The Schaumburg Boomers erased a 7-1 deficit but dropped a seventh straight when the Joliet Slammers walked off with an 8-7 victory on Thursday night to sweep the mid-week series.
Joliet scored in the first inning for the third time in the series but the Boomers battled back to tie the game in the second when Alex Calarco crossed the plate on a throwing error. Joliet built a 7-1 edge by plating three runs in the second and third. Schaumburg started to come back in the fifth, taking advantage of an error. Alec Craig notched an RBI single and Kellum Clark, activated from the injured list before the game, stroked a two-run double. Will Prater brought the Boomers within 7-5 in the sixth with an RBI single. The Boomers were able to tie the score in the seventh, taking advantage of another error. Clark singled home his third run of the game to pull Schaumburg within a run and Kyle Fitzgerald tied the game with a sacrifice fly. The Boomers put the go-ahead run on base in the final three innings but were unable to take the lead. Joliet ended the game in the bottom of the ninth with a sacrifice fly.
Cole Zaffiro made his Schaumburg debut on the mound, working two innings. Kyle Moore threw the next four and Holland Townes added a scoreless seventh. Caleb Riedel twirled a perfect eighth but was hit with the loss in the ninth. The pitching staff struck out 11 in an 11th contest with double-digit strikeouts. The offense finished with nine hits and also drew six walks. All nine members of the lineup reached base.