O’FALLON, MO–The River City Rascals emerged victorious in a blowout 16-3 win over the Joliet Slammers in Game 3 of their divisional series matchup on Saturday, in a game that was suspended with two outs in the bottom of the third inning on Friday night due to rain. The Rascals were ahead 8-0 at the time play was suspended, and picked up right where they left off when play resumed on Saturday. The win gives the Rascals a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five series.
The Rascals scored eight runs in the third inning, sending 14 total batters to the plate. They drew five walks in the frame, three of them with the bases loaded. They got a two-run single from Zach Lavy and a run-scoring single from Kevin Suarez in the frame as well.
The Rascals added four runs in the fourth, on a pair of two-run home runs from Lavy and JD Hearn. Suarez drove in another run in the fifth, on a single, and they scored an additional run in the frame on an RBI groundout from Ransom LaLonde. After a Trevor Achenbach lead-off triple in the sixth, he came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Clint Freeman. Achenbach added a solo home run in the eighth.
Lavy finished with four hits and four RBIs, and both Achenbach and Martinez finished with three hits. Every hitter in the Rascals starting lineup reached base at least twice.
Trenton Hill gave the Slammers their first hit with his solo home run in the fifth inning, and LJ Kalawaia added a homer of his own in the ninth.
Rascals starter Dan Ludwig did not allow a hit through three innings, but did not start the fourth after the game resumed. He only allowed one baserunner, on a walk to Chaz Meadows, who was caught stealing to end the top of the third. Ryan Orr (1-0) picked up the win, going four innings and allowing just the home run to Hill.
Slammers starter Scot Hoffman (0-1) took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
The Rascals will took to finish off the Slammers in Game 4, with a scheduled first pitch of 6:35pm on Saturday.
