Pitching Leads the Way as Sluggers Edge Joes 3-2 to Snap Skid

Jun 15

HAMILTON, OH — The Flag City Sluggers leaned on sharp pitching and steady defense Sunday night, grinding out a 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Joes at Foundation Field.

Unlike the high-scoring blowouts earlier in the week, this matchup became a tense pitcher's duel. The Sluggers (3-5) combined for nine strikeouts and held the Joes (4-4) to just five hits, snapping their losing skid in a clean, mistake-free performance.

Flag City manufactured the game's first run in the top of the third. Alex Grissinger walked, moved up on a groundout, and scored when Timothy Leark drilled a clutch two-out RBI single.

The Sluggers added some crucial breathing room in the top of the seventh. Grissinger sparked the offense again, reaching on a walk. Mickey Anderson later singled to put runners on the corners before Hamilton's defense faltered. A pair of infield errors by the Joes allowed both Grissinger and Anderson to cross the plate, extending the Sluggers' lead to 3-0.

The Joes didn't go quietly, mounting a serious threat in the bottom of the eighth against the Flag City bullpen. After two walks and a single loaded the bases, a pair of wild pitches allowed Owen McKoon and AJ Gundler to score, cutting the Sluggers' lead to a razor-thin 3-2.

Reliever Max Dunaway quickly buckled down, striking out back-to-back hitters to strand the tying run on third and escape the jam.

Aidan Murphy came on in the bottom of the ninth to protect the one-run lead. Despite surrendering a single to Alec Halter, Murphy remained cold as ice, striking out the final two batters of the game to secure his third save of the summer.

Reliever Keagan Baugh (1-0) earned the win, cooling down the Hamilton bats with 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.

The Sluggers travel to Athens on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.