TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The River City Rascals beat the Traverse City Beach Bums 7-2 on Thursday by scoring six runs in the final three frames to sweep their second series of the season and the first since May 18. The Rascals (10-7) found a consistency with their pitching to match their potent offense to take three games in Traverse City (6-11).
After being held to just two runs the day before, the River City bats came alive for seven runs. Hitting out of the nine-hole, Dominique Taylor led the way with a 2-for-5 night with two RBIs and two runs scored. Designated hitter Josh Ludy drove in three runs while going 2-for-3 with two singles. Jason Merjano and Robby Enslen both collected two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Josh Silver had a down game for him, as he went 1-for-5 and did not drive in a run for the first time in three games. Despite the off night, Silver still leads the Frontier League in batting average by nearly 50 points at .462.
After being held to just two runs the day prior, River City jumped on the board in the top of the first. Merjano hit a leadoff double to left and was bunted to third by Johnny Morales. With two outs, Ludy beat out an infield single to the shortstop to score Merjano and give the Rascals a 1-0 lead.
The Beach Bums did not get a runner past first base until with one out in the sixth Ryan Bottger doubled to left off Rascals starter Jason Ziegler. The next batter Will Kengor tripled to tie the game, and Ziegler was pulled for Nick Kennedy. Kennedy was able to induce a groundout but was unable to escape the jam unscathed and let his inherited runner score on a single through the left side to give the Beach Bums the 2-1 lead. He was pulled for Michael Gunn, who was able to get the illusive third out of the bottom of the sixth on a flyout to left
The Rascal bats responded in the seventh. Josh Ludy singled again with two outs, this time back up the middle, to score Mike Jurgella and Taylor and give River City the lead back at 3-2.
In the eighth, the Rascals tacked on three insurance runs. Enslen and Kyle Gaedele led off the inning with back-to-back doubles. Gaedele stole third and then scored on Taylor’s fielder’s choice. Morales capped the inning off with a single that scored Taylor after he went first to third on a single by Merjano.
River City added one more for good measure in the top of ninth. Mike Jurgella started a two-out rally with a double to left field, and Taylor drove him home with a single to right.
Ziegler got a no decision for 5.1 innings, two earned runs, and three strikeouts. Gunn earned the win in relief for his 1.1 innings of hitless ball. Closer Zac Treece pitched the ninth in a non-save scenario, struck two of the five batters he faced and lowered his ERA to 0.82.
The Rascals took a trip around Lake Michigan to open a series tonight against the Schaumburg Boomers. In Game 1, Josh Wright (1-0, 3.72 ERA) is scheduled to face the Boomers’ Scott Schultz (1-1, 3.37 ERA), who will be going just two days after pitching six innings against Florence which leads me to believe he is not actually starting despite the report.
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