The River City Rascals closed the first half of their season in style on Sunday night at CarShield Field, routing the Evansville Otters 13-5 in the series finale. The win gave the Rascals 2-1 series victory. Starting pitcher Brendan Feldmann (3-0) worked eight solid innings, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out a season-high ten hitters without issuing a walk. Trevor Achenbach, Braxton Martinez and Kameron Esthay each hit a home run for the Rascals in the win.
Achenbach gave the Rascals an early 1-0 lead on his solo shot in the first inning. Martinez added a homer in the fourth to make it 2-0. After Martinez doubled in two more runs in the sixth, Andrew Penner hit an RBI single in the seventh before Esthay put the game out of reach with a grand slam later in the frame, making it 9-0 Rascals.
Keith Grieshaber drove in the first Otters run in the eighth, before the Rascals struck for four more in the bottom of the inning, including a bases-loaded walk from Martinez. The Otters scored four in the top of the ninth, getting a two-run single from Hunter Cullen and a two-run blast from JJ Gould.
Otters starter Tyler Beardsley (4-3) took the loss, allowing four runs over six innings with a walk and seven strikeouts.
The Rascals (27-23) are off for four days due to the All-Star break. They resume play on Friday night in Crestwood, Ill., for the first of a three-game set against the Windy City ThunderBolts at Ozinga Field. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 7:05 p.m. CDT.
