NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters completed a sweep of the first-place Rockford Aviators on Sunday afternoon at the Corn Crib in an 8-5 win to move into a tie for the Frontier League West Division lead.
The Belters took an early lead when Pat McKenna hit a single to bring in Santiago Chirino. Aaron Dudley came across home plate on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0 after one inning.
The Aviators struck back when shortstop Justin Fox hit a deep ball that landed on the left field berm to cut the Belters lead to 2-1. The Aviators tied the game at 2-2 when Anthony Renteria hit a sacrifice fly which brought in Raul Linares.
In the third inning, Dudley brought in Mark Micowski on a double pushing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Belters. In the fifth inning, the Belters pushed their lead further when Chirino and McKenna both hit RBI singles. Richard Lucas hit a deep bomb to left field to bring in another three runs separating the Belters from the Aviators 8-2.
In the seventh inning, the Aviators cut into the Belters lead when Linares drove in Elijah Trail on a single making the score 8-3. The Aviators continued inching closer in the eighth when Brian Bistagne came home on an error to trim the Belters lead to 8-4. The Aviators sounded their dying cry in the ninth when Anthony Renteria hit an RBI single to make the final score 8-5.
Belters starter Robert Baroniel (2-2) took the win while Aviators starter David Diaz (1-1) received his first loss of the season.
The Belters (41-31) return to the Corn Crib on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. when they take on the Florence Freedom (34-38).
