1987 National League Championship Anniversary Weekend presented by Heartland Coca-Cola

Gates open at 5:15 p.m.

 

Adult 1987 Road Gray Mystery Jersey Promotional Giveaway: 30,000 ticketed fans, ages 16 and older, will receive a 1987 Road Grey Mystery Jersey featuring Tom Lawless, Jose Oquendo, Tony Pena, Terry Pendleton or John Tudor as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1987 National League Championship team. Fans won’t know which player jersey they will receive until they enter the gates. (#CardsPromo)

K Cancer Ceremony: Before tonight’s game, former Cardinals closer Jason Motte and Kolten Wong will participate in a check presentation to Cardinals Care on behalf of the Jason Motte Foundation. In May, Motte and Wong teamed up to raise money for cancer research by hosting their annual Cornhole Challenge. Fans can get free shipping on the Jason Motte Foundation’s “K Cancer” shirts purchased through August 26 by visiting jasonmottefoundation.org.

Academy Sports + Outdoors Autograph Night: Get free autographs from current and former Cardinals players, courtesy of Academy Sports + Outdoors. Two current Cardinals players (TBD) will sign 100 autographs inside Ford Plaza for fans ages 15 and younger from 5:45-6:15. Kids must have an autograph line ticket, which are free and are distributed in the Ford Plaza. Former Cardinals Kerry Robinson and Scott Terry will sign autographs for fans of all ages from 6:15-7:00. *Players subject to change*

Cardinals Museum Artifact Spotlight: Every Friday home game, the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum highlight artifacts in the collection not currently on display during a pregame presentation inside the Museum. Today’s featured items relate to the 1987 World Series. For more information or to purchase tickets to the museum, visit cardinals.com/museum. (#CardsMuseum)

Cardinals Care 50/50 Raffle: Fans 18 and older may play the Cardinals Care 50/50 Raffle by going to any of the seven ticket kiosk locations throughout the stadium from the time gates open until the middle of the 7th inning. One lucky fan will receive 50 percent of the gross proceeds from the game’s raffle ticket donations and the other half will benefit Cardinals Care. For past winning raffle numbers and kiosk locations, visit cardinals.com/5050.

Cardinals Care Stadium Auction: Fans have the unique opportunity to bid on exclusive autographed Cardinals memorabilia at the game. The auction is a great way for fans and collectors to obtain specialty Cardinals items while helping support the programs that Cardinals Care provides to youth in the community. Auction tables will be located inside the Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club and Redbird Club.

MLBPAA Auction: The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will conduct a baseball-themed silent auction by Gate 1 (Section 137) and Gate 3 from the time gates open through the fifth inning. All proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and the Players Alumni Association, a non-profit group that strives to preserve the game of baseball while supporting a variety of charities.

From the Southern Illinois Miners

The Southern Illinois Miners fell 5-1 to the Normal CornBelters on Thursday night at Rent One Park in the rubber match of the three-game series as the visitors won the set two games to one.

After a scoreless first two innings by Robby Rowland and Scott Sebald on the mound for their respective teams in front of an announced crowd of 6,395 on “Stand Up For Blue” Law Enforcement Appreciation Night, Normal broke through in the third inning with two outs when Brian Hakes was hit by a pitch and Yeixon Ruiz followed with a triple to make it 1-0. Santiago Chirino then singled up the middle to score Ruiz and double the lead to 2-0.
Rowland (0-1) settled down from there to throw scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth innings, but Normal would chase him in the top of the sixth. After two straight singles opened the frame, Justin Fletcher laid down a sacrifice bunt to third base which was thrown wide of first for an error, bringing home a run and making the score 3-0. Deigo Cedeno followed with an RBI groundout for a 4-0 lead, and Miguel Torres’ RBI double extended the advantage to 5-0 in favor of the CornBelters.

Southern Illinois got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning on a solo home run by Ryan Sluder off of Sebald (7-1) to cut the deficit to 5-1, but the Miners got no closer as despite having a runner on base in every inning of the game, they could not muster the clutch hit, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 men on base for the contest.
Romeo Cortina finished 3-for-4 in the game while Anthony Critelli went 2-for-3 with a double for Southern Illinois offensively, and the Miners also received scoreless relief from their bullpen, with Paul Young, Tre Hobbs and Nick Palacioskeeping the game at 5-1, but it was not enough in the rubber match defeat as Sebald completed seven innings for the CornBelters to get the win, scattering six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Southern Illinois next treks to Evansville to begin a weekend series at Bosse Field against the Otters on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. Corey Sessions will open up the series on the hill for the Miners.

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

Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days Press Release

An estimated 40,000 people will flood onto the campus of John A. Logan College, Carterville, Illinois over September 23 and 24. They are coming to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Southern Illinois Hunting & Fishing Days. This proud tradition has as its purpose since its inception introducing the public, and children in particular, to the outdoor experience and ethics.

The huge crowds mean the two hundred plus vendors will present everything from food to hunting and fishing equipment for sale. Each year the vendor space expands due to increased demand.

New this year as Title Sponsor is Tri State RV of Anna, IL. They work with hunters, fishers and campers throughout southern Illinois and Missouri as well as greater St. Louis and Western Kentucky area. The owners and staff are looking forward to answering RV questions and showing what is new in the field.

Other major sponsors of the event include Legacy Land Company, Black Diamond Harley-Davidson, McDonalds, VisitSI, Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge, Illinois Tourism and Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge.

Fishing activities include weigh-ins for both the popular King Catfish Contest and the High School Team Fishing tournaments. Fishing experts on a variety of species will present seminars for anglers from all levels of expertise. The 5,000 gallon Bass tub contains a variety of Illinois fish.

A myriad of dog demonstrations include retrievers, foxhounds, coon dogs and pointing dogs. Other dogs include search and rescue dogs, agility dogs, and dock dogs.

The “dock dogs” display is one of the most interesting to visitors. There is a competition by the “pros” for the longest distance covered by a jumping dog and in between contests other dog-handlers can train their dogs in the sport.

Popular activities in the Kids Village sponsored by McDonald’s restaurants of southern Illinois include such things as fishing and nature seminars, BB gun shooting, and archery shooting. Children fish for stocked fish in the campus pond and win prizes such as bicycles.

Another popular activity at Southern Illinois Hunting & Fishing Days is a variety of waterfowl calling contests. Held each year they attract callers from across the nation to compete with the best of the best.

Waterfowlers compete in the popular waterfowl calling contests each day beginning with the youth contests and winding up with the World Open contest on Sunday afternoon. Contestants compete for pride, money and merchandise.

Archers can shoot in a field archery course set up on the campus. A smaller target range is available in the Archery Tent. Dick’s Sporting Goods returns this year as sponsor of the tent and is having free drawings every hour.

In the new Deer Tent the “Tucker Buck”, the largest non-typical buck ever harvested in North America is on display. Also the Tennessee state record typical buck is on display. Inside the college the Illinois state record Hybrid Black Crappie, caught at Kinkaid Lake this year will be on display.

Artists, taxidermists, and other artisans display their work in the campus gym. Food venders are available across the campus. Recreational vehicle (RV) and boat dealers will also be displaying their products.

Make plans now to attend the 30th Anniversary of the Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days September 23 -24, 2017. You and your children do not want to miss this one.

Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals

Negro Leagues Tribute Theme Night: Join us at the ballpark to celebrate the history of Negro League Baseball on Negro Leagues Tribute Night. With the purchase of a special theme ticket, fans will receive a throwback St. Louis Stars cap, which represented St. Louis in the Negro Leagues from 1922-1931 and 1937-1943. Fans will also be able to enjoy a traveling history exhibit and special pregame Q&A presentation with executives from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City in the Cunningham Corner. Fans must present the voucher in order to receive this promotional item. For more info, or to purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/theme. (#CardsTheme)

Tsunami Waves: Carlos Martínez will host a group from the Puerto Rican Society of St. Louis for today’s game as part of his Tsunami Waves player ticket program. Prior to the game, the group will get to watch batting practice from the field and meet with Carlos in the dugout to take pictures and ask questions. Presented by Scott Credit Union.

Pregame Poms/Cheer/Dance Performances: Prior to the game, groups from Collinsville High School Cheer, Dupo High School Cheer, Jamestown Sapphires, Villa Grove High School Dance and Windsor High School Dance will perform in the Ford Plaza beginning around 4:45 p.m.
MLBPAA Auction: The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will conduct a baseball-themed silent auction by Gate 1 (Section 137) and Gate 3 from the time gates open through the fifth inning. All proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and the Players Alumni Association, a non-profit group that strives to preserve the game of baseball while supporting a variety of charities.

From the Southern Illinois Miners

MARION, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners got outstanding pitching on Wednesday night against the Normal CornBelters at Rent One Park, and came back from an early deficit to go ahead on a two-run burst in the sixth inning that included a go-ahead homer by Craig Massoni in a 3-2 triumph to even the midweek series.

Normal again struck first, as they scored an unearned run off Zach Cooper on a groundout by Aaron Dudley for a 1-0 lead in the first inning, then added a second run in the second frame, also on an RBI groundout by Brian Hakes, to make the score 2-0. Cooper (4-8), however, would shut down the CornBelters from there, allowing just two baserunners in the next four innings while striking out five batters in that span to help keep the game close.

In the fourth inning, the Miners got on the board when Craig Massey and Nolan Earley led off against Shawn Blackwell (5-4) with singles to put runners at first and third base for Massoni, who hit into a double play to score Massey and make it 2-1. Then in the sixth inning, Massey reached on an error by Jesus Solorzano in left field, then was able to score from second base when Earley flew out to center field in the next at-bat thanks to a throwing error by Diego Cedeno, with the ball bouncing on the warning track along the length of the CornBelters dugout to tie the score at 2-2. Massoni then drove a 2-0 pitch the other way into the Miners’ bullpen for a go-ahead solo home run to put Southern Illinois ahead 3-2.

The Miners’ bullpen would hold the line from there, with John Werner pitching a flawless ninth inning for his West Division-leading 17th save of the season. Cooper earned his second-straight win on the mound with his third-straight “quality start,” allowing just one earned run on three hits in six innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Massey led the charge by going 2-for-4 at the plate as Southern Illinois won the low-scoring contest despite Blackwell pitching the entire game for Normal, striking out nine in the losing effort.

Southern Illinois will go for the series win in a rubber match on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m., with Robby Rowland making his home debut for Southern Illinois opposite Normal southpaw Scott Sebald on “Stand Up For Blue” Night as the Miners will honor their local law enforcement before and during the game.

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.