Evansville, Ind. – The Evansville Otters scored two runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Quebec Capitales 3-2 in game four of the Frontier League Championship Series on Saturday night at Bosse Field.
The Otters’ win evens the best of five series at 2-2. Game five on Sunday evening at Bosse Field will decide the 2023 Frontier League Championship.
Evansville had Josh Allen at second and Jeffrey Baez at first with one out in the bottom of the eighth, trailing 2-1.
The Otters started a double steal but Quebec pitcher Evan Rutckyj stepped off the mound and attempted to pick off Allen stealing third. His throw went wide of the Capitales’ third baseman and rolled all the way to the wall.
Allen easily scored and Baez running from first beat the throw home for the go-ahead run.
Leoni De La Cruz worked the first out of the ninth. Jake Polancic then entered and earned the save with a strikeout and flyout for an in-order ninth.
Allen started the Evansville comeback with a single up the middle on the first pitch of the eighth. After a popout, Baez worked a walk before the Quebec error.
Noah Myers blasted a leadoff homer to right field in the third inning to give Evansville a 1-0 lead.
Quebec used a walk and three singles to plate two runs in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.
Evansville starter Braden Scott allowed just three baserunners in his first five innings pitched. He exited in the sixth, finishing with 5.2 inning pitched allowing two runs on five hits and six strikeouts. Scott retired the first eight batters of the game.
Ruben Ramirez tossed six innings in his start for Quebec, allowing a run with seven strikeouts. Rutckyj suffered the loss.
De La Cruz pitched 1.1 perfect innings out of the bullpen with three strikeouts. Kevin Davis struck out three in 1.1 innings of relief.
Allen finished with two hits for Evansville and Ethan Skender notched a two-hit night as well.
Evansville and Quebec play for the Frontier League Championship in the winner-take-all game five on Sunday evening with a 5:05 PM CT first pitch at Bosse Field. Tickets are available for purchase here, by visiting the Bosse Field box office or calling (812) 435-8686.
