From the Southern Illinois Miners

The Southern Illinois Miners made a late push against the Florence Freedom on Friday night at Rent One Park, scoring three runs in their last two turns at bat to turn a 4-0 deficit into a one-run game, and got the tying and winning runs on base, but succumbed to the visitors by a final score of 4-3, dropping their fifth-straight game.

A solo home run by Keivan Berges in the top of the second inning against Chris Washington made the score 1-0, but that was one of only two baserunners that Washington (3-4) allowed in his first six innings of work, retiring 11 batters in a row at one point. The Miners had their opportunities to score in the meantime as well, but despite seven hits in the first five innings, they could not break through against Tony Vocca (8-5), stranding seven on base against him as the right-hander worked through seven shutout frames.

In the top of the seventh, with a runner at second base and two outs, Jordan Brower’s single scored Berges and made it 2-0, chasing Washington from the game. After a walk by Paul Young, Austin Wobrock singled up the middle to score two more runs with the eventual game-winning hit to make it 4-0.

In the eighth, the Miners responded when Nolan Earley homered off the left field foul pole, his ninth of the season, to get Southern Illinois on the board and make it 4-1. In the ninth inning, against former Miner Pete Perez, Anthony Critelli and Ryan Sluder worked walks, and Romeo Cortina singled to load the bases. With two outs, Ryan Lashley singled into center field to score two runs and make it 4-3, moving the tying run to scoring position and the potential winning run to first base. But Perez got Earley to fly out to left-center field to end the game.
The Miners out-hit Florence 11 to eight, with Cortina, Lashley, Earley and Craig Massoni all putting up multi-hit games in the defeat. Washington pitched a quality start as well, lasting six and two-thirds innings and scattering five hits and three earned runs with no walks and three strikeouts, but suffered the loss on the mound.

Southern Illinois will endeavor to get back on the winning track on Saturday night in the second game of the series at 6:05 p.m., with Matt Parish pitching against former Miner Steve Hagen.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

From the Southern Illinois Miners

The Southern Illinois Miners had a 5-2 lead after six innings against the Normal CornBelters in the finale of their road series, but could not hold it, allowing two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and one in the ninth, losing 6-5 on a walk-off solo home run by Jesus Solorzano to complete a three-game sweep.

After the CornBelters scored a run for a 1-0 lead in the second inning, Corey Sessions stranded the bases loaded that frame, and the Miners’ offense got going in the very next half inning, batting around and scoring four runs on an RBI double by Ben Moore, a fielder’s choice with an RBI by Ryan Sluder, and two two-out singles by Ryan Lashley and Craig Massoni to make it a 4-1 game against Normal starter Edgar De La Rosa.

Normal responded with a run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Torres to make it 4-2, but Sessions again minimized damage and kept Southern Illinois in front. He would permit just the two runs in five and two-thirds innings, allowing eight hits and three walks, but stranding eight runners on base in total. Southern Illinois then added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Anthony Critelli to make it 5-2.

Unfortunately, the bullpen could not hold the lead, as with two runners on and two outs, Justin Fletcher doubled inside third base into left field against Kyle Grana to bring Normal within a run at 5-4. After getting out of that inning still on top by a run, Normal loaded the bases on walks by Kyle Tinius and John Werner with one out, with Aaron Dudley’s sacrifice fly tying the game at 5-5. Werner was also able to minimize damage in the eighth to keep it tied going into the ninth, but leading off the ninth against Tre Hobbs (1-1), Solorzano struck a home run over the wall in right-center field to send the Miners to their fourth-straight loss.
Southern Illinois had 11 hits in the contest, including two-hit games by Lashley, Moore, Nolan Earley and Brett Wiley, with five different players recording one RBI in the game, but it was not enough as the Miners dropped all three games to the CornBelters in the series.

The Miners next return home for a weekend series against the Florence Freedom beginning on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Chris Washington will pitch in the series opener against Florence’s Tony Vocca.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

LARGEMOUTH BASS – Good Minnows spinner baits, worms, and black and blue jigs.  Reports of fish being caught around Jackie Branch, Sandusky Cove, and below the dam. Fish in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes. Fish around bridges and along the rocks 14” minimum length limit, 6 daily creel limit. 1 fish daily creel limit in PONDS 14” minimum length.

CRAPPIE  – Excellent Meal worms. Small & medium minnows. Quarter-ounce pink and white tub jigs. Shallow water!  Fish attractors!  From shore, fish near structures, hot spots are Jackie Branch, Sandusky, Sailboat Harbor, Marcum coves, and Ina Boat Ramp. Try the Jackie Branch Breakwater and along Mine 21 Road. Fish the main lake drop off areas.  25 fish daily creel limit with no more than 10 fish 10 inches or longer

BLUEGILL – Good Small jigs, worms, meal worms, wax worms, crickets.  From shore try Sailboat Harbor and Mine 21 Road. Try fishing shallow with crickets, worms or small jigs. Fish in the back of necks and on flat shallow banks and on the rocks.  10 fish daily creel limit in ponds

CHANNEL  CATFISH – Excellent Large minnows, leeches, Hoss’s Hawg Bait, night crawlers, and Sonny’s stink bait.  Try leeches in moving water.  Drift fish the flats. Set line 3-4’ from the shore over rocks. Try the Waltonville Dam, Turnip Patch, Jackie Branch, and North Sandusky Day Use Area.  6 fish daily creel limit in PONDS. Jugs must be attended at all times while fishing.

WHITE BASS –  Good In-line spinners, jig and curly tail grubs.    Reports of fish being caught around the 154 bridges. Fish around along the rocks and drop-offs Fish in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes. 20 fish creel limit. No more than 3 fish 17” or longer daily

Information as of:  08/15/2017 LAKE LEVEL: 406.12      AVERAGE POOL FOR THIS DATE: 406.29     WATER TEMP:  79°F
Use of a minnow seine, cast net, or shad scoop for bait collecting within 1000 yards downstream of the Rend Lake dam and spillway is prohibited.
Maps of the Fish Attractor tree locations along with GPS readings are available at the Rend Lake Corps of Engineers Project Office.

Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon that they have placed right-handed pitcher Trevor Rosenthal on the 10-day disabled list with right posterior elbow irritation. Right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver was recalled from Memphis (AAA) and will be eligible for tonight’s game in Pittsburgh.

Rosenthal, 27, had appeared in 50 games this season posting a 3-4 record with a 3.40 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 47.2 innings while converting 11 saves, including seven in as many appearances from July 28 through August 12. He was removed from Wednesday night’s game in Boston after facing two batters in the ninth inning allowing a home run and issuing a walk.
Weaver, 23, the Cardinals 1st round draft pick in 2014 out of Florida State University, will appear on the Cardinals Major League roster for the third time this season, also getting recalled on July 3 and July 27.

The rookie pitcher is 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 14.1 innings at the Major League level this season making two starts and four total appearances. His last MLB appearance was a start at Milwaukee on August 3, earning the win while pitching 6.1 innings allowing two runs while striking out eight batters. Over two seasons in the Major Leagues, Weaver is 2-5 with a 5.10 ERA in 13 career appearances with 10 starts. He will turn 24 on Monday.

In 15 minor league starts at Memphis, Weaver was 10-2 with a 2.55 ERA, striking out 76 batters in 77.2 innings. His 10 wins led the Redbirds and ranks T-7th among all triple-A pitchers.

Weaver wears uniform No. 62.