Slammers Walk-off Winners in Game 1

Ben Hewett singled in Kyle Maunus in the bottom of the eighth as the Joliet Slammers (15-13) beat the Rockford RiverHawks (11-18) in game one of Tuesday’s double header by a final score of 7-6.

The Slammers spotted Rockford four runs in the second as Jason Jarvis struggled. Jeremy Hamilton singled and Matt Greener followed with a double. Luis Parache doubled both runners in to make it 2-0. One out later Jeremy Richter tripled down the right field line and it was 3-0. Reno Malay doubled him home to really put Joliet in a hole.

But the Slammers were resilient. After Maunus walked with one down in the second, Sean Estand blasted his first career professional home run to cut the Rockford lead in half.

The RiverHawks went up 5-3 in the top of the third despite the first two batters getting out. Luis Parache singled, stole a base, and would score on a Richter single.

Joliet played long ball again in the bottom half of the frame. Brad Netzel singled with one away and with two down Erik Lis smacked his team-leading sixth home run of the season.

Rockford chased Jarvis from the game in the fourth. After Freddy Parejo singled, Jarvis hit two straight batters and Brian Smith entered the game. Despite inheriting a bases loaded situation, only one of those men would score off Smith as he got out of the inning with minimal damage.

Down 6-4, the Slammers finally knotted things in the fifth. Ben Ferrell drew a lead-off walk and Bobby Leeper doubled him to third. That’s when Netzel came up huge with a two-RBI single down the left field line.

After that, both pitching staffs settled down as the game went to extra innings. Smith and Chuck Lukanen were outstanding in relief for the Slammers.

The Slammers finished off the RiverHawks in the eighth as Maunus drew a lead-off walk. A grounder moved him to second and with two away Hewett singled to right-center as the Slammers prevailed.