The Evansville Otters came up short in a slug-fest at Bosse Field Saturday night, falling to the Schaumburg Boomers 8-6.
With the loss, the Otters drop a series for the first time this year and now have a 10-6 record.
The scoring began with a grand slam from former 2nd round pick of the New York Yankees Angelo Gumbs, who came to bat in the bottom of the first inning with the bases loaded after Anthony Arias issued free passes to the first three men he faced with a walk and two hit batsmen.
The Boomers would extend their lead in the second inning, when Alec Craig hit a sac fly to centerfield that scored Clint Hardy, who had stolen third following a balk that moved him to second. The Boomers then led 5-0.
In the bottom of the second, the Otters hit the second home run of the night with a two-run blast from Dakota Phillips, his third home run of the season. The score was then 5-2.
Quincy Nieporte answered right back with a home run of his own, his second in as many nights, making the score 6-2.
Reid Bukowski took over for Anthony Arias in the top of the fifth, getting the last two outs of the inning on two strikeouts.
In the bottom of the fifth, Riley Krane pulled the Otters to within one when he smashed a three-run bomb to right field. It was his fourth home run of the season.
After Justin Lewis came on to start the sixth, the Boomers crushed their third home run of the night when Nick Ames hit a solo shot with one out, putting the Otters back behind two with a 7-5 score.
Riley Krane continued his Herculean effort to rally for the Otters with a run-scoring double in the bottom of the seventh, once again bringing the Otters within one with a 7-6 score.
After Taylor Wright came on to pitch a perfect eighth, heavy rain swept through Evansville with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. The game would be delayed 1 hour and 11 minutes.
In the top of the ninth, Abraham Almonte entered and gave up a lead-off home run to Nick Ames, marking his second homer in consecutive at-bats. The round-tripper was the Boomers’ fourth of the night.
From there, the final score would hold 8-6, despite the Otters’ effort to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth in the form of Riley Krane.
The win goes to Boomers starter Ryan Middendorf, as Anthony Arias takes the loss. Jake Joyce entered following the rain delay to earn a four-out save.
The Otters will look to salvage a win in the series Sunday evening. They send left-hander Dalton Stambaugh to the mound.
First pitch will be at 5:05 p.m. CT for Dog Days of Summer, the first of the season’s Sunday promotion at Bosse Field. Fans are allowed to bring their dogs, and there will be discounted hot dogs at the concession stands.
