For the second consecutive night, the Evansville Otters could not rebound from an early deficit as they dropped the rubber match of their series 13-8 to the Joliet Slammers on Thursday night at Bosse Field in front of 1,385.
For the second straight night, Joliet plated runs in the first inning. Justin Garcia got the scoring starting with an RBI single and Trenton Hill then capped the inning with a two-run single to make it 3-0 Slammers.
Joliet added two more in the second. Dom Iero crushed a solo homer to make it 4-0 Joliet before a throwing error from Taylor Hillson at third base allowed a fifth run to score for the Slammers.
Evansville got back in the game with four runs in the second. Two men came across home plate when a Trenton Hill throwing error allowed two runs to score. Then with the bases loaded, David Cronin delivered a two-run single to trim the deficit and make it a 5-4 game.
Joliet reclaimed a five-run lead with a four-run fourth with two home runs. Ridge Goopii-Haslam hit a lead-off solo homer and Travis Bolin put an exclamation point on the inning with a three-run home run to make it 9-4 Slammers.
Evansville got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI ground out from Hillson.
For the second time in the game, Joliet scored four runs in an innings, this time in the seventh. Garcia picked up his second RBI of the day with a single and Hill followed with a bases loaded hit by pitch to force home another run. Then on a double play attempt, a throwing error form Cronin allowed two runs to score.
Travis Harrison brought the Otters to within five with a three-run homer, his eighth on the year, in the eighth.
That would be as close as the Otters would get however, with Nathan Antone coming on to finish off the 13-8 win for Joliet.
Andrew Zellner picks up the win for Joliet in relief. Zellner came on for the starter Shane Bryant and tossed 4.2 innings, allowing just one unearned run while striking out three.
Austin Nicely is hung with the loss for the Otters, his fifth on the year. Nicely went 3.2 innings, allowing nine runs, eight earned, while walking six and striking out three and allowing seven hits.
The Otters will now kick off a series tomorrow against the Schaumburg Boomers at 6:35 p.m. at Bosse Field which Education Appreciation Night.
