Miners Sweep Joliet On Historic Day Of Baseball

(Press Release, Photo Credit: Jonathan LeBlond)

In what can only be described as a historic day for Southern Illinois, Rick Teasley tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history against the Joliet Slammers for the Miners’ 400th win in game one of a doubleheader, and then in one of the longest games in Frontier League history, the Miners knocked off the Slammers again, 2-1 in 17 innings in game two to seal their second series sweep in a row and their seventh and eighth wins in a row overall at Rent One Park in Marion.

Teasley was extraordinary for the Miners in game one, twirling the franchise’s first “no-no” on just 82 pitches in seven frames in a 2-0 Southern Illinois win. The lefty walked two and fanned two, lowering his ERA to 0.33 with his third win in as many starts. Tyler Booth and Ryan Cavan drove in the runs for the Miners, as they clinched the series with the 400th win in franchise history. With the historic victory, the Miners became the fastest team ever in Frontier League history to the 400-win mark.

Teasley’s gem was also the 20th no-hitter in Frontier League history, as Southern Illinois won their seventh in a row.

Then, in game two, more history was made. The Miners took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on Phil Butler’s RBI single, but Joliet tied it up at 1-1 on a single by Russell Moldenhauer in the top of the sixth. The game would remain that way for 11 more innings.

The game went back and forth multiple times, with the go-ahead run advancing into scoring position on 11 different occasions combined for both teams as the game went through extra innings. Finally, after three walks loaded the bases in the 17th, Booth smacked a single over the drawn-in right fielder’s head to end one of the longest days of baseball in Frontier League history.

With a combined total of 24 innings-played, the Miners and Slammers set a new league record for innings in a single day. The five-hour and thirteen-minute time of game and 17 innings in game two fell just 40 minutes and two innings shy of matching the all-time Frontier League record for all-time longest game. The teams also tied the league record of 10 extra innings played (with the game originally scheduled to be a seven-inning contest).

Game two fell only one inning shy of matching the Miners’ franchise record for longest game as well. 

With the two wins, the Miners have won eight games in a row, their longest winning streak since June 10th-17th, 2011, also an eight-game streak. The team has also won seven in a row at Rent One Park, the first time the team has achieved that feat since June 29th-July 13th of last season.