O’FALLON, MO–Another night, another walk-off for the River City Rascals. Tonight the team finished a 6-5 win over the Traverse City Beach Bums with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch on strike three and the winning run scoring on the subesquent throwing error trying to complete what would have been the game-ending strikeout at first base. The Rascals had jumped out to a 4-0 lead only to watch the Beach Bums score five unanswered runs to take the lead before the improbable finish.
After a Stephen Kerr walk and a Zach Lavy single, Mike Jurgella got the scoring started for the Rascals with an RBI double in the first inning, followed by an RBI groundout from Braxton Martinez one batter later. The Rascals later took a 4-0 lead on a two-run single from Martinez off the right field wall in the third.
Traverse City then started to slowly chip away, scoring in the fourth inning on an Alexis Rivera sacrifice fly and in the fifth on two-run homer high over the right field scoreboard from Donald Glover Jr. They tied the game in the seventh on a Glover RBI single and took the lead later in the frame on a Isaac Benard pinch-hit sacrifice fly.
John Michael Knighton (1-1) started the ninth inning on the mound for the Beach Bums, allowing two baserunners on a single from Martinez (pinch-run for by JD Hearn) and a walk to Connor Oliver. Will Courson-Carr entered the game in relief for Traverse City, and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third base.
With the Rascals down to their final strike and Taylor Love at the plate, Love swung and missed at a pitch that got past catcher Luke Lowery. Hearn scored from third, and Lowery’s throw down to first to try and complete the strikeout was off the line, allowing Oliver to score the winning run at the plate.
Hector Hernandez made his season debut for the Rascals, and threw five innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out four. He retired the first 10 Bums hitters in order. Reliever Joe Iorio (1-0) earned the win, pitching the final two innings on the mound without allowing a baserunner. Beach Bums starter John Havird struck out seven in seven frames, allowing four earned runs.
The Rascals (3-2) take on the Southern Illinois Miners tomorrow night at Rent One Park in Marion, IL. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT and right-hander Josh Kimborowicz is scheduled to make the start.
