CornBelters score early, hold off ThunderBolts in day game victory

Posted on June 24, 2015

By Greg Halbleib

CRESTWOOD – The Normal CornBelters scored in the first two innings and held off the Windy City ThunderBolts in a back-and-forth 7-4 win on Wednesday afternoon at the Corn Crib.

The CornBelters struck first for the second straight game as Mark Micowski tripled to the center field wall with one out in the first inning followed by a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field by Pat McKenna.

The ThunderBolts tallied in the third inning when Ransom LaLonde was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, went to second on a wild pitch and was singled home by Michael Torres to cut the deficit to 3-1. Jacob Tanis homered to left to lead off the fourth inning to cut the margin to 3-2.

The Belters answered when a throw to retire a stealing Cameron Monger at third base went into left field to build the lead to 4-2.

Windy City countered in the fifth when LaLonde singled to lead off and scored on a single, passed ball and wild pitch to shrink the deficit to 4-3.

The CornBelters got the run back in the sixth when Santiago Chirino was hit by a pitch to lead off, then was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by Micowski. The lead increased to 7-3 in the seventh when a sharply hit grounder by Richard Lucas to a drawn-in infield was misplayed, scoring two more runs.

The Bolts cut the Normal lead to 7-4 when Austin Gallagher hit a lead-off single, went to third on a double by Jacob Tanis and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Max White in the eighth inning.

Ross Spurgeon (1-0) worked three relief innings for the win. Bolts starter Austin Wright (2-5) took the loss.

The series concludes in Crestwood with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on Thursday. The CornBelters are projected to start right-hander Leondy Perez (1-1, 5.78 ERA) against ThunderBolts lefty Danny Jimenez (3-3, 3.38). Broadcast time on WJBC.com is 6:50.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…