Rascals Take Game 1 of Champions Series

O'FALLON — It took the River City offense just 19 minutes and 35 pitches to make mincemeat out of one of the top pitchers in the Frontier League Thursday night.

The Rascals scored six runs in the first inning to roll to an 8-5 victory over the Joliet Slammers in Game One of the league championship series in front of 1,204 fans at .

The defending champs take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series with Game 2 set for Friday in O'Fallon at 7:05 p.m.

River City steamrolled Joliet righthander, "Captain" Jake Renshaw, who led the league with 13 wins during the regular season.

The Rascals sent Renshaw packing after just one inning, his shortest outing of the season. Renshaw gave up a season-high six earned runs. He had allowed just five earned runs in his previous five outings covering 30 innings.

In the blink of an eye, the Rascals made Captain Jake look like Captain Kangaroo.

"He was definitely good, but a lot of the guys were geared up and ready to play," said River City shortstop Bobby Burk, who drove in four runs.

Explained River City manager Steve Brook, "It was the same approach that our guys normally take at the plate."

The River City offense stole the show by battering around Renshaw, who had won his last eight decisions.

Burke had two hits and teamed with Joash Brodin to put the Rascals in control in the opening frame. Brodin had two hits including a bases-loaded single in the first.

"Quality at-bats, that's a great way to put it," said Brodin. "The first couple of guys, we got two walks and that kind of got us all comfortable."

River City righthander Zack Sterner allowed five hits and four earned runs over 8 1/3 innings. Reliever Brandon Cunniff quelled a late rally by striking out three hitters in the ninth including pinch hitter Trey Manz with runners on second and third and two out.

But the night belonged to the offense, which sent Renshaw to the showers even before the crowd had settled into its seats.

"He just didn't have control of the strike zone," Joliet manager Bart Zeller said of Renshaw. "You take away that big first inning and we have a ballgame."

Both sides agreed that the big first inning was the difference.

Danny Sawyer and Logan Parker got the frame started by drawing back-to-back walks. With two away, Jason Patton drew a free pass to load the bases. Brodin then blooped a two-strike pitch into right field to bring in a pair of runs. Brodin went down and golfed the pitch in front of charging right fielder Kris Kasarjian.

"I didn't try to do too much," said Brodin. "I got a little lucky. It looked like I got my pitching wedge out there."

Renshaw, visibly shaken, hit Jareck West to re-load the bases. Burk then smashed a 3-2 offering into the gap in left-center to clear the bases and give the Rascals a 5-0 cushion.

Matt Serna, the No. 9 hitter in the order, followed with a run-scoring single up the middle to complete the blitz.

Joliet battled back to within 7-3 in the fifth on a two-run homer by Josh Flores.

But Burk, who was 0-for-14 in the West Division series, quickly pumped the lead to 8-3 with a two-out RBI hit in the fifth. Seven of the Rascals' runs came after two outs.

The East Division champs capitalized on an error and a dropped third strike to get to within 8-5 in the ninth. But Cunniff struck out three batters in just 2/3 innings due to the miscue by catcher Danny Sawyer, who went 2-for-2 at the plate and also drove in a run.

The Game 1 victory was very important for the Rascals. Not only do they get a leg up in the series, but they did so against the Slammers' best pitcher.

"We had to win," said Burk. "It was at home and it was the momentum factor. We've got to keep riding that momentum wave."

NOTES FROM THE DAWG POUND

• Josh Lowey, the Frontier League Pitcher of the Year, will take on Tommy Mendoza in Game 2 on Friday night at T. R. Hughes Ballpark.
• River City infielder Doug Sanders suffered a wrist injury in Game 4 of the West Division final and is questionable for the rest of the series.
• The Rascals are the first team in league history to reach the championship game in three successive seasons.
• River City is now 46-4 when leading after five innings.