The Schaumburg Boomers stirred up some late wonders at Wintrust Field, scoring seven unanswered runs to down the three-time defending Frontier League Champion Quebec Capitales by a 10-6 final and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five Frontier League Finals.
The Boomers wasted no time in taking the lead. Alec Craig led off the game with an infield hit and Chase Dawson singled with one away. Banks Tolley dropped a single into center with two outs to open the scoring. Schaumburg starter Derek Salata retired the first nine Quebec hitters but in the fourth the visitors plated four runs to grab the lead. The Boomers drew within 4-3 in the fifth but stranded the tying run at third. Dawson drew a bases loaded walk and Tolley lifted a sacrifice fly but the Quebec bullpen shut the door.
The Capitales immediately pushed the lead back to three runs when Wednesday’s hero Justin Gideon connected on a two-run homer with two outs in the sixth. Quebec relievers had retired 22 consecutive batters until the flood gates opened in the seventh. Christian Fedko broke the streak with a one-out single and Dawson followed with an infield hit. Frontier League MVP Anthony Calarco recorded the first extra-base hit since his Tuesday homer and just the second of the series by doubling home a run. Tolley followed with his second sacrifice fly. Nick Podkul picked an ideal time for his first hit of the series, dumping a two-out single into center to tie the game.
The momentum carried over into the eighth when 10 men came to the plate and the Boomers grabbed the lead for the first time since it was 1-0. Kyle Fitzgerald opened the inning with a double to deep center and Michael Gould followed by being hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt followed by an intentional walk loaded the bases for Dawson, wo coaxed a walk to force home the go-ahead tally. Calarco followed with a two-run single and another run scored on a wild pitch as the Boomers led 10-6.
Salata worked six innings and allowed four earned runs in the win. The right had a 19.1 inning scoreless stretch conclude in the fourth. The bullpen, Aaron Glickstein, Dylan Stutsman and Caleb Riedel, combined to throw three hitless innings in the victory.
Schaumburg finished with 11 hits in the win and also drew eight walks. The Boomers had walked just three times total, one of which was intentional, in the first three games of the series. Calarco and Tolley both finished with three RBIs. Craig, Dawson and Calarco all tallied two hits. Eight of the nine members of the lineup reached base. Fedko and Dawson both reached four times.
