Slammers Grab Early Lead But Fall to Windy City

Nick Kuroczko hit a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning to give Windy City the lead and southpaw Todd Privett went seven strong innings as the Joliet Slammers fell to the ThunderBolts 3-1 Tuesday morning.

The Slammers took the early lead in the third inning thanks to their bottom of the order. Privett had retired six in a row, four on strikeouts, before Kyle Maunus doubled to lead off the frame. Catcher Lee Rubin followed with a sharp single through the left side to score Maunus and the Slammers had the 1-0 edge.

It stayed that way until the fifth inning as Andrew Moss was very effective for Joliet. The former Cardinals farmhand retired eight in a row at one point, but the ThunderBolts finally got some offense going in the fifth frame when Chris Wade singled and went to second on a sacrifice bunt.

With two away, Mike Torres was able to poke the ball through the right side for the game-tying single.

Then the ThunderBolts took the lead for good in the sixth. With one out, Ryan Basham singled and Zach Aakhus was hit by a Moss pitch. That was the end of Moss’ day as Kyle Kriech came on in relief. He struck out the first batter he faced but walked Wade to load the bases with two down.

What ensued was quite the battle against third baseman Nick Kuroczko. The count ran full and after a couple of foul balls Kuroczko won the battle with a single to right that scored two runs to give Windy City the 3-1 lead.

Kriech got the next batter to fly out but the damage was done. The book was closed on Moss who went 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits, three runs, all earned, walking one and striking out two.

Relievers Chuck Lukanen and Jeremy Tietze held the ThunderBolts scoreless the rest of the way but it was for naught as Joliet’s offense had no answer for Todd Privett and the Windy City pitching staff.

Privett ended up going seven innings, scattering four hits, giving up the lone run, walking two, and striking-out seven. After the Slammers' third-inning run, they only got two men in scoring position the rest of the day.

Rubin recorded the only multihit game as he went 2-for-2 with the lone RBI. Bradley Blanks picked up the save for the ThunderBolts.