By WJBC Staff
NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters gave up a record number of runs in the fourth inning as the Southern Illinois Miners completed a three-game series sweep with a 21-4 win on Sunday at the Corn Crib.
The CornBelters converted a lead-off walk into the game’s first run in the opening inning when Yeixon Ruiz took the pass, went to third on a Santiago Chirino single and scored on a fielder’s choice by Nolan Meadows.
The Miners exploded for 15 runs in the fourth inning on 12 hits, two walks and two errors with 18 batters striding to the plate to bat around twice. A three-run homer by Ryan Lashley was the biggest blow. Southern Illinois completed the onslaught off three Belters pitchers. The Miners broke a Frontier League record for runs in a single inning.
Southern Illinois added a solo home run from Ben Moore, an RBI double by Logan Lindley and a two-run homer by Craig Massey in the fifth inning to build the advantage to 19-1.
The Belters rebounded in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Meadows and a run-scoring double by Aaron Dudley, followed by a run batted in by Miguel Torres on a base hit to cut the Miners lead to 19-4.
Miners first baseman Justin Chigbogu built the guests’ lead back to 21-4 on a two-run homer to the left of the center field batter’s eye in the sixth inning.
Tyler Stubblefield (1-1) earned the win with five innings of nine-hit ball with four runs, three walks and one strikeout. Bob Wheatley (2-2) took the loss with three and one-third innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The homestand continues with games against the Joliet Slammers on Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:35 each evening.
