The Otters got started quickly with two lead off singles, with both runners eventually coming around to score. The added one in the third off a David Mendham single to jump out 3-0 in the first.
Evansville sent out Joan Gonzalez for his fourth start. After working a clean first inning, three straight batters reached to start the second. Gonzalez limited the damage, getting the next three batters out to hold Evansville’ 3-2 lead.
After a scoreless third, Evansville loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth for the second straight night. Dennis Pierce came to the plate and hit the Otters’ first grand slam of the year to jump Evansville out to a 7-2 lead.
After the second inning, Gonzalez settled in. He used a great throw-in from Keenan Taylor to cut down a runner at second base, helping him to shut down the Capitales through five.
Evansville struck for their second big inning of the night in the sixth. Some great at-bats and mistakes from Quebec helped the Otters to score three and load the bases again. Mendham got his third hit of the night with a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 12-2.
Gonzalez continued to deal and looked better the longer he went. He struck out three in his final two frames, including the final batter he saw. Gonzalez finished with seven innings pitched, striking out six and walking just one for his second straight start as he earned his third straight quality start. He has started both wins for Evansville in July.
Nolan Thebiay followed him and worked the eighth, allowing a single run. Evansville added another run off a position player in the ninth before Thebiay finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Four separate Otters had three hits and six had multi-hit games. All but one starter scored a run and got into the hit column.
Evansville travels to Ottawa to take on the Titans tomorrow night for the weekend series to finish their season-long nine-game road trip. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. CT.
