Renshaw Tosses First Complete Game In Slammers History

Jake Renshaw (5-3) gave up a two run home run in the first inning.

After that he had the Normal CornBelters (25-22) eating out of his hand as Renshaw went the distance and the Joliet Slammers (26-20) won by a score of 6-2 Saturday night.

For the Slammers it’s their season high third straight win on the road and they now sit a season high six games over .500.

Frank Martinez did the same thing he did Friday night as he homered in the first to give Normal a 2-0 lead. A walk and a single put two more runners on but Renshaw got a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning with no further damage.

The Slammers came back in the second against Normal starter Tyler Lavigne as they took advantage of some poor defense. Kyle Maunus hit a grounder to short that Tyler Keeble bobbled and threw low to first.

Steven Alexander couldn’t handle the throw and Maunus was safe. Saint Francis alumnus Brad Netzel executed a perfect hit-and-run as he singled to right, moving Maunus to third.

Ben Hewett drove Maunus home with a grounder that deflected off Lavigne. Lavigne was able to get Hewett but the Normal lead had been cut to 2-1.

Renshaw worked around a couple of singles in the second and sent the CornBelters middle of the order down 1-2-3 in the third. The fourth inning featured a harmless two-out infield single and the Slammers rewarded him by taking the lead in the fifth.

Bobby Leeper drew a walk to start the frame. On a 3-2 pitch with Leeper running, Trey Manz singled up the middle to put runners at the corners.

Two outs later David Fox hit a line drive to right-center field that Asif Shah tried to catch but his diving attempt was to no avail and Fox had himself a clutch two-RBI single to give Joliet the lead.

Renshaw continued his effective pitching, working around a two-out hit by pitch in the fifth and a lead-off single in the sixth. A one-out single in the seventh was neutralized when the Slammers turned a 6-4-3 double play.

Joliet got some insurance for Renshaw in the eighth. Maunus walked to start the frame and moved to second on a Netzel sacrifice bunt. Ben Hewett drove in Maunus for the second time in the game, this time with a sharp single up the middle to extend the lead to 4-2. He went to second on the throw home and scored when Bobby Leeper singled him home.

In the ninth the Slammers got one more unearned run. With one out Erik Lis singled to right. Fox reached on a fielder’s choice and Maunus hit a high fly to right. Shah managed to just plain miss the ball and Fox scored to extend the lead to 6-2.

Renshaw retired the final seven batters he faced to toss the first complete game in franchise history. He scattered seven hits, giving up two runs, both earned, walking two and striking out six.

The Slammers stay in first place, ½ game ahead of Windy City. They will go for their first road sweep of the year Sunday night as former major league pitcher Billy Petrick (3-6, 4.70 ERA) is on the mound. First pitch is at 6:00 p.m. Central Time and you can tune in to AM 1340 WJOL and www.wjol.comstarting at 5:45 for all the action.