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Sports

Two Homers Sink Rascals In Game 2 Loss to Joliet

Slammers even up series as River City heads to Joliet for Game 3.

Two fastballs up in the strike zone.

Those are two pitches that River City Rascals starting pitcher Josh Lowey would like to have back Friday night in Game 2 of the Frontier League Championship Series against the Joliet Slammers at . Brad Netzel and Hector Pellot took advantage of those two mistakes and hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning to defeat the Rascals 3-1 and even the best-of-five series at one game each.

"I think they were looking fastball and I left them up," said Lowey, who scattered seven hits, fanned nine and only walked one. "The prior three innings I probably threw 90 percent fastballs and I'm sure they made some adjustments."

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Game Three is tonight at 6:05 in Joliet. The Rascals start Preston Vancil and he faces Jeremy Tietze.

The game was played at times during a light rain, but the precpititation picked up in the Slammers half of the fourth. Netzel led off and hit the first pitch from Lowey to deep left center field over the .354 alley. Pellot followed with a blast even further into the left center field bleachers than the previous home run.

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Lowey said the rain did not bother his grip on the baseball.

"I had a little more rain coming down on my arm, but I left a few pitches up," said Lowey. "I tried to minimize the home runs and get outs. I only walked one guy. It just didn't work out."

Slammers' manager Bart Zeller isn't letting the secret out on how to beat Lowey.

"I can't tell you how we beat him because we may face him again," said Zeller. "You have to get him early. You have to get him early in the count. If you let him get him in his count, he'll throw you that curve ball and have you sit there guessing."

Slammers' starter Tommy Mendoza allowed only five hits in five innings and good work from relievers Chuck Lukanen, Billy Petrick, Brian Smith and closer Ryan Quigley closed out the Rascals.

"I can't say enough about our relief pitching," said Zeller. "Guys came out of the bullpen and shut them down. Tommy just pitched a whale of a ball game. He got out of trouble a couple of times. That's how he pitches. He's not over powering he just controls the strike zone."

The Slammers led 3-1 in the seventh and a fantastic play by Lowey killed a potential big inning for Joliet. Reid Chenworth opened the inning with a single to right. Sean Estand executed a perfect hit and run with Bobby Burk moving at short on the play and the ball went into left field and Chenworth moved to third.

Trey Manz hit a bouncer just in front of the plate for a infield hit to drive in Chenworth. Lowey then fielded his position well, diving to catch a popped up bunt from Brandon Peters and throwing to first to double off Manz at first.

"It felt pretty good because I used to play infield and third base in college," said Lowey. "It was more of a reaction. I doubled the guy off of first. I guess he was leaning a little too much off first."

Lowey kept it close in the fifth after Estand opened the inning with a walk. Manz then sacrificed Estand to second but Lowey fanned Peters. Josh Flores kept the inning going by beating out a slow roller to third that Chris McClendon had no chance making. Brad Netzel ended the inning by flying out to center.

Slammers' starter Tommy Mendoza got out of trouble in the fourth with some help from Netzel. With one out, Jason Patton walked and Joash Brodin got his second double of the game, this one half way up the right field wall but Patton had to hold at third.
Netzel then retired JareckWest on a nifty over the shoulder catch in foul ground on top of a wet mound in the Slammers bullpen. Mendoza then got Burk to fly out to center just in front of the track.

"This was a big, big win for us and now we get to go home," said Zeller. "We're looking at the rain coming and we're down 1-0 in the fourth. My God, what a horrible thing to go five and have it rained out and lose 1-0."

The Rascals led 1-0 in the second when with one out, Brodin doubled to center. West was retired on a pop out to second but Burk hit a hard liner off Estand at third and into short left field. A good throw from Peters would have had Brodin at the plate but the throw was short and Brodin scored.

Burk went to second on the throw home but was picked off on a perfect throw from Mendoza and a nice tag by Netzel.

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