River City Rascals Clinch Third Straight Playoff Berth

Step one is out of the way.    

The River City Rascals clinched their third successive playoff berth with a hard-fought 6-4 win over Normal on Tuesday night in front of 819 fans at .    

The Rascals not only nailed down a post-season spot, but also broke a season-high three-game losing streak with the victory.     

"It's good to get it done," River City manager Steve Brook said of the clincher. "Our next focus is to win the division."    

The Rascals moved seven games ahead of Southern Illinois in the battle for the West Division crown. The magic number for winning the division was lowered to 11 thanks in part to the Miners' loss at Gateway.    

River City, the defending Frontier League champ, sports a 56-22 mark while third-place Normal fell to 38-41.    

The post-season berth is the fourth in team history.    

Second baseman Doug Sanders led the winning attack against Normal with two hits and three RBI. His run-scoring single in the third broke a 2-2 tie and put the Rascals ahead to stay. He also drove in insurance runs with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a run-scoring single in the eighth.    

Sanders said the team was focused on nailing down the post-season berth.   

"It's good to finally know that we're going to be there in the end," he said. "But it's important to keep going and keep clicking so we'll be ready when the time comes."     

River City will most likely face Southern Illinois in the Western final with the Rascals having the home-field advantage.     

"This was a good win," added Sanders. "We're winding down, getting to the dog days of August. We're looking to finish the regular season strong."     

The Rascals have put together an almost perfect regular campaign. A three-game hiccup at Joliet over the weekend served as only a minor bump in the road.     

Returning to O'Fallon, River City returned to its winning ways.     

"It's good be home," added Sanders, who has an eight-game hitting streak.     

River City third baseman Chad Maddox ripped a two-run homer and turned in the defensive gem of the night to help the cause. Jareck West went 3-for-5 hitting out of the leadoff spot in the batting order for the first time this season.    

Jason Patton and Bobby Burk added two hits each to the 14-hit attack.    

Right-handed starter Josh Lowey gutted out five adequate innings to pick up his fourth win in the last four outings. Lowey, who improved to 9-2, gave up four runs on nine hits but kept his team in the game. Leading 5-4, he wriggled out of a two-on, no-out jam in the fifth with a pair of strikeouts and a fine play by Maddox, who came in on a short chopper and gunned down the runner at first by an eyelash.     

Normal scored twice in the first inning as eight players came to the plate. Lowey needed 35 pitches to get out of the frame.    

Maddox tied the game in the second with a two-run shot, his 11th homer of the season.    

West started the go-ahead rally with a leadoff triple. Sanders followed with a run-scoring hit to give his team a 3-2 lead. Stephen Holdren, who is sitting on 99 career home runs. followed with a double down the line in right. Joash Brodin pumped the lead to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly.   

Sanders added the insurance tallies and the bullpen, led by Dustin Umberger, Brandon Cunniff and Derrick Miramontes held the CornBelters scoreless on just two hits over the final four innings. Miramontes recorded his 15th save in 16 opportunities.        

Notes from the Dawg Pound

• River City catcher Danny Sawyer is hitless in his last 23 at-bats.
• Windy City holds the longest active playoff streak in the league. The ThunderBolts have reached the playoffs each of last three seasons and remain in the hunt once again.
• Holdren is in the top five in the league in HR, RBI and batting average.
• The Rascals have 17 games remaining — but only three games against a team with a winning record. 
• Don Lisi (6-1, 3.80 ERA) will start for River City on Wednesday in the second game of a six-game homestand.