Slammers Win Battle of the Long Ball

The Joliet Slammers (35-26) smacked four home runs and got a strong performance from Tommy Mendoza (3-1) on their way to an 8-2 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers (28-33) Thursday night.

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning. With one away Hector Pellot was hit by a pitch. Erik Lis followed with a single and Kyle Maunus cleared the bases with a majestic three-run home run, his 12th long ball of the season.

The big fourth inning was followed by another offensive outburst in the fifth. Bobby Leeper started the frame with a solo shot for his sixth homer of the year. With two away Pellot drew a walk and Lis followed with his team leading 13th bomb of 2011 to make it 6-0 Slammers.

Meanwhile Mendoza shut down the Crushers for the first six innings before giving up a two-run homer to Evan Sharpley in the seventh. He would finish the inning and his start produced a solid line of seven innings, five hits, two runs, both earned, one walk and six strike outs as he earned his third win of the season.

A Josh Flores two-run home run in the ninth completed the scoring in the game.

Billy Petrick tossed a scoreless eighth and Jeremy Tietze wrapped things up in the ninth.

With the victory the Slammers are now a season high nine games over .500 and remain in first place in the East Division. They’ll look to sweep the series Friday night as “Captain” Jake Renshaw (6-4, 3.59) takes the mound. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.