Slammers Knot Series With Beach Bums

Sean Estand singled in what proved to be the winning run in the seventh and Erik Lis hit his team-leading 11th home run of the season as the Joliet Slammers beat the Traverse City Beach Bums 4-3 Monday night.

It was Traverse City (30-29) scoring first Monday as they got to Brian Fowler in the second inning for an unearned run.

With one out Jeff Flag reached on Brad Netzel's error. Hector Bernal drew a walk. With two away Zack Pace doubled home Flag but Bobby Leeper gunned down Bernal at the plate to end the inning.

With two outs and nobody on in the fourth, Hector Pellot singled and Lis crushed a ball to deep center for his first home run since July 16 for a 2-1 edge.

Joliet (33-25) scored again in the sixth when Trey Manz hit his first home run as a Slammer to extend the lead to 3-1. But the Beach Bums rallied against Fowler in the bottom of the sixth.

JT Hall started the rally with a walk. Jose Vargas hit a grounder to short for a force out at second but Pellot’s throw to first was wild and Vargas took second.

A walk and a single loaded the bases. That was all for Fowler as Chuck Lukanen entered the game.

Lukanen surrendered a ground-rule double to Bernal and the game was tied 3-3. He escaped the inning without any further damage.

Fowler went 5 1/3 innings, scattering four hits, giving up three runs, two earned, walking five and striking out four.

With the game tied in the seventh, David Fox drew a one-out walk. A Josh Flores walk put runners at first and second with one away. That’s when Estand came up huge with a single to left and the Slammers grabbed the 4-3 edge.

Lukanen tossed a scoreless seventh and Brian Smith shut down the Beach Bums in the eighth.

Joliet native Ryan Quigley entered to get the save in the ninth and he struck out the first two batters. The next batter drew walks and Tom Zebroski hit a ball to deep center that Leeper tracked down at the wall for the final out of the game.

With the win, the Slammers remain in first place and have matched their season high of eight games over .500. They will look to win the series Tuesday night as Ryne Miller (0-3, 3.67 ERA) takes the mound. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.