighth, closer Ryan Quigley entered in a non-save situation in the ninth. He struggled, giving up two runs, but the Slammers would prevail as he struck out Jeremy Hamilton to end the game.