The Evansville Otters took both games of a Thursday night doubleheader at Bosse Field over the Florence Y’alls by 6-0 and 4-2 scores.
With the doubleheader sweep, the Otters extended their West Division lead over the Y’alls to four games.
The Otters combined a spectacular second pro-ball start from Braden Scott and a six-run fifth to take game one by a 6-0 final.
Scott and Y’alls righty Edgar Martinez traded four scoreless innings to start the evening, until Miles Gordon led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run to right center field.
Martinez would proceed to walk four Otters in a row after getting the first two out in the inning, while his outing ended after plunking Otters designated hitter John Schultz.
Martinez was then relieved by hard-throwing righty Sean Hughes, who gave up a two-out, two-run single to Cristopher Pujols. Gordon would pick up his second hit and second RBI of the inning when he drove in Schultz from third with an infield single. The Otters then led 6-0 after the half-dozen runs scored in the frame.
Scott would pitch through the sixth inning, keeping a scoreless start intact after loading the bases with no one out in the top of the sixth. Scott proceeded to strike out the next two batters and get Harrison DiNicola to ground out to second to end the inning.
Taylor Wright came out of the bullpen to finish the ballgame, retiring the side in order in the seventh, mixing in two punchouts.
Braden Scott (2-0) earned the victory, while Evansville served Martinez (4-1) his first loss of the season.
The Otters won game one by a score of 6-0.
Evansville also took the first lead of game two off of Y’alls starter Hayden Wheeler, when Andrew Penner singled home Miles Gordon from second in the bottom of the third, putting the Otters up 1-0.
Florence answered right back in the top of the fourth, taking advantage of a fielding error to score their only runs of the day on a two-run single hit by Trevor Craport. Florence then led 2-1 at the midway point of the second game in the doubleheader.
The Otters would trail the Y’alls until the bottom of the fifth, when Miles Gordon tied the game with a two-out hit that scored Bryce Denton from second. The game was then tied 2-2.
The Otters broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth, when Dakota Phillips singled home Riley Krane from second with a base hit to right field.
Josh Henderson would add an insurance tally with an RBI-single of his own, coming with two men out and a 0-2 count. The Otters led 4-2 after six.
In the top of the seventh, Logan Sawyer replaced Otters’ starter Polo Portela, who was then in line for the win following six innings of two run (one earned) ball, with five strikeouts and no walks.
Sawyer struck out the side after allowing a leadoff hit to earn his eighth save of the year, as Evansville secured the doubleheader sweep and a series victory over the Y’alls by a 4-2 margin.
Portela (4-0) earned his fourth win of the season, while Y’alls reliever Jared Cheek (4-1) took the loss.
The Otters will open a three-game road trip with a series against the Gateway Grizzlies Friday, with a 6:45 first pitch. Fans can catch an audio broadcast of Friday’s game on the Evansville Otters YouTube channel.
