The Evansville Otters fell in the finale of their series with the River City Rascals 12-4 as the Rascals hit four home runs en route to taking the series from the Otters on Sunday night at CarShield Field.
In the first inning, River City hit back-to-back home runs, coming off the bats of Clint Freeman and Mike Jurgella to take an early 2-0 lead.
Hunter Cullen hit a solo homer, his second of the year, in the top of the third to cut the Otters’ deficit to 2-1.
River City extended their lead back to two runs on an RBI groundout from Trevor Achenbach.
The Rascals struck for two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Freeman hit his second solo homer of the game and then Gage West brought home a run with an RBI single.
Zach Welz came off the bench and delivered a two-run homer to make it a 5-3 game in favor of the Rascals in the top of the seventh.
Gage West got those runs back for River City with a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh.
River City blew the game open with five runs in the bottom of the eighth. A fielder’s choice play at the plate scored a run as Kevin Suarez beat the throw home to make it 8-3 River City. Ransom LaLonde then capped off the inning with a grand slam to put River City ahead 12-3.
Evansville got a run back in the ninth on a Ryan Long RBI double, but River City was able to finish off the Otters and take the 12-4 victory.
Justin Garcia gets the win for River City in his first start as a Rascal. Garcia went five innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Spencer Medick is hit with the loss, his first with Evansville. Medick tossed six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out nine.
After an off day on Monday, Evansville returns home to Bosse Field and kicks off a six-game homestand which begins with the Joliet Slammers on July 31.
