Rascals Blow Game One in the Ninth

River City designated hitter Jason Patton was stunned.      

"Words can't really describe the frustration I feel at this moment," he said seconds after the Rascals' stunning 9-7 loss to Southern Illinois on Wednesday in Game 1 of the Western Division championship series at .    

Patton was not the only one in shock following one of the most painful post-season defeats in the 13-year history of the franchise.    

Manager Steve Brook hid from reporters. Other players walked around as though they were in a daze.

It was indeed a shocker. River City, the defending Frontier League champion, now trails the best-of-five series 1-0. Game 2 is set for Thursday in O'Fallon.

The Rascals rolled out to leads of 5-0 and 7-2 before the Miners charged back with one run in the eighth and six in the ninth inning to post their biggest comeback of the season.    

Southern Illinois pinch-hitter Ken Gregory smashed a two out, three-run homer in the ninth to cap off the rally.    

Like Patton, Gregory had trouble speaking -but for a good reason.

"I don't know what to say," Gregory said. "It's amazing."    

Gregory's home run off River City closer Derrick Miramontes ruined what had been a perfect night for Patton and Rascals' starting pitcher Josh Lowey. Patton went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs. Lowey allowed just two runs - both unearned - over six innings.    

Stephen Holdren and Patton hit back-to-back home runs in the third to stake the Rascals to a seemingly safe 5-0 lead.    

Jareck West drove in the first two runs of the game with two-run triple in the second off Miners' ace David Harden.    

But Lowey stole the show early on with an impressive 119-pitch effort. He struck out six, walked four and left with a comfortable 6-2 lead.      Lowey helped lead the Rascals to the 2010 title with a stellar playoff performance. He compiled a 2-0 mark, including a two-day complete-game victory over in the championship series.   

 The Fort Walton Beach, FL native was selected as the 2010 Post-Season MVP.    

Patton started the second-inning eruption with a leadoff walk. Joash Brodin followed with a bloop single to left. West then drilled a fastball over the head of center fielder Sean Harrell. The ball rolled to the deepest park of the park allowing Patton and Brodin to score.    

River City needed just three pitches to pump the lead to 5-0. Logan Parker doubled with two out before Holdren, the league MVP, slammed the ball into the Rascals bullpen in left-center, for his 22nd homer of the season.    

Patton followed with a first-pitch drive over the Big Dawg wall in right just inside the foul pole.    

The Miners, who rallied from five runs down in the ninth several weeks ago, pulled off their last minute magic again.     

Miramontes, who has 17 saves in 21 chances, struggled finding the strike zone. And Miners capitalized.    

Still, River City was within an out of nailing down a 7-6 win when Gregory unloaded.    

It was the first pinch-hit homer of the season for Gregory.    

Southern Illinois manager Mike Pinto said using Gregory in that spot was, "just a hunch."    

The loss was a painful one, but the Rascals are more than capable of bouncing back. Ironically, Southern Illinois won the first two games of last year's series before the River City rallied to win three in a row.    

"That's the way it's been all season, we lose a tough game and then we bounce back the next day," Patton said. "That's why it's a five-game series."        

Notes from the Dawg Pound

• Harrell, the Southern outfielder, reached base in a franchise-record 36 successive games to close out the regular season. 
• Of the 14 first-round Frontier League playoff series, only five have reached a Game 5.
• River City pitchers recorded a team-record 760 strikeouts this season.
• Rascals outfielder Jareck West has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games.      
• Joliet defeated Lake Erie 5-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Division championship series on Wednesday.
• The Miners lead the all-time series 44-26.
• Zack Sterner (10-3, 3.04) will go up against Southern Illinois righty Ian Campbell (2-0, 3.00). River City right-hander Preston Vancil (2-3, 6.06) will face Miners lefty Shawn Joy (6-4, 392) in Game 3 Saturday in Marion.