(Press Release, Photo Credit: Mick Lite)
The Rascals held on by a thread to get a 6-5 victory over the Rockford Aviators in game two of the series. The River City bats came out strong starting with a solo homerun by Rascals first-baseman Saxon Butler to lead off the top of inning number two. Butler then came up in the third and hit another bomb to rightfield, this one driving in two. Aside from the two Butler homeruns, catcher Josh Ludy was responsible for an RBI on a long double to centerfield in the third following Butler’s homerun. Ludy ended up going two for three at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. While all six runs were attributed to the Rockford starter Kyle Brueggemann, only four of the six were earned as two scored on a dropped ball by the Aviators’ centerfielder Edgar Corcino in the fifth inning.
Even though the Rascals got out to an early 4-0 lead, the Aviators showed great heart as they came back to make it 4-3 before the Rascals then jumped out on top 6-3 following the Corcino error. After another blow to their confidence, the Aviators clawed back to make it a 6-5 ballgame with RBIs from Tanner Witt and Jose Martinez.
Heading into the ninth with a 6-5 lead, the Rascals failed to add any more runs going into the last half inning. Gabriel Shaw came in to try and get the save with a one-run lead. After a one-two-three ninth yesterday, Shaw struggled momentarily loading the bases putting the tying run at third and the winning run at second. With the game hanging in the balance, Shaw came through with a huge strikeout to end the game stranding the bases loaded with a 90 mph heater! That gave the win to right-handed reliever Chandler Jagodzinski as Rascals starter Ethan Carter failed to pitch five full innings. The loss went to the Aviator’s starter Kyle Brueggemann with Rascals closer Gabriel Shaw getting his second save in as many games.
The Rascals move to 2-0 on the season and will finish out the Rockford series tomorrow night with coverage starting on TalkSTL.com starting with the Rascals Pregame Show at 4:35 CT. On the mound for the Rascals tomorrow will be the left-hander Cory Caruso with the Aviator’s matching with right-hander Josh Slaats.
